ok, i will say it

anyone else notice how good this defense is playing without Troy.

Troy was a playmaker and could do things that no other safety could do, but with age and injury that ability isnt there and his freelancing started hurting them more than helping.

now with Allen or Mundy in there they seems a bit more stable in the secondary. they know where everyone is supposed to be and no one has to help when Troy doesnt make a play. plus Troy was never very good in coverage.

im not trying to bash Troy. im just saying that at this point in his career maybe the defense is better with a conventional safety.

 

This is what I said 2 weeks ago and I got blasted. I don't think most Steelers fans are ready to move on from Troy, even if it is time. Troy will obviously help the team in some areas, but he will hurt us in other areas. He'll help our run defence of course, he may also grab a turnover or two, but what he won't do is help us in pass coverage, and this is a passing league.

I'm just not convinced we should bring him back at this point.

 

I agree with this. I love TP, but his time has passed. We are paying him a lot of money to watch football games...

 

If anyone doesn't see how we'll the D is playing without Troy, they haven't been watching the games.

 

He was too good in coverage! When was the last time you seen this around here?

[video=youtube;Kqj9j4jne8Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqj9j4jne8Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

I can't wait to have Troy back and healthy

 

Sorry I don't know how to post a playable link

 

I certainly agree that the defense is playing well. But...Will Allen or Ryan Mundy over TP? I just don't see it. I just don't see that either Allen or Mundy are adding elements to the defense that TP doesn't also add (man-to-man coverage or otherwise)--despite being a little older. I think he does everything they do, does it better, and does more. That's just my humble opinion.

I'm actually excited to have Troy back in the mix, if he ends up being healthy enough to play again.

 

In general, I do not disagree. However, the one thing that Troy CAN do that none of our other DB's/S's can do is catch the damn ball when it hits them in the hands. And we have lost at least 2 games this yr where a defensive INT our guys should have had would have ended the game.

 

The defense is playing well. It's still not creating turnovers in the numbers needed to be successful. I think a HEALTHY Troy would help change that dynamic. While this defense can play without a healthy Troy, to say it's not better when he's healthy is not realistic.

The offense on the other hand is completely lost without Ben and for some reason not as good on the field (from a point total perspective) as it would appear on paper even with him.

 

yes you are right that Troy is a much better talent than Mundy and Allen combined, but in the grand scheme of things in this defense Allen and Mundy might be a better fit. if Troy was 5 year younger than i would never have started this thread, but at his age and with all the injuries he isnt capable of doing the things that made him great anymore.

 

maybe people under estimated just how much of a field leader Ben is.

 

Thanks TTF, I fixed it

 

I almost think Troy on the field is a bigger deal to the team we are playing than to our own team. Our D is playing well, and, lets face, play the majority of the time without Troy. However, just his presence on the field, demands the opposing team stand up and account for him. They really dont have to do that for Mundy.

 

as i said in another thread, why make this a allen vs. troy thing? why not a allen, clark plus troy thing? same coverage, but we remove foote and insert troy. win win.

 

It may be hard to swallow, but after Clark and Timmons, Foote is our next in line for defensive MVP this year.

 

Intangible - that's what Troy gives us. Someone else said it already, but the opposing offense has to account for something they can't really put their finger on. A *healthy* Troy offers something to us that no one can plan for. I'll take him in the lineup any day. However, I want him to be healthy - not a few plays and then sit for 7 weeks.

 

foote had a terrible game sunday. he takes himself out of far to many plays. his pass defense is very subpar. always has been. let me see larry foote, troy ,larry,troy,larry........... nope still troy.

 

Time catches all of us and Troy is no exception. Was he quicker and faster 5 years ago? I'm sure he was. However, I don't think it's accurate to say that he isn't capable of doing the things that made him great anymore. Losing a step is one thing, saying he's no longer capable of being great is another.

Now, again, can he do everything just as well as he could in years past? No, I don't think so. But has he declined to the level (or lower) of Allen and Mundy? I don't think that either. And I think he is capable of being a game-changer similar to what we've seen from him before.

Lastly, and in my opinion, the biggest reason for the high quality play of the defense is not due to the safety play, but the corner play. As Ryan Clark recently said, the corner play has never been better during all the years that he has been a part of the team. If any defense is a recipe for success for the skills that Troy brings to the table, it's a defense with good corner play.

Looking forward to his return! And I'll admit my bias--Troy is probably my favorite Steeler of all time, heh.

 

They are not going to take Foote out of the game when Troy comes back, that's just silly.

Foote leads the team in tackles - 78
Has 3 of 22 sacks
2 of 31 tackles for a loss
2 of 9 forced fumbles (BTW, the other team doesn't need to force them, we just give them away)
He is not your favorite player, I got it, but he is worth his salt this year.

 

This D started playing well when Allen was inserted into the starting lineup over Mundy. He apparently doesn't make the mistakes that Mundy makes. That being said, the defense can't really be blamed on Troy. He has played in 2 games, against Denver and against Philly...some. The D played very well against Philly despite him only playing SOME of that game. The Denver game could have been better played by the D, but they played well enough for all but 1 play in order to win that game. The long TD really hurt us, but the INT for a TD hurt as well. I will say this, when you don't get any first downs, not points, first downs, in the 4th quarter, you can't expect to win a game.

 

I think the fact that Larry is our D MVP shows why they haven't be spectacular this year. Larry does get himself out of position a bunch. He is guilty of the overpursuit when playing the run (see Oakland game on the long TD).

This D is playing very well right now, and IF we can get healthy...yeah, I know a big if, this D might have found their game enough in order to make a run like 2005. Not saying they will only that they could.

 

I could see this in situational football scenarios, but as our base package? I think TP has a large skill set, but I don't think playing middle linebacker down-in and down-out is within it. And can you imagine the injury potential...

But, again, I do like the idea for situational football. Like, yesterday when Baltimore was 4th and 29 and SD gave up Ray Rice underneath for 30 yards....ugh.