PounceyWatch: Steelers center is now boot and crutch-free

Tuesday, Maurkice Pouncey was still pretty confident that he'd be playing on Sunday, even if no one else was. With his foot wrapped up in a giant walking boot, he told Deion Sanders he felt like he still had a 75 percent chance of playing.

Wednesday, he's a step closer to making that happen, though there's still a long way to go. From NFL.com:

However, Pouncey did not practice, and he told NFL Network reporter Albert Breer that if he doesn't practice Friday, he won't play.

"If I'm not on the field Friday, most likely I'm not playing," Pouncey said, adding that is not something he's been told by the Steelers coaching staff. "I'm not going to put the team in a bad position."

So it seems like Friday is the day we'll know for sure whether or not Pouncey is a go for the Super Bowl.

If he's not, it will likely be Doug Legursky stepping in for him again, just as he did against the Jets. Whoever starts at center will be charged with trying to slow down B.J. Raji, the backfield-wrecker in the middle of Green Bay's 3-4. Legursky did a fine job in the AFC championship game, but especially against a force like Raji, the Steelers are far better off with Pouncey than Legursky.

We'll find out on Friday.

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