Pouncey, Watt brothers prepare for ‘uncivil’ war
Associated Press
Los Angeles Chargers fullback Derek Watt (34) runs the ball as Denver Broncos nose tackle Domata Peko Sr. (center) and linebacker Todd Davis (51) defend during the first half of a game played Nov. 18, in Carson, Calif. The Steelers signed T.J. Watt无毛视频檚 older brother on a three-year contract worth $9.75 million.
Associated Press
Los Angeles Chargers center Mike Pounceyplays during the first half of a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Associated Press
Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey snaps the ball in a game against the Carolina Panthers in Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Maurkice Pouncey has an interesting 无毛视频� albeit sinister 无毛视频� plan for dealing with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The red-hot 8-3 Chargers will visit Heinz Field for a Sunday night prime-timer with the 7-3-1 Steelers.
Mike Pouncey, Maurkice无毛视频檚 identical twin, wears the same number and plays the same position for the Chargers.
无毛视频淗e called me late last night,无毛视频� Pouncey said on Monday. 无毛视频淲e had a good conversation. But, yeah, now that we done played each other a couple times it isn无毛视频檛 that big a deal. He无毛视频檒l come over for a good meal. I无毛视频檒l put some eye drops in it so he无毛视频檒l (****) the whole, entire game.无毛视频�
Uh oh. Football runs in the family.
T.J. Watt doesn无毛视频檛 have such a diabolical plan 无毛视频� at least that he wanted to make public.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 excited to see him,无毛视频� Watt said of his older brother Derek Watt, the Chargers fullback. 无毛视频淓xcited to have him out to the house, probably do a dinner the night before the game, so I无毛视频檓 excited.无毛视频�
Both Pouncey and Watt are extremely close with their Chargers brothers. Pouncey无毛视频檚 identical twin Mike was born two minutes before Maurkice, but it无毛视频檚 been said of them that Maurkice makes the jokes and Mike laughs. However, ask Maurkice who无毛视频檚 the better player and he never fails to say Mike.
To that end, Maurkice has watched the Chargers this season with great pride.
无毛视频淗e loves it there,无毛视频� Maurkice said. 无毛视频淗e loves the organization. He loves playing with that type of quarterback, that Hall of Fame-type of guy. He was never really blessed with that type of quarterback (in Miami). He thought the world of (Ryan) Tannehill, thought he was a great player, but playing with a gold-jacket guy 无毛视频� who even if he never plays another down is already in it 无毛视频� is totally different.无毛视频�
Does every team need a Pouncey at center? Or a gold-jacket quarterback out of the 2004 draft?
无毛视频淭he 2004 gold-jacket quarterback,无毛视频� Pouncey said with a laugh. 无毛视频淏oth would be nice. But, nah, you无毛视频檝e got to have a franchise quarterback. When you have that you have a lot better chance.无毛视频�
The Pouncey twins led Lakeland High School to three consecutive Florida state 5-A championships before matriculating to the University of Florida, where they both started for the 2008 national champions.
Maurkice was the center and Mike was the right guard, and after the following season Maurkice was drafted 18th overall by the Steelers and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Mike stayed at Florida and was drafted 15th by the Dolphins in the 2011 draft, topping his brother by three spots. But Maurkice is a 6-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro who无毛视频檚 played in seven playoff games. Mike is a 3-time Pro Bowler who was on IR for the only playoff game in which he could无毛视频檝e played.
Of course, Maurkice has played with that other 无毛视频�2004 gold-jacket quarterback,无毛视频� Ben Roethlisberger, his entire career. Mike only began snapping to Philip Rivers this season.
无毛视频淗e actually texted Mike after we got into that little scuffle in Carolina,无毛视频� Pouncey said of Rivers. 无毛视频淗e texted Mike after the game and said 无毛视频業 like that. Tell your brother he无毛视频檚 part of us.无毛视频� I thought that was pretty cool.无毛视频�
The Steelers also have the younger Watt brother, but by two years, not two minutes. Those two and oldest brother J.J. Watt never played together, but T.J. and Derek played a year together at Pewaukee (WI.) High School before spending three years together at the University of Wisconsin.
T.J. called Derek 无毛视频渢he best high school football player I无毛视频檝e ever seen无毛视频� after watching the running back/linebacker rush for 1,501 yards and win the 2010 AP State Player of the Year over another Wisconsin prep back named Melvin Gordon.
Gordon became the feature runner at Wisconsin and once rushed for 408 yards in one game and 2,587 yards in one season. Derek was his blocking back, and was reunited with Gordon by the Chargers.
The 6-2, 234-pound Watt has played in all 43 games since the Chargers drafted him in the sixth round in 2016. He无毛视频檚 totaled 149 yards from scrimmage in that time, and has only three carries for three yards this season. But, of course, his game无毛视频檚 all about lead-blocking and special teams.
无毛视频淢y brother loves him,无毛视频� said Pouncey. 无毛视频淗e said he无毛视频檚 like Rosie, how Rosie is. I无毛视频檓 like 无毛视频楻osie无毛视频檚 crazy!'无毛视频�
Rosie Nix is the Steelers fullback who无毛视频檚 paved the way for two 1,000-yard seasons by Le无毛视频橵eon Bell. Watt is three yards from saying the same about Gordon.
无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檝e been together for a long time,无毛视频� said T.J. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 why I feel like they work so well together out there. They无毛视频檝e had that chemistry since freshman year of college.无毛视频�
But Gordon is out with a sprained MCL this week. He无毛视频檒l be replaced in the Chargers backfield by second-year pro Austin Ekeler, a 5-10, 200-pounder who was undrafted out of D-II Western State, but comes into the game with 409 yards rushing (5.8 per carry) and 354 yards receiving.
Derek, of course, will be his lead blocker.
无毛视频淓very time Derek gets the ball, and any time he gets to the second level, he seems to injure a guy,无毛视频� T.J. said a month ago in admiration.
But as the game draws near, T.J. said he welcomes that second-level contact.
无毛视频淗opefully, he gets a good amount of snaps,无毛视频� Watt said, 无毛视频渁nd hopefully we have at least one collision throughout the game.无毛视频�
The last time they collided in earnest?
无毛视频淧robably back to the training-camp days of Wisconsin,无毛视频� Watt said. 无毛视频淚 remember a few times we went head-to-head. It无毛视频檚 definitely in his head whether I would 无毛视频榦le无毛视频� him or go head-to-head with him. It would be fun to do it again.无毛视频�
NOTES: WR Eli Rogers was taken off the PUP list and allowed to practice Wednesday. The Steelers have 21 days to promote him to the active roster. 无毛视频� Missing Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice were Roethlisberger (coach无毛视频檚 decision), Pouncey (coach无毛视频檚 decision), Vance McDonald (hip), Bud Dupree (pectoral), Morgan Burnett (back), Marcus Gilbert (knee) and B.J. Finney (personal). Stephon Tuitt (elbow) was limited.