Who’s better? Steelers’ Polamalu or Ravens’ Reed?
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� It was the usual trail of questions for Troy Polamalu Wednesday:
无毛视频� Troy, are the wheels in motion for a contract extension?
At first he chuckled. 无毛视频淵ou tried,无毛视频� Polamalu said. And then he chuckled again.
无毛视频� Troy, did you test your foot full-go and to full satisfaction?
无毛视频淎bsolutely. I felt awesome,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 couldn无毛视频檛 imagine feeling any better than I do now.无毛视频�
无毛视频� And, Troy, who无毛视频檚 better, you or Ed Reed?
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e always considered Ed Reed to be the best safety in the NFL, perhaps ever,无毛视频� Polamalu said. 无毛视频淪o we can clear that up.无毛视频�
While Polamalu answered the third question with conviction, the answer left few convinced.
Not that anyone无毛视频檚 willing to take a firm stance the week of the game, especially a newcomer to the Steelers-Ravens rivalry such as Jerricho Cotchery, who无毛视频檚 run routes against both safeties.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 want to do that. I don无毛视频檛 want to do that. I don无毛视频檛 want to do that,无毛视频� said Cotchery.
The leaders of each team respectfully sided with their teammates.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know if either one is better,无毛视频� said Ben Roethlisberger. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檇 say Troy无毛视频檚 better because he无毛视频檚 my teammate.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 always going to be biased,无毛视频� said Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e watched Ed, raised him. But let me be totally respectful for the game: Both of those guys play the game the way the game it无毛视频檚 supposed to be played.无毛视频�
So, let无毛视频檚 turn to the stat sheet:
In eight games against the Joe Flacco-led Ravens, Polamalu has one sack, two other tackles-for-loss, one interception, three other passes defensed, and one forced fumble. Two of those plays wrecked games that were pivotal in the Steelers无毛视频� 2008 and 2010 Super Bowl runs.
In 10 games against the Roethlisberger-led Steelers, Reed has one interception, two other passes defensed, and a fumble recovery. None of those plays turned a game around, or came close.
So, in fewer games, Polamalu has made more plays, with some of them deciding championships.
无毛视频淓d hasn无毛视频檛 had a lot of success against us because I think Ben does a great job of moving Ed with his eyes or whatnot,无毛视频� explained Hines Ward.
Reed, of course, is the top ballhawk in the game. But if he无毛视频檚 having trouble reading the quarterback无毛视频檚 eyes, he无毛视频檚 not going to make many plays.
Polamalu, the blitzer, the run stuffer, the interceptor, is more versatile, as explained by Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau way back in April.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 think there无毛视频檚 a safety in the game that can match him,无毛视频� LeBeau said of Polamalu. 无毛视频淚 think Reed无毛视频檚 a wonderful safety. He无毛视频檚 a great interceptor. He无毛视频檚 got great speed. Troy is so much more impactful in the running game. He just shows up all over the field. There无毛视频檚 arguably no safety that can do everything, ever, the way Troy can do it.
无毛视频淚f you无毛视频檙e playing quarterback against them, you kind of want to know where they are. But the nod goes to Troy in my mind because of his overall versatility. I mean you don无毛视频檛 see Reed blitz that much. You can blitz Troy. You can blitz him 10 times a game because he无毛视频檚 200 pounds. He无毛视频檒l hold up. If he无毛视频檚 got to get an offensive lineman, he无毛视频檒l hold up on him. I just don无毛视频檛 think there无毛视频檚 anybody playing that can match his versatility in any way shape or form.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 the best.无毛视频�