Troy Polamalu AFC's Defensive Player of Week After Big Role in Steelers' Win

by Barry Barnes

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North

There are three types of NFL defenders on the field. There are ones that it helps to have 11 men on the field, certain ones that can make a play from time-to-time and there are the Polamalus of the NFL.

The Polamalus, labled in honor of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, are the defenders that have to be game planned for. Out of the countless defensive players that have played and are playing in the NFL, a handful have been constant game changers on the defensive side of the ball -- Dick Butkis, Lawrence Taylor, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed (when healthy), to name a few.

Polamalu was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after his great performance during Steelers' 13-10 win Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Polamalu very well might be the defensive player of the year because he, defensively, quarterbacked the Steelers when Ben Roethlisberger was out for the team's first four games for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Against the Ravens, Polamalu registered five tackles, a sack, forced fumble, and two quarterback hurries. His game-changing play came late in the fourth quarter when he blitzed Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, stripped him of the ball which allowed linebacker LaMarr Woodley to recover it and returned it to the 9-yard line with 3:13 to play. Roethlisberger and the offense took control of the game for the first time with a TD pass to running back Isaac Redman, which ultimately sealed the deal.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Antonio Garay Gary Gibson Jarron Gilbert Kedric Golston