Super Bowl XLV Injury Report
ARLINGTON, TX (The Spread) – The Pittsburgh Steelers will be without their starting center for Super Bowl XLV and one of the receivers for the Green Bay Packers could be limited. Before making your wager on the big game, make sure you’re up to speed on all of the injuries for both teams.
View Current Super Bowl XLV Odds
According to online sports book Sportsbook.com, the Packers are 3-point favorites over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. The over/under total for the championship game is 44.5, although that could rise as we get closer to kickoff.
The biggest injury news is that Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Pouncey suffered a high ankle sprain against the Jets in the AFC title game and while the initial reports were that he would play in the Super Bowl, that optimism turned as the week wore on. He was ruled out on Friday.
That means backup Doug Legursky will play in Pouncey’s spot. Legursky played well against the Jets two weeks ago, but he lacks Pouncey’s strength and isn’t the mauler that the rookie is in the running game. He’s certainly serviceable, but pundits expect the Packers to attack Legursky with nose tackle B.J. Raji (who has had an outstanding postseason).
In addition to Pouncey being out, defensive end Aaron Smith (triceps) also won’t play against the Packers. Smith finished his 12th season with just 15 tackles and no sacks in six games. He tried to get ready for the playoffs, but he couldn’t rehab in time to play in any game.
On the positive side for Pittsburgh, cornerback Bryant McFadden (abdominal) says that he’s 100% and ready to go. That’s good news for the Steelers, who will have their hands full with the explosive Green Bay receivers.
Speaking of which, Donald Driver has officially been listed as questionable for Super Bowl Sunday. Driver has been dealing with a quad injury, although head coach Mike McCarthy says that he would be “shocked” if the receiver didn’t play. Still, the injury is one to keep an eye on because it doesn’t appear that Driver will be at full strength.
Other than that, Green Bay is relatively healthy outside of suffering all of those injuries at the beginning of the year. Players like Nick Barnett, Ryan Grant and JerMichael Finley were placed on injured reserve earlier this season and won’t return until next year (assuming that there even is a season, that is).
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