PITTSBURGH (AP) — On the surface they’re identical. Below the surface too. Large. Loud. Remarkably athletic and remarkably close. Well compensated and well tattooed.Still www.thesteelerslockerroom.com/authentic-...mith-schuster-jersey , Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey believes there is one surefire way to tell him and Los Angeles Chargers center (and very slightly older brother) Mike apart on Sunday night when the Chargers visit Heinz Field.Just have the twins switch places at halftime and let Maurkice snap the ball to Los Angeles quarterback Philip Rivers for a quarter or two. Then the differences between the Pounceys will be unmistakable.“I’ll take that team to the next level baby,” Maurkice Pouncey said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “They’ll definitely notice.”Maurkice is kidding. Mostly, though he does have a slight edge over Mike in Pro Bowl selections (six to three). The 29-year-olds are well aware of the unique opportunity playing against each other offers. Separated by a minute at birth, the Pounceys were virtually inseparable growing up until Maurkice left the University of Florida for the NFL in 2010.They’ve spent their professional lives rooting for each other from afar — Sunday is only the fifth time they’ll be together in the same NFL stadium — and both feared Mike’s career might be in jeopardy after a hip injury limited him to five games with the Miami Dolphins in 2016.“It was a point that we both thought that and it was tough,” Maurkice said. “Lord willing, a lot of hard work, and the doctors did a great job. Obviously he’s playing at a high level and he’s been blessed to be out there.”Mike returned to play a full 16 games last season, but found himself looking for work after the Dolphins cut him in a salary cap move in March. The Chargers sprinted to scoop him up, bringing him to the West Coast on a two-year, $15 million deal just four days after getting released. The change of scenery provided Mike Pouncey with a mid-career jolt, and his presence has played a significant role in the Chargers’ hot 8-3 start.“We knew it was a big signing when we signed him,” Los Angeles coach Anthony Lynn said. “But it’s even better than what I thought.”Asked what the Mike Pouncey experience is like, Lynn laughed.“I’m pretty sure it’s similar to what you guys have in Pittsburgh,” he said.Translation: a lot of jokes. A lot of trash talk. And a relentless work ethic that belies their copious amounts of swagger.“He’s the same player as me,” Mike Pouncey said. “He’s going to go out there and give you everything he has on each play. (My teammates) more excited (than I am) because we have a real good friendship on this team, and they go out there and talk smack to my brother to make me feel a little bit better. It’s going to be fun.”The entire Pouncey clan will descend on Maurkice’s house in the Pittsburgh suburbs on Saturday. As for split allegiances, Maurkice’s offer to host came with one very simple directive: If you root for the Steelers, you can crash at his place. If not? You’re on your own.How tight are they? Maurkice admits Mike might be the only person in the world outside of his children he actually calls on the phone rather than just texting.It’s the same for Derek and T.J. Watt, though the two brothers — T.J. is a second-year linebacker for the Steelers, Derek is in his third season as a fullback for the Chargers — won’t have the luxury of standing on the sideline watching the other play like the Pounceys do.There’s a very real chance that T.J. and Derek will find themselves on a collision course sometime Sunday night Womens James Conner Jersey , the first time that’s ever happened somewhere other than the family backyard or the random University of Wisconsin football practice when both were playing for the Badgers.Not that T.J. believes there’s going to be time to think about bragging rights. If his assignment on a play is to ram into the guy wearing No. 34, then that’s what he’s going to do.“It’s a football game to me,” T.J. said. “I don’t think anything is going to really change. I don’t think in that split second you can determine who’s who and what’s what, so whatever happens, happens.”Older brother J.J., the star defensive end for the Houston Texans, hopes they are forced to ram into each other at least once so “we can settle it once and for all.” Provided, of course, there’s no cheating on either side.“I basically just said, no cut-blocks,” J.J. said. “That’s the only thing. Just don’t go at his knees. Otherwise, everything’s fair.”Though Derek, 26, lacks the star power of his older or his younger brother — both of whom were first-round picks while the Chargers selected Derek in the sixth round in 2016 — T.J., 24, might know better than anyone on the planet that you overlook the middle Watt brother at your own risk.“He may not get all the publicity that J.J. and I get, but Derek’s been in the NFL, this is his third year,” T.J. said. “I don’t see many people in America doing that. I don’t see many people in the world doing that. He’s playing at the highest level. He’s a starting fullback for an NFL team; I think that’s pretty damn cool.”Connie and John Watt will watch their boys go at it from the stands, trying to stay as neutral as possible. They might want to get used to it. All three Watt brothers are on teams heading to the postseason, meaning more family showdowns loom.“I hope the game T. J. Watt Jersey , I don’t know, I guess ends in a tie,” J.J. Watt said. “I guess that’s probably the best thing for everybody. It’s probably good for (the Texans) too.” In the offseason, sometimes anything goes. Join one BTSC writer not afraid to step outside the lines and explore different areas of Steeler fandom. If you want in-depth team analysis, this might not be for you." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteBehind the Steel Curtaina Pittsburgh Steelers communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsSteelersOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Latest NewsSteelers Film Room2018 NFL Draft AnalysisLatest NewsFiled under:Latest NewsSteelers articles I can only (barely) get away with in the offseason: Jersey Preference and Superstition Edition New,24commentsIn the offseason, sometimes anything goes. Join one BTSC writer not afraid to step outside the lines and explore different areas of Steeler fandom. If you want in-depth team analysis, this might not be for you. EDTShareTweetShareShareSteelers articles I can only (barely) get away with in the offseason: Jersey Preference and Superstition Edition Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY SportsIt seems like everywhere you go in and around Steeler Nation, somebody is wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey no matter the date on the calendar. However, I grew up in a time when replica jerseys were hard to come by. One of my favorite times of year was when the JC Penney catalog would come out and I’d immediately go towards the back where the NFL youth jerseys were. They’d always have the team name on the front and only one or two players available. At that time, it was typically Terry Bradshaw’s No. 12 or Franco Harris’ No. 32 that you could get in the painted-on printing. Living in Johnstown, the department stores such as Hills or GeeBee’s had a few on hand. The jersey of Jack Ham, a Flood City native, was sold locally and that was my very first Steeler jersey that my parents bought me. So in 1981, I had the perfect Halloween costume. I still have it today. I actually made my son try it on a few years back. From there my jersey obsession grew, but I was never really able to get any more. In 1993, my cousins Kim and Larry were visiting from Los Angeles and I arranged to take them to Three Rivers Stadium for a Steelers/Browns game. They brought me my first Steelers jersey as an adult. It was No. 14, but Neil O’Donnell’s surname wasn’t on the back of the garment. But people knew what player I was representing. I wore it to that game and was vociferously jeered every single time I moved. I didn’t care. I loved it. It helped prep me for the boos in the comments section I receive weekly in the BTSC comments section. I did try to pass it off as a Todd Blackledge throwback though, but that didn’t really help matters whatsoever.In the late 90s, Value City was carrying the screen-printed gems and I was all over it for $15. My first one from there was a Yancey Thigpen in 1997, but I got only a few months use out of that before he sauntered off to Music City to become a Tennessee Titan. So in desperate need of new team swag Jerome Bettis Jersey White , I paid $50 at the stadium for an away Jerome Bettis at the AFC Championship Game vs Denver. Ouch! Not too long after that, something glorious happened. Value City put a bunch on clearance for $6. Not only could I offset the cost of my inflated Bus garb, I could go crazy and grow my collection. I acquired home and away Kordell Stewarts, a LeVon Kirkland and even a Richard Huntley. If anybody else actually still owns that one, I’d be flabbergasted. My one regret was not buying the No. 56 Mike Vrabel (Yes, the Steelers originally drafted him) jersey that was there. That would have been more rare than my No. 33 honoring the RB from Winston-Salem State.Through the years and before the wife and kids, I’d pick up a few here and there. I’d get Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Joey “Peezy” Porter, Fast Willie Parker, Jeff Reed, Alan Faneca, LaMarr Woodley, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, Antwaan Randle El, James Farrior and Troy Polamalu...but I always wanted to try to go more obscure. Then I got married and mortgages and baby formula became more pressing to my wife, so I cut back. Then it happened, a guy my sister knew could get knockoffs cheap from overseas. I got my bumblebee Le’Veon Bell, My Batman Antonio Brown, throwback Mike Wallace and a white Brett Keisel from him. Then he screwed me over on a LeGarrette Blount Steelers jersey James Conner Jersey White , among others, and made off with my cash. I guess I shouldn’t be too angry it was just Blount. But I did put a curse on him and sadly (or funny enough) his wife caught him cheating on her, she eventually turned to women and took him for everything. I lost a hundred bucks, but that dude lost a whole lot more. But I digress.Now, I’ve found a more reliable source for jerseys, and I get them at a great price. That’s why you can see me wearing an LC Greenwood, Bud Dupree, Alejandro Villanueva, Cameron Heyward, James Conner, Vance McDonald, Maurkice Pouncey, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Big Ben, Stephon Tuitt, (An American Flag-numbered) Ryan Shazier, Sean Davis (same last name) or a T.J. Watt on any given Sunday in different styles. Unfortunately, I whiffed on a few like DeAngelo Williams, Martavis Bryant and Jarvis Jones. \I think my next purchase is a Rosie Nix in block numbers. My only jersey superstition is wearing the same color or throwback/Color Rush as the team. I have been known to change mid-game, if the jersey is providing poor results. Yeah, I’m that guy. Superstitions are funny. BTSC Editor Jeff Hartman typically only wears Big Ben jerseys. A few years back when the Steelers were set to debut their Color Rush on Christmas Day...I gave him a Color Rush Ben Roethlisberger for Christmas. The Steelers did not start off too well in those jerseys Womens Jerome Bettis Jersey , so he switched, and they won in dramatic fashion. So, my present got a one-way ticket for a trip to the back of the closet. That won’t deter me from getting my friend another gift. He’s legitimately hankering for Landry Jones merch. I may get him a No. 2. Or maybe, just maybe...a No. 40 Ralph Webb.I once met a woman on a plane that had an away jersey that she wore to the home opener one season. Unfortunately for her, she got a huge blob of mustard on the front of it. But they won, so she refused to wash it the rest of the season. Another I heard were fans retiring jerseys after losing streaks and even, crazy enough, burning them in an exorcism ceremony.While not football, in 2015 the Pirates played a crucial September game against the Brewers. My good Steeler Central buddy, Mike, was debuting his brand new Pedro Alvarez jersey. my wife ran her hand across the name plate on the back of his jersey. Pedro had a huge hit and RBI. So after that, the phrase “Rub my Alvarez” was born”. It quickly fell off into the abyss. But every time the Alvarez was rubbed, something big happened.Not everybody is like me and feels the need to keep on buying an inordinate amount of jerseys. Responsible fans save their money for logical things like paying bills and lottery scratch-offs. Most fans have one go-to jersey they proudly sport. Share in the comments your jersey of choice, and your particular Steeler-wear superstitions. For now I gotta go, I need to search online for my next big purchase, a Daniel McCullers jersey.