the Steelers Defense and Troy Polamalu's value

by waldoshot on Sep 28, 2009 2:47 PM EDT

If the last 2 games have showed us anything, it is that Troy Polamalu is quite very important to this current Pittsburgh Steelers team. There was a topic regarding who is the most irreplaceable player on the Steelers this season. I thought the Steelers Defense is the most valuable, and with that belief I chose one of the Defense's stars as being irreplaceable. I couldn't pinpoint one player but I did note that it was either Aaron Smith, Troy Polamalu or James Harrison. Well, the way Tyrone Carter has played so far, I'm beginning to think we might not go anywhere unless Troy comes back in full heath. In the last 2 losses, Carter was either directly or indirectly involve in allowing 3 touchdowns, and many other plays where if Troy was there, a mere play could have stop a drive and prevent the other team from scoring. First, Cutler threw a touchdown to his tight end for a touchdown. Most people point the finger on Farrior as the culprit, but Farrior was reading Cutler's eyes, who looked off Farrior by moving his eyes, Carter who was the defender behind the tight end lacking instinct didn't react when Cutler moved his eyes back to his tight end, heck he didn't even seem to react when the ball was coming, he wouldn't have gotten to the ball on time because he isn't as quick or fast as Troy but at least maybe he could have hit the tight end and cause a drop. Then he got beat by Knox on the next touchdown, and it didn't look to me that he was hurt, I thought Carter moved pretty well, he even tackled the receiver after the catch, but it was more like he wasn't good enough to cover than he was injured. He did say he shouldn't have been there because he was hurt. Well regardless of the reasons, he shouldn't have been there covering the receiver one on one because he doesn't have the coverage skills. Then against Cincinnati, Benson had a long touchdown run. If Troy was there, there was a huge possibility Benson would not have gotten a first touchdown, and Troy would have at least tackled him before getting a touchdown. Well, we saw Troy tackled Chris Johnson for a 2 yard loss while positioned from 15 yards deep in the secondary before the snap. He was so quick, that a play that could have gotten a lot of yardage maybe even a first town ended up being a loss of yardage, and Troy has done that in so many games. I don't know if he could have done it against Benson, but it would have been a better chance. Remember last year in the playoffs, Troy sealed the Ravens game by intercepting Flacco and returning it for a touchdown, heck the Ravens could have drove down the field like the Bears and the Bengals did and beat us. Remember when Troy took an onside kick for a touchdown against the Chargers, they didn't give him the score, but he did have a spectacular last mini-second scoop for an interception that impacted a drive, he impacted the game in many ways. I don't know if Troy is making a case for being the most irreplaceable Steeler this season, but the Steelers D is badly missing the Tasmanian D.

I've always seen the Steelers Defense as the most important unit throughout their history. I believe without the great Defense that we have come to see almost each and every year, we wouldn't have 6 Superbowl trophies by now. That is why when I read story lines and comments regarding the team's offense needing to step up more to win games, I shake my head. They aren't the Steelers if they don't win the way they do. They've always been known to have the best most punishing Defense throughout the history of the NFL, and it's the major reason why they have 6 Superbowls. Ask the Saints how important the Defense is, granted it is early in the season, but the Saints are definitely looking good with their improved defense. The Saints didn't make the playoffs last year even with an offense that lead the league in total yards and points scored, because their defense wasn't up to par. The Steelers didn't even ranked in the top half of the league's offense in yards and other statistical categories, they barely scored, yet they won the Superbowl. The Steelers also won Superbowl XL with the worst qb rating of all time playing the game. If you haven't already noticed, I'm a strong believer in the adage that "Defense wins Championships" and history, stats, back up the fact that better defense wins games and championships even when the offense isn't up to par. And there aren't anyone better in playing defense in NFL history than the Steelers, it's who are and it should always be what people come to think when they mention the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Comments

Troy

seems to make everyone around him play at a higher level, because they know he is going to be there. But the lack of pressure is whats dooming us right now. Either James Harrison is getting double teamed, or held and the refs call it maybe 1 out of 8 times. But Woodley needs to wrap up the QB, and push the pocket when Harrison is double teamed.

by GDEUCE on Sep 28, 2009 3:17 PM EDT reply actions

Troy's great

but even with Troy in the game we seem to give up 4th quarter drives to make games close. Luckily, Ben seems to be able to pull those same drives out of his a$$ to win when we need it. There is a significant drop from Troy to Carter that is noticeable but I think our corner play leaves alot of room for improvement. Ike has improved tremendously but still gets burned by a team’s top receiver. The past 2 games, Gay’s play has hurt us and makes me pine for McFadden. This group of db’s is going to need help from our pass rush to stop teams from pulling out games in the 4th quarter. Luckily, we have Dick L. at the helm and if anyone can right our defensive ship, he can. Along with a healthy TP.

by qwikdoc on Sep 28, 2009 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

well

the two TD’s in the Chicago game were both on Ty Carter, and the TD in the final seconds on the Cincy game was on Farrior, and it would have never gotten to that if Farrior had stopped the guy a yard earlier on 4th & 10. Palmer only had 185 passing yards, and Ike broke up like 3 passes to Ochocinco in the endzone, so don’t blame the corners, they actually played pretty well against the Bengals.

by GDEUCE on Sep 28, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Farrior and Carter

Didn’t give up every pass play on the 4th quarter drives which won the game for the Bungles. The corners playing 10 yds off the line and giving up 8 yards at a crack are what usually allow drives against us in the 4th. We always want to play a prevent zone and end up letting them catch ball after ball in the seams. Our corners need to step up and play tighter coverage in those situations or the coaches need to tell them to.

by qwikdoc on Sep 28, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

same thing with the chicago game

Gay looked like a rookie out there

by qwikdoc on Sep 28, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I didnt say

that they gave up every pass play. I said that they gave up the past three passing TD’s and the 4th & 10. But i dont know why on 4th & 2, they gave Palmer that easy completion. Townsend was playing too far off on that one

by GDEUCE on Sep 28, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed

I scream loudly at the TV every week for our guys to get up on the line….we are getting killed by dink-and-dunk passes….I sure wish the coaches would notice this

by SteelerStuckintheSouth on Sep 29, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

I would think to prevent short check-down type passes during a blitz, the corners would want to jam the recievers and not allow for a clean release. Giving the linebackers a split second longer to get to the QB. Maybe with Troy being out, the coaches feel that there is an increased risk for the big play if the blockers hold their ground long enough, and the DB whiffs on the jam. Just some random thinking.

by OHSteelerfan on Sep 29, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

bottom line really

is that with adequate pressure on the qb, there wouldn’t be so much pressure on the db’s at the end of the game. It’s infuriating to watch tackles mauling Harrison and it never gets called. Then Willie Bowel barely grabs the lineman and gets a momentum killing holding call. Oh yeah, and what’s up Phil Simms’ ass? He’s always calling Steeler games and he doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he doesn’t like us

by qwikdoc on Sep 28, 2009 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

People, Polamalu causes the pressure

I think we forget that sacks are really more likely to happen when a QB has to progress through all his reads.

When Polamalu does shenanigans and creates bamboozlement, an opposing QB’s brain has to process more info and its more difficult.

This in turn, creates more time for our LB’s to get to the QB. They’ve been close several times, but that split second is what the loss of Troy means.

And to the OP, see my poast for a real serious look at just how much his absence hurts. Its probably a page back now.

by Mechem on Sep 28, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions

"poast"

ok I’ve seen this enough times. It’s “post”

not tryin to be a dick, but this is like the 5th time I’ve seen it. You’re a pretty good writer. Use spell check.

"It was an attrition football game and you know we like that."

by showtime on Sep 29, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

you just noticed Phil Simms doesn't like the Steelers?

WOW, I have been noticing that for years. Jim Nance on the other hand who is a friend of my dad’s loves the Black & Gold. The only color guy I really like is Troy Aikman and it pains me to say that because I am the world’s biggest Cowboy hater.

by WARDANE33 on Sep 28, 2009 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah

I’ve noticed it for years but I just got fed up the last 2 weeks. In the past I had to split my disdain between he and John Madden, another Steeler hater. Now the biggest haters are Simms and Boomer Esiason. Maybe Cowher will slap Boomer around some day on the set. I guess when you kick someone’s ass either as a player or coach they can hold a grudge.

by qwikdoc on Sep 28, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Aikmans a man-ho

Firstly I hate him and he stanks.

Hes not a bad commentator but he really lost all my respect last year in the Cowboys Steelers game. He was calling it.

And when the Cowboys were up with the ball with probably 6-8 minutes left in the game, before Ben’s drive and Desheas TD, he said, and I very closely try to quote “This is really a great win for the Cowboys.”

He did not say “this would be a great win” or “This could be a great win” He declared it fact, and was talking as if the game was over.

My dad and I, after both uttering expletives, enjoyed watching his words be stuck right back up into the ass from whence they came.

by Mechem on Sep 28, 2009 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Polamalu is great, but that doesn't help us now.

You can’t depend too much on any one player. If we’d had a better pass rush against Cincy, nobody would have noticed his absence. When one part goes down, the other parts have to come up big. There’s no “I” in “team.”

by Billy52 on Sep 28, 2009 7:13 PM EDT reply actions