mesaSteeler
10-16-2009, 11:36 PM
http://blog.triblive.com/view-from-the-press-box/2009/10/16/steelers-get-back-the-eraser/
View From The Press Box
Steelers get back ‘the eraser’
October 16th, 2009
Troy Polamalu, cumbersome knee brace and all, will play Sunday against the Browns barring a setback prior to the 1 p.m. game.
We probably won’t see the Polamalu who made two of the more spectacular plays you will ever see in the Steelers’ Sept. 10 season opener before spraining his left knee in the second quarter.
But even as he works his way back into football shape and deals with a brace that seemed to limit him during practice this week, Polamalu should give the Steelers a dimension they have sorely missed since the five-time Pro Bowler was sidelined.
Here is ESPN NFL analyst Marcellus Wiley’s take on what Polamalu means to the Steelers’ defense.
“He’s called the eraser,” said Wiley, who played 10 seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. “What that means is he’s the last guy who can pretty much eradicate any negative plays by any of the 10 guys in front of him.”
That is not all that Polamalu adds to a defense.
“He’s comfortable enough to completely line up off receivers or maybe show a zone look and back into man coverage,” Wiley said. “He’s comfortable enough to really throw off pre-snap reads for all the quarterbacks. When you don’t have that then you get into a more vanilla-type of defense. I think you’re losing some of the exotic plays you’re used to having.”
How much getting Polamalu back will be offset by the loss of Aaron Smith remains to be seen. And we probably really won’t see how much he is missed in stopping the run until a week from Sunday when a guy Adrian Peterson comes to Pittsburgh.
Here is one last thought from Wiley about the Steelers, and it is on their chances of successfully defending their Super Bowl title.
“When does a team repeat? You’re not saying they can’t but in the same breath you’ve got to expect adversity. I think that’s what’s tough,” Wiley said. “There’s a long road to reaching that same level of success. It comes with ups and downs but this team can still hit its stride, and if the injury bug stays away from it in the latter part of the season the sky’s the limit.”
View From The Press Box
Steelers get back ‘the eraser’
October 16th, 2009
Troy Polamalu, cumbersome knee brace and all, will play Sunday against the Browns barring a setback prior to the 1 p.m. game.
We probably won’t see the Polamalu who made two of the more spectacular plays you will ever see in the Steelers’ Sept. 10 season opener before spraining his left knee in the second quarter.
But even as he works his way back into football shape and deals with a brace that seemed to limit him during practice this week, Polamalu should give the Steelers a dimension they have sorely missed since the five-time Pro Bowler was sidelined.
Here is ESPN NFL analyst Marcellus Wiley’s take on what Polamalu means to the Steelers’ defense.
“He’s called the eraser,” said Wiley, who played 10 seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. “What that means is he’s the last guy who can pretty much eradicate any negative plays by any of the 10 guys in front of him.”
That is not all that Polamalu adds to a defense.
“He’s comfortable enough to completely line up off receivers or maybe show a zone look and back into man coverage,” Wiley said. “He’s comfortable enough to really throw off pre-snap reads for all the quarterbacks. When you don’t have that then you get into a more vanilla-type of defense. I think you’re losing some of the exotic plays you’re used to having.”
How much getting Polamalu back will be offset by the loss of Aaron Smith remains to be seen. And we probably really won’t see how much he is missed in stopping the run until a week from Sunday when a guy Adrian Peterson comes to Pittsburgh.
Here is one last thought from Wiley about the Steelers, and it is on their chances of successfully defending their Super Bowl title.
“When does a team repeat? You’re not saying they can’t but in the same breath you’ve got to expect adversity. I think that’s what’s tough,” Wiley said. “There’s a long road to reaching that same level of success. It comes with ups and downs but this team can still hit its stride, and if the injury bug stays away from it in the latter part of the season the sky’s the limit.”