Thursday night news came down that Steelers Strong Safety, Troy Polamalu, has decided to retire after 12 seasons in the National Football League...all of those seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The first thing that I did was shed a tear, because it was one of my all-time favorite players walking away from the game.
The second thing I did was breath a sigh of relief, because it was time...and the right decision to make. The Steelers had already planned on moving away from Troy Polamalu. He could still lay bone crunching hits. He still had the instincts and the ability to read a play pre-snap and know where the ball was going before anyone else on the defense. However, he no longer had the speed or athleticism to make plays off of those instincts and reads. He was still a good defender against the run, but had become at least somewhat of a liability in pass coverage because he could no longer get to where he needed to be.
If he hadn't retired, the Steelers were going to release Polamalu according to many reports that came out when free agency began. And I believe that to be true, the team was at some point this offseason going to release him if he chose to keep playing.
However, the team did the right thing. They kept his cap hit until he made a decision that could have forced their hand. Polamalu said that he's retiring for family. Because he wants to spend more time with his wife and kids, that this was the first time he has really gotten to do that since the family has now permanently moved to Pittsburgh. Also, he retired because he realized that he had to think about if he really wanted to keep playing, and he felt that if you even have to think about it, then it's time to walk away.
Some will say he played a season or two too long. I don't think that's true, I think it would have been true if he played in 2015.
In 2013, he played all 16 games and had: 69 total tackles/2 sacks/5 forced fumbles/1 fumble recovery/2 interceptions/1 defensive touchdown/11 passes defended.
In 2014 the bottom dropped out on the play making. He also once again missed some games due to injury. He looked slower. It was the season that told most people, including the Steelers front office, that he was no longer a starter in the National Football League.
It's sad to see such a great player go. He was truly the heart of this defense, if not the entire team. He wasn't the most vocal leader, but if you wanted to learn how to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, you watched Troy Polamalu. Not only did he work hard at the football stuff...workouts, film study, practice...he worked hard in the community. And the best part about it is, you really never heard about it. He didn't promote the work he did in the community of Pittsburgh because he did it unselfishly for the community, not for the recognition.
This is how kind of a player Polamalu was:
I remember a game against the Cincinnati Bengals many years ago. I think Chad Ochocinco might have still be Chad Johnson at the time. A Steelers player layed Johnson out with a really hard hit. Johnson was know for wearing gold fronts (teeth) during games, they were removable. He was hit so hard, his gold fronts got knocked out of his mouth. Troy picked them up and ran over to Johnson to give them back to him.
They didn't go to the same school. Never played on the same team. Many players wouldn't have touched the gold fronts. But Polamalu did the sportsmanlike thing and picked them up and gave them back to him. And he did this against a division rival.
Also, there were often times where after Polamalu would lay out a player with a bone crunching hit, he would tell the guy "sorry." Why? Because Polamalu wasn't a violent person, he just happened to play a violent sport that required it. I am sure David Carr still wakes up in the middle of the night from nightmares of Troy Polamalu after his three sack game against Carr in 2005.
Polamalu was to this defense what Joe Greene was to the Steel Curtain. Yeah, there's all this talk about outside linebackers. Joey Porter, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and even Jason Worilds all had success (okay, the first three had a lot of success) at that position for the Steelers. And yes, they were a big, big part of the success of this defense for many years.
But Polamalu was the X-Factor on the defense. He was allowed to play outside of the scheme. He was the only player allowed to play outside of the scheme at all times. That's how much Dick LeBeau and Bill Cowher/Mike Tomlin trusted him. Sometimes he would lineup at a deep safety spot, the QB would read him as playing there, and then the ball is snapped and Polamalu was in the QB's face getting a sack or forcing a bad pass. Or he would line up at the line of scrimmage and the QB would read him as blitzing, he would snap the ball and Polamalu would be thirty yards downfield intercepting the pass because he wasn't accounted for as a pass defender on that play.
And the crazy thing is, on many of those plays, he did the opposite of what the defensive call had his position doing.
So for a player that meant that much to the team and community, you'd be expecting to hear an announcement before the season for Polamalu's #43 to be retired during a halftime ceremony at Heinz Field, probably during a game against the Ravens who he loved to torture in his career. I think the announcement that Polamalu retired might have been the happiest day of Joe Flacco's life.
However, for any fan that thinks that day is coming if not this season then next, don't hold your breath.
The Steelers don't just retire numbers. They've only retired two numbers officially in the history of the team: #70 (Ernie Stautner) and #75 (Joe Greene). Joe Greene is regarded as one of the best defensive players in NFL history, was the cornerstone of the Steel Curtain defense of the 1970's, and his number wasn't retired officially until last season.
Instead, at the decision of the equipment manager (yes literally, the equipment manager is the one who makes the decision), numbers are taken out of circulation. The following numbers are currently not options for players when they join the Steelers:
#1 (Gary Anderson)
#12 (Terry Bradshaw)
#31 (Donnie Shell)
#32 (Franco Harris)
#36 (Jerome Bettis)
#47 (Mel Blount)
#52 (Mike Webster)
#58 (Jack Lambert)
#59 (Jack Hamm)
#63 (Dermontti Dawson)
#86 (Hines Ward)
#88 (Lynn Swann)
Unless the Steelers start officially retiring the numbers of these guys, most of which are in the Hall of Fame, then you won't see Polamalu's number officially retired likely in your lifetime. Not that he's not deserving of such an honor, just because the Steelers don't grant that honor very often.It was 50 years between official jersey number retirements. I wouldn't be shocked if we waited 50 more years for another.
Showing posts with label Troy Polamalu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Troy Polamalu. Show all posts
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Monday, September 24, 2012
Where Is The Defense?
Normally after a game I would do a The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. However this week, I am not doing one. Instead, I am wondering just one thing....where is the defense?
This is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Defense is what this team has been built on since way back in 1933. Even when the team was one of the absolute worst in the league, you didn't want to face Pittsburgh because you came out of the game bloody and bruised, worse for wear.
The Steelers defense has been made the poster child for "illegal hits" by Roger Goodell. How did they respond? They didn't change a damn thing. They would still hit you with all they had and then some. They would force turnovers. They would sack quarterbacks.
I remember back when running backs never ran for 100 or more yards on the Steelers defense. Yesterday we let our first 100 yard rusher in Darren McFadden. Last year we let a lot more backs run for triple digits on us than I would have liked.
I know yesterday we were without Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. But if this defense collapses due to missing one or two players, that says a lot about how substandard the rest of the defense is. I mean...we are relying on a 34 year old linebacker who's having chronic knee and back issues...and a 31 year old safety who has suffered multiple knee and ankle injuries the past few years.
These two players aren't going to be playing for much longer. Both are former Defensive Player of the Year winners, both have been big time contributors on Super Bowl Championship teams. Polamalu is a future Hall of Famer. James Harrison is one of the better players in Steelers history.
If this is how our defense looks without them for a short amount of time, I am afraid to see what our defense will look like once these two retire. I know there is never going to be another Troy Polamalu, but we need a better backup. We have yet to find someone that can spell Harrison much less replace him.
I blame our loss to the Raiders on two things: Antonio Brown's fumble and bad defensive play. If our defense holds the Raiders to one field goal instead of a touchdown...they walk away with a win.
If this is how the defense is going to play for the majority of this season, it will be a long season. The Steelers better make some adjustments, because nobody is exactly sure when Harrison or Polamalu will be coming back, or just how effective either will be when they do return to the field.
This is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Defense is what this team has been built on since way back in 1933. Even when the team was one of the absolute worst in the league, you didn't want to face Pittsburgh because you came out of the game bloody and bruised, worse for wear.
The Steelers defense has been made the poster child for "illegal hits" by Roger Goodell. How did they respond? They didn't change a damn thing. They would still hit you with all they had and then some. They would force turnovers. They would sack quarterbacks.
I remember back when running backs never ran for 100 or more yards on the Steelers defense. Yesterday we let our first 100 yard rusher in Darren McFadden. Last year we let a lot more backs run for triple digits on us than I would have liked.
I know yesterday we were without Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. But if this defense collapses due to missing one or two players, that says a lot about how substandard the rest of the defense is. I mean...we are relying on a 34 year old linebacker who's having chronic knee and back issues...and a 31 year old safety who has suffered multiple knee and ankle injuries the past few years.
These two players aren't going to be playing for much longer. Both are former Defensive Player of the Year winners, both have been big time contributors on Super Bowl Championship teams. Polamalu is a future Hall of Famer. James Harrison is one of the better players in Steelers history.
If this is how our defense looks without them for a short amount of time, I am afraid to see what our defense will look like once these two retire. I know there is never going to be another Troy Polamalu, but we need a better backup. We have yet to find someone that can spell Harrison much less replace him.
I blame our loss to the Raiders on two things: Antonio Brown's fumble and bad defensive play. If our defense holds the Raiders to one field goal instead of a touchdown...they walk away with a win.
If this is how the defense is going to play for the majority of this season, it will be a long season. The Steelers better make some adjustments, because nobody is exactly sure when Harrison or Polamalu will be coming back, or just how effective either will be when they do return to the field.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Who's the most indispensable Steeler?
Earlier this week, NFL.com had an article asking who was the most indispensable player in the NFL. Most of the people who contributed to the article went with either the Saints' signal caller Drew Brees; or the new quarterback in Denver, Peyton Manning.
This got me to thinking, what player in the Steelers is the most indispensable?
The players that came to mind for me were:
QB Ben Roethlisberger - The Steelers won zero Super Bowls between the Bradshaw and Roethlisberger eras. Since Roethlisberger has become the Steelers' starting quarterback, the team has won two Super Bowls and been to a third.
C Maurkice Pouncey - Most people wouldn't consider an interior offensive lineman indispensable. However, Pouncey is one of the top two centers in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. He makes a lot of the line calls and is the anchor of the offensive line.
OLB James Harrison - The attitude of the defense comes from Harrison. He plays mean, angry. He doesn't want to injure anyone, but he's not opposed to hurting somebody (his words, not mine). When he missed those games with a broken orbital bone (that's his eye socket), the Steelers defense had trouble getting to the quarterback.
OLB LaMarr Woodley - Woodley is another sackmeister, and it was obvious that the pass rush was hurt by him missing games and then being limited by a hamstring injury. When Woodley and Harrison are both on the field together, they are one of the best pass rushing duos in the league and big plays often happen. He has also won a Defensive Player of the Year award.
FS Ryan Clark - Ryan Clark is a hard hitting safety. He plays within the scheme and allows Troy Polamalu to be Troy Polamalu. He missed the playoff game against the Denver Broncos last season and Tim freaking Tebow (TEBOW OF ALL PEOPLE!!!!!) had his best game as a QB. If Clark is there, I think the Steelers probably win that game.
That's a pretty good list of candidates. They are all excellent players. They have all been to a Pro Bowl, they all have Super Bowl rings. However, none of them are the most indispensable player on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That indication goes to Troy Polamalu.
He is the only player on the defense that's allowed to play outside of the scheme. He's allowed to play completely on instinct. He causes big plays. He's the one player on the defense in which the other team's quarterback has to know exactly where he is when the QB snaps the ball, not that it matters much because that spot is likely not where he will be when the ball is thrown.
Troy Polamalu is the ONLY player that I have ever seen dive over the offensive line and sack the quarterback. And he's done it twice.
If he's lined up at the line of scrimmage like a pass rusher, he's likely going to end up somewhere in the defensive backfield breaking up as pass or coming up with an absolutely stunning interception. If he's way back at his spot at safety, next thing you know he's in the offensive backfield chasing down the quarterback or stuffing the running back for a loss.
This is the guy that makes the Steelers defense so good. He allows Dick LeBeau to call a lot of those exotic schemes and blitzes. When Polamalu isn't players, it's a watered down version of the defense.
This got me to thinking, what player in the Steelers is the most indispensable?
The players that came to mind for me were:
QB Ben Roethlisberger - The Steelers won zero Super Bowls between the Bradshaw and Roethlisberger eras. Since Roethlisberger has become the Steelers' starting quarterback, the team has won two Super Bowls and been to a third.
C Maurkice Pouncey - Most people wouldn't consider an interior offensive lineman indispensable. However, Pouncey is one of the top two centers in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. He makes a lot of the line calls and is the anchor of the offensive line.
OLB James Harrison - The attitude of the defense comes from Harrison. He plays mean, angry. He doesn't want to injure anyone, but he's not opposed to hurting somebody (his words, not mine). When he missed those games with a broken orbital bone (that's his eye socket), the Steelers defense had trouble getting to the quarterback.
OLB LaMarr Woodley - Woodley is another sackmeister, and it was obvious that the pass rush was hurt by him missing games and then being limited by a hamstring injury. When Woodley and Harrison are both on the field together, they are one of the best pass rushing duos in the league and big plays often happen. He has also won a Defensive Player of the Year award.
FS Ryan Clark - Ryan Clark is a hard hitting safety. He plays within the scheme and allows Troy Polamalu to be Troy Polamalu. He missed the playoff game against the Denver Broncos last season and Tim freaking Tebow (TEBOW OF ALL PEOPLE!!!!!) had his best game as a QB. If Clark is there, I think the Steelers probably win that game.
That's a pretty good list of candidates. They are all excellent players. They have all been to a Pro Bowl, they all have Super Bowl rings. However, none of them are the most indispensable player on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That indication goes to Troy Polamalu.
He is the only player on the defense that's allowed to play outside of the scheme. He's allowed to play completely on instinct. He causes big plays. He's the one player on the defense in which the other team's quarterback has to know exactly where he is when the QB snaps the ball, not that it matters much because that spot is likely not where he will be when the ball is thrown.
Troy Polamalu is the ONLY player that I have ever seen dive over the offensive line and sack the quarterback. And he's done it twice.
If he's lined up at the line of scrimmage like a pass rusher, he's likely going to end up somewhere in the defensive backfield breaking up as pass or coming up with an absolutely stunning interception. If he's way back at his spot at safety, next thing you know he's in the offensive backfield chasing down the quarterback or stuffing the running back for a loss.
This is the guy that makes the Steelers defense so good. He allows Dick LeBeau to call a lot of those exotic schemes and blitzes. When Polamalu isn't players, it's a watered down version of the defense.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Steelers Pro Bowl Selections & Snubs
Yesterday the Pro Bowl rosters were announced, and five Pittsburgh Steelers made the team. Now while some people put a lot of stock into making the Pro Bowl, I do not. It's more of a popularity contest than anything else in my opinion. Players and coaches aren't watching all the games, they see game film of who they play and maybe Monday Night and/or Sunday Night games. Fans vote specifically for players of their favorite teams, rather they deserve to go or not.
Steelers who made it:
Ben Roethlisberger, QB: 3856 yards, 91.5 QB Rating, 21 TD, 14 INT
I think he deserves a backup spot to Tom Brady, partly because the AFC quarterback play is down this year. Phillip Rivers is the third QB on the roster, but he had a very bad season. I think Andy Dalton deserved to get to the Pro Bowl over Rivers who made it on name alone. This is Ben's second Pro Bowl.
Mike Wallace, WR: 71 receptions, 1182 yards, 8 TD
This will be Mike Wallace's first ever Pro Bowl, and I think he deserves it. His production has dropped off some lately, but that's partly because he's seeing more double coverage so Roethlisberger is looking for his other receivers a little bit more.
Maurkice Pouncey, C: 13 games started
Pouncey went to the Pro Bowl last year as a rookie, but didn't play because the Steelers were playing in the Super Bowl the following week. Pouncey has missed some time this year due to an illness and then injury, but he has played very well this season. I do think he's the second best center in the NFL behind the New York Jets' Nick Mangold.
Antonio Brown, KR: 24 kick returns, 664 yards, 27.7 avg, 2 TD; 30 punt returns, 325 yards, 10.8 avg, 1 TD
Brown made the Pro Bowl as a kick returner, but I am sure he will see snaps at receiver also. He was electric on returns this season and set the Steelers record for all-purpose yards in a season with one game to add onto it. He is deserving of his Pro Bowl nod.
Troy Polamalu, SS: 89 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 11 PDef,
Polamalu is considered one of the best two safeties in the NFL. This year he hasn't been the turnover machine that Steelers fans are used to, but he has been a disruptive force for this defense. He is the one player that the other team absolutely has to account for before every snap on this defense because they don't know what he is going to do. While some people feel he's going based off of his name and not his production this season, I think he is deserving.
And those who were snubbed:
Ike Taylor: 42 tackles, 2 INT, 13 PDef
Ike Taylor plays for a defense that is one of the best in the NFL...but they are known more for stopping the run than their pass defense (even though this year their pass defense has been better than their run defense). Ike Taylor is never going to have a big interception total, he has hands of bricks. But he does more-often-than-not shut down the opposing team's top receiver. He's a shutdown corner and one of the best in the entire AFC. He deserves a Pro Bowl spot.
Ryan Clark: 96 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PDef
Ryan Clark isn't going to get a ton of interceptions either, but he's a vicious hitter who can knock the ball out of a receivers hands and is a solid tackler in space. While his backfield partner, Troy Polamalu, is the bigger name...Clark is also deserving of being a Pro Bowler.
Two players I am not listing as snubs, though many people feel they were snubbed, are outside linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. Both have missed a lot of games this season due to injury and/or suspension and I feel that keeps them out of the snub category.
Those are my thoughts on the Steelers' Pro Bowl selections. Like what I had to say? Don't agree? Feel free to leave comments and let me know! HERE WE GO STEELERS HERE WE GO!
Steelers who made it:
Ben Roethlisberger, QB: 3856 yards, 91.5 QB Rating, 21 TD, 14 INT
I think he deserves a backup spot to Tom Brady, partly because the AFC quarterback play is down this year. Phillip Rivers is the third QB on the roster, but he had a very bad season. I think Andy Dalton deserved to get to the Pro Bowl over Rivers who made it on name alone. This is Ben's second Pro Bowl.
Mike Wallace, WR: 71 receptions, 1182 yards, 8 TD
This will be Mike Wallace's first ever Pro Bowl, and I think he deserves it. His production has dropped off some lately, but that's partly because he's seeing more double coverage so Roethlisberger is looking for his other receivers a little bit more.
Maurkice Pouncey, C: 13 games started
Pouncey went to the Pro Bowl last year as a rookie, but didn't play because the Steelers were playing in the Super Bowl the following week. Pouncey has missed some time this year due to an illness and then injury, but he has played very well this season. I do think he's the second best center in the NFL behind the New York Jets' Nick Mangold.
Antonio Brown, KR: 24 kick returns, 664 yards, 27.7 avg, 2 TD; 30 punt returns, 325 yards, 10.8 avg, 1 TD
Brown made the Pro Bowl as a kick returner, but I am sure he will see snaps at receiver also. He was electric on returns this season and set the Steelers record for all-purpose yards in a season with one game to add onto it. He is deserving of his Pro Bowl nod.
Troy Polamalu, SS: 89 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 11 PDef,
Polamalu is considered one of the best two safeties in the NFL. This year he hasn't been the turnover machine that Steelers fans are used to, but he has been a disruptive force for this defense. He is the one player that the other team absolutely has to account for before every snap on this defense because they don't know what he is going to do. While some people feel he's going based off of his name and not his production this season, I think he is deserving.
And those who were snubbed:
Ike Taylor: 42 tackles, 2 INT, 13 PDef
Ike Taylor plays for a defense that is one of the best in the NFL...but they are known more for stopping the run than their pass defense (even though this year their pass defense has been better than their run defense). Ike Taylor is never going to have a big interception total, he has hands of bricks. But he does more-often-than-not shut down the opposing team's top receiver. He's a shutdown corner and one of the best in the entire AFC. He deserves a Pro Bowl spot.
Ryan Clark: 96 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PDef
Ryan Clark isn't going to get a ton of interceptions either, but he's a vicious hitter who can knock the ball out of a receivers hands and is a solid tackler in space. While his backfield partner, Troy Polamalu, is the bigger name...Clark is also deserving of being a Pro Bowler.
Two players I am not listing as snubs, though many people feel they were snubbed, are outside linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. Both have missed a lot of games this season due to injury and/or suspension and I feel that keeps them out of the snub category.
Those are my thoughts on the Steelers' Pro Bowl selections. Like what I had to say? Don't agree? Feel free to leave comments and let me know! HERE WE GO STEELERS HERE WE GO!
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