Steelers Defense (1 Viewer)

[OnTheReg]

With Big Ben out the first few games, and no QB officially announced yet, odds are that the Steelers offensively are going to struggle. What are people expecting out of the Steelers D this year? Can they carry them through the first month until Big Ben gets back? What are you expecting.

 

[Happy Ragnarok]

I'm awfully concerned about Troy Polamalu. In the first few preseason games, I've seen him whiff, and whiff BADLY on more tackles than I've seen him do so on the rest of his career to date. I don't think he's changing directions very well, and I worry that his knee is simply shot.

If he's playing, and playing well, this D is elite. If he's not, they become pretty ordinary pretty quickly. Not bad. Just average...good in some respects, not-so-good in others.

 

[Judge Smails]

I'm awfully concerned about Troy Polamalu. In the first few preseason games, I've seen him whiff, and whiff BADLY on more tackles than I've seen him do so on the rest of his career to date. I don't think he's changing directions very well, and I worry that his knee is simply shot.If he's playing, and playing well, this D is elite. If he's not, they become pretty ordinary pretty quickly. Not bad. Just average...good in some respects, not-so-good in others.

This.It's all Polamalu. With him they can be elite. I had the Steeler D last year, and after Head and Shoulder's injury it wasn't pretty. Avoided them this year.

 

[LTF]

I'm awfully concerned about Troy Polamalu. In the first few preseason games, I've seen him whiff, and whiff BADLY on more tackles than I've seen him do so on the rest of his career to date. I don't think he's changing directions very well, and I worry that his knee is simply shot.If he's playing, and playing well, this D is elite. If he's not, they become pretty ordinary pretty quickly. Not bad. Just average...good in some respects, not-so-good in others.

This.It's all Polamalu. With him they can be elite. I had the Steeler D last year, and after Head and Shoulder's injury it wasn't pretty. Avoided them this year.

It really comes down to health. Last season they lost 2 of the best 4-5 players on their entire team in Polamalu and Aaron Smith (it gets said a lot, but it's true, the guy is an underrated force up front that is damn near unblockable with one man). If they stay healthy, they've got the most talented defense in football. Great defensive line that totally disrupts the LOS, the best 3-4 OLBs in the entire NFL (I expect a monster year out of Woodley), Farrior and an emerging young talent in Lawrence Timmons (just turned 24, and has looked beastly in the preseason), and with McFadden and Polamalu back they're putting out the same secondary they had in 2008 which was one of the best pass defenses in modern history even while going up against both Mannings, Rivers, Romo, McNabb, etc... that season (only gave up 5.2 yards per passing attempt). Potentially, a dominant defense is there. I don't know if they'll be back to the '08 level this season, but I think they'll be significantly better this year, especially with the pressure on them to step up with Big Ben out.