Troy Polamalu and his ability to stay healthy

It seems that every season I just anticipate that Polamalu will miss multiple games due to concussions or some other injury. Someone please convince me that he can stay on the field for the entire season.
Am I the only one here who worries about his ability to play all 16 games?
What does a healthy Polamalu mean to this team?

 

I feel that without Troy, our defense is below average (As we just do not seem to make plays.), but with him, we are one of, if not the best defenses in the NFL. Of course having Woodley and Harrison for a full season would be nice, too!

 

Did Troy miss time last year? Maybe for a concussion or something...I don't seem to recall anything that had him out multiple weeks.

I could be in the minority here, but I kinda feel his season was rather bland last year. Not to say I didn't still want him there over...well hell most other Safety's in the league, but he lacked making splash plays and seemed to be in coverage a lot and was not doing anything special there. Perhaps a result of all the injuries everywhere on D and having to play a little more conservative as a result?

 

I don't know what to make of Troy, I've heard some national analysts during the draft sort of implying Troy has lost a step and is soon done so they need to find a replacement.

It sounds crazy to me, but then I second guess myself that maybe they know something I don't???

 

The way he plays, lights out full commit on each and every play he will get injured and it can be significant.

Catch 22 of that type of player.

 

Don't we all feel that way, all the time?

 

Well, he's really not that great in coverage. When he can make a play on the ball he's good. If he has to actually cover...not so good, but he's a safety for that reason. He does look like some of that make up speed is going away and he's compensating by trying to guess a lot more.

 

I dunno. In his rookie season he did a fair bit of guessing, and wasn't always right (hence the posts on the messageboards talking about him being a bust, as I recall). So that part of his game has always been there. Last season I didn't think he was 'roaming' in quite the way he did the season before, and maybe that had something to do with his quickness at getting back in position.

 

That's what I'm getting at. Also in the Denver game people fail to mention how he was guessing and got burned a few times as well. (granted he was guessing based on film study) We all saw how they threw their tendencies out the window for that game and it hurt bad.

 

He's not that great in man-to-man coverage, against quick wide receivers. That's different. As a safety, that's basically out of his job description anyway. Show me a safety who lines up in man coverage and has success. Carnell Lake? Anyone else? I don't see Ed Reed doing that at all, and our Troy is penalized for being asked to do it and not performing up to CB standards. And Troy does have success when he's asked to do that against tight ends. He was the guy we would use on the Dallas Clarks and Antonio Gateses of the world before we got Timmons, and he did well.

People throw that around, that "he's not good in coverage" like he's not good at covering as a safety. Are you kidding? He's outstanding at that. He's not who he is just because he can jump over the pile and tackle running backs well. Lots of guys could do that. He's the most feared strong safety in the game in the defensive backfield, just the same as he is in the offensive backfield. That wouldn't be the case if he was anything but outstanding in coverage.

 

HugeSnack- I hear what you're saying about the man to man coverage Vs. his original safety job responsibilities. If the Steelers only had some above average CB's the past couple seasons then he would be a true superstar at the safety position more so than he is right now.

My injury arguement is more based on his tackling techniques that seem to have him sidelined alot.

Last year he was healthy but was limited by having to cover for back ups the last half of the season.

Like someone else said in another thread. This team will only go as far as the healthy starting defense can take them. One piece of the puzzle gone and Troy has to recommit his game.

 

You know what I'm getting at. He's being asked to do that assignment more often than not. He used to be really good at making up for a mistake or two. Now he is out of position. Some of that is opposing teams game planning against him though.

Lake though...Man what I wouldn't give to have a clone of him out there. Woodson was another one, but he was a corner first as well.

I have always worried about some of the tackles he makes though.

 

He has a hard time staying on the field. he looked much heavier when
I seen him at camp a few weeks ago.What has he been in the league 9 years?
Out of those 9 years he probably has played 7 years, so he really has not had
a good track record of staying healthy.

 

Time to sign the Honeybadger.

 

I would love to convince you that he will be on the field all season but I'm not sure I could convince you that anyone will stay on the field all season in the same shape from beginning to end. The exception to that was Duece but I don't think that is the convincing you were looking for.