AFC North: Most indispensable players

[tony hipchest]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...nsable-players

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: TROY POLAMALU

To define Polamalu's importance, look no further than last season. Pittsburgh missed the playoffs in 2009, mostly because its defense was unable to hold leads in the fourth quarter without its star safety in the lineup.

Polamalu missed 11 games with a left knee injury, and it appeared the other 10 defenders were overcompensating for Polamalu's absence by blowing routine assignments. Polamalu provides a calming influence, and his greatness can be measured by his teammates playing at a higher level when he's in the game.

Steelers defensive coordinator and 2010 Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau recently said he cannot find a weakness with Polamalu. He's athletic, smart, instinctive and excels against the pass and the run.

Pittsburgh's defense without Polamalu is good (No. 5 in 2009), but with Polamalu, it might be the best in the NFL.

the others in the conference were-

browns- (5-11 with) j. cribbs
ravens- (9-7 with) r. lewis
bungles (10-6 with) c. benson

the steelers were still 9-7 w/o the most indespensable player in the entire conference yet there are still arians apologists who blame dick lebeau for not scheming up a replacement for troy.

[stb_steeler]

You just cant replace a Polamalu....he's one of a kind!

[pete74]

i think we need to be on the lookout for another great saftey in the next 2 drafts. its doubtful we will ever again have someone as good but we will be needing another great saftey soon(unfortunatly)

[PhantomJB93]

^Dont worry, we just gotta wait another 2-4 years and we can draft Maika Polamalu lol