Wow, I can't believe I'm about to do this. I quite simply love my Minnesota Vikings, and always try to find new ways to loathe the team in my current hometown, the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, I can no longer ignore this one simple fact: Troy Polamalu is absolutely unreal.
The Steelers 23-14 victory over the Baltimore Ravens was representative of how the Steelers seem to win each week - Offense struggles at times (mainly their offensive line), only to be bailed out by their insane defense. Don't get me wrong, the Steelers defense has studs all over the field, but I don't think anyone is important to their team like Polamalu is. The guy absolutely changes what an offense wants to do on any given play. The Steelers have almost the same team they did last year and they struggled down the stretch and were immediately bounced from the playoffs the first weekend. Why? Because Polamalu was out for a few of those games and not 100% in the playoff loss to the Jaguars. Now they find themselves in Super Bowl 43 because of...well...because of #43.
Polamalu came out and did what he's so special at doing - make timely plays in all sorts of different situations, including in two of the game's more critical moments. The 4th and one stop of Joe Flacco and the pick six that iced the game at the end. However, I think Troy's impact goes beyond the plays that everyone sees over and over again.
During the 3rd quarter of yesterday's game, Ray Rice of the Ravens took a handoff from Flacco and started going outside - At least a 1o yard gain was about to happen until..wait a second...why is he cutting back towards the middle of the field...right into the arms of two Steeler defenders, well nevermind...two yard gain. You see, I realized something right there. The reason why Ray Rice didn't take it outside? Because he wasn't sure where Troy was. Ray Rice knows that if he's the one with the ball, then chances are Polamalu is looming somewhere close by. The problem was on this particular play, Troy was nowhere in site. He was clear on the other side of the field, but instinct took over for Ray Rice, so he wanted to avoid the best defender in the league and settle for a two yard gain. Now how many players have that kind of impact on any given play? I saw at least 5 or 6 more plays just like this one throughout the game where running backs and receivers changed their direction based solely on one player.
Polamalu makes those kinds of plays, the ones where he closes in on players the way a screen door slams shut in a wind storm, but this year he started using the same instincts and explosiveness to close in on balls thrown by opposing quarterbacks. This resulted in an NFL-leading seven interceptions.
Thinking about Troy Polamalu's impact on this defense when he's healthy makes me wonder if he's not the most valuable player in the entire league. I can confidently say this though, Steelers fans will never see anything quite like him ever again at the safety position.
Yes there will be other greats in the years to come. Some might even have more consistent or longer careers. But nobody will have that kind of impact that he does every game.
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