蘑菇视频

Sep 8, 2011 By Jim Wexellfor Heraldstandard.Com 3 min read

PITTSBURGH 鈥� It was the usual trail of questions for Troy Polamalu Wednesday:

鈥� Troy, are the wheels in motion for a contract extension?

At first he chuckled. 鈥淵ou tried,鈥� Polamalu said. And then he chuckled again.

鈥� Troy, did you test your foot full-go and to full satisfaction?

鈥淎bsolutely. I felt awesome,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 imagine feeling any better than I do now.鈥�

鈥� And, Troy, who蘑菇视频 better, you or Ed Reed?

鈥淚鈥檝e always considered Ed Reed to be the best safety in the NFL, perhaps ever,鈥� Polamalu said. 鈥淪o we can clear that up.鈥�

While Polamalu answered the third question with conviction, the answer left few convinced.

Not that anyone蘑菇视频 willing to take a firm stance the week of the game, especially a newcomer to the Steelers-Ravens rivalry such as Jerricho Cotchery, who蘑菇视频 run routes against both safeties.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to do that. I don鈥檛 want to do that. I don鈥檛 want to do that,鈥� said Cotchery.

The leaders of each team respectfully sided with their teammates.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if either one is better,鈥� said Ben Roethlisberger. 鈥淚鈥檇 say Troy蘑菇视频 better because he蘑菇视频 my teammate.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 always going to be biased,鈥� said Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. 鈥淚鈥檝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蘑菇视频 supposed to be played.鈥�

So, let蘑菇视频 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鈥� 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.

鈥淓d hasn鈥檛 had a lot of success against us because I think Ben does a great job of moving Ed with his eyes or whatnot,鈥� explained Hines Ward.

Reed, of course, is the top ballhawk in the game. But if he蘑菇视频 having trouble reading the quarterback蘑菇视频 eyes, he蘑菇视频 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.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there蘑菇视频 a safety in the game that can match him,鈥� LeBeau said of Polamalu. 鈥淚 think Reed蘑菇视频 a wonderful safety. He蘑菇视频 a great interceptor. He蘑菇视频 got great speed. Troy is so much more impactful in the running game. He just shows up all over the field. There蘑菇视频 arguably no safety that can do everything, ever, the way Troy can do it.

鈥淚f you鈥檙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鈥檛 see Reed blitz that much. You can blitz Troy. You can blitz him 10 times a game because he蘑菇视频 200 pounds. He鈥檒l hold up. If he蘑菇视频 got to get an offensive lineman, he鈥檒l hold up on him. I just don鈥檛 think there蘑菇视频 anybody playing that can match his versatility in any way shape or form.

鈥淗e蘑菇视频 the best.鈥�