The anti-Troy

This article does a pretty good job of making the case why Troy should not be rushed back unless he's at least close to 100%.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories...ills-big-shoes-at-safety-for-steelers-663415/

Look at how effective the Steelers DBs have been against some pretty darn good QBs. Much of that can be attributed to Will Allen's strong play at safety. He's not going to make the splash plays a healthy Troy would make, but he also doesn't give up the splash plays that might occur with Troy because of his propensity to take more risks.

Will Allen is the anti-Troy. Even his name, Will Allen, is not as flashy and is downright boring in comparison to the flyin' Hawaiian's Troy Polamalu.

I say if we can get the old, spectacular Troy back, go for it. But if it's the old, hobbled Troy that we've seen the last couple of years, let's leave well enough alone and stick with Allen for now.

 

so true TE. oops.

 

I know you're right, TE, but I just hope it's because he's truly ready to play and not because of past success. I just hate to see the chemistry we have now altered in any way. The last time I remember us having this much success against the pass we had guys named Woodson and Lake patrolling the defensive backfield.

 

I think troy needs to play when he can be effective (when hes just hanging out in the secondary hes not helping us at all)

 

I think the defense's performance without him speaks for itself.

 

I think it's nice to see Will Allen actually doing something to earn the money we've been paying him the last few years.

 

i just wish Troy would cut his hair

no reason a man should have long hair

back in the day

it was

KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL. GET A HAIRCUT.

they are pros and they should dress and GROOM as one

what say you SC GAMECOCK?

 

communist!!!

 

I've never seen a communist with long hair.

 

Troy is one of the best players the Steelers have ever had. Besides Hines, he is my favorite player since the Bus.
Quit bashing him and try to remember when we all thought He was a gift from God. Troy is still awesome. Have some faith!

 

Cutrale, Troy is awesome but he has one problem..........he's made of glass.

 

Whoa there, cutrale, I'm not bashing Troy at all. He's an all-time great but he can't stay on the field.

 

Will Allen is a good player...he finally decided to stay healthy this year though (knock on wood). Odds are Allen will get hurt again around the same time Troy is ready to come back...

It is pretty scary this defense is still #1 without Troy, but once Troy comes back I'm sure our turnovers will go up....

 

I absolutely agree that we should keep Troy off the field until he is 100% or close enough so that he won't aggrevate his injury (is that 100%? I don't know). It is not worth making it worse. Let him get healthy before you bring him back.

I absolutely disagree with any notions that we are better off without him, that he is a liability in coverage (ugh), that Will Allen somehow prevents big offensive plays better than Troy even though he doesn't provide as many big defensive plays. Will Allen is as good as Troy Polamalu in exactly zero aspects of the game. He is close to as good as Troy in exactly zero aspects of the game. And that includes being a backup and special teamer and #26, because if those were Troy's roles he would kick ass at them a lot better than Will.

Yes, Will has played well the last few weeks, and that's great news. I gladly admit that I am surprised with his play, because he's always been outplayed by Ryan Mundy in preseason. Mundy started sucking this year for some reason so this was a necessary move, but I didn't expect much from him. So I'm very surprised. But let's not kid ourselves. Our secondary is having a ton of success because our cornerbacks are both playing like Pro Bowlers. Two Steelers CBs both playing at a very high level for a stretch of games is something that has never happened in my memory, and I'm guessing hasn't happened since the 70s. And Cortez Allen is playing well in the nickel, too. Will is doing a great job, but he not just sub-Troy, he's also currently the weakest link in our secondary.

 

Snack, I'm not trying to suggest in any way that Will Allen is in Troy's league in any category, but I'll take a 100% healthy Will Allen over, oh I don't know, a 75% healthy (pick a number) Troy with the way Allen's been playing. Troy just seems to be falling apart and I don't think there is any reason to rush him back at this point. I can't get the image of his most recent calf injury out of my head. Nobody touched him and it was like somebody shot him several seconds after the play was over. Troy was an exceptionally bright star while he lasted but it seems to me that his body may just be flaming out at this point. I'll take a healthy Troy over any safety in football but we haven't really seen that Troy in over two years.

 

As long as we are in the running for a Wild Card and the Ravens keep winning we should rest Troy,Ben,Mendenhall and any other stud who would be better to be fully healthy in the post season.....No need to wear them out if we can keep our playoff chances alive without them...

If the Ravens drop a game before we play them and we beat the Browns then it would be worth the risk to play him....

 

this didn't just start for mundy this year.

his coverage has mostly been iffy for years in deep coverage. short area quickness isn't his bag either. he's a pretty good true old fashion strong safety. i think this position is changing quickly. more passing calls for more coverage ability. like golden. part safety part corner. this is why i think the move of ike back there next year would do wonders for the team and for ike. he tackles well. he supports the run. he can cover and yes he's lost a step and some quickness, but still more than most. also a big plus at safety. he will also be facing the action more. dumping mundy and allen next year would allow them to draft a playmaker safety. we know a rookie would not start with who is here.


troy for one more year. clark for one or two. ike in new role as well as cortez to corner. ike's still under contract next year. golden seeing some field time in year two. the rookie learning and possibly more. i wouldn't mind seeing a scenario like this happen. times are a changing before our eyes.


as far as troy playing instead of allen? if he's healthy. i hate watching him try to play hurt. cowher used to do that to him all the time. let him sit until we need him. let's see what happens this week against the brownies. if he doesn't have to play until later that will be fine. playoffs baby. DD,troy,ben,AB. i'd like to see them fresh and healthy come the baltimore game or after depending on what happens with the ravens this week. if they lose and the next game could be for division rights, i'd like the full compliment, but if we decide they are not then we think about the run to the WC after that and letting them sit balt. i think we will be fine this week without them.

 

Mundy was never great, but in years past he'd stepped in for both Troy and Clark and played decent, hold-down-the-fort ball, much like Will Allen's doing right now. This year, he couldn't even manage that. He even struggled some in run support, a strength of his.

IIIIIIIIII don't know about Ike at safety. Certainly no rush, the way he's playing. And he can make some good tackles, and I know LeBeau says he's the best tackling CB in football, but I still don't trust him in the open field until he changes his technique. He loves to dive at feet. I think his tackling would get worse with the kind he'd have to make at safety. Also, I'm not sure he has the head for it. Maybe he does, but I'm not sure. He's at his best when he has one thing to do and think about.

 

Ditto Tomlin, I was a conformnist for 30 years. Doing so, so that if a guy wanted to wear long hair he could, and many other things.

 

I am not sure even if healthy,If Troy
could be in football playing shape by the playoffs .
He has played in two games, maybe by playoffs he
would be in shape?Lets hope.