Tweet
Re: 5 Most Important and 5 Favorites on the Current Roster
5 Most Important -
Ben Roethlisberger - He won a Super Bowl behind a spotty Offensive Line and with the help of 3rd string running backs in the regular season. He never quits on a game or on a play. With him we're contenders, without him we could be looking at a top 15 draft pick.
Troy Polamalu - He takes this defense to a different level. His speed and instincts make him a walking mismatch for Offensive Coordinators. He's waiting for you to make a mistake so he can seal up the game.
James Harrison - and here's the guy pressuring you to make that mistake. Harrison (IMO) is the second coming of Jack Lambert, or at least as close to it as you can get in this era. Mean, Nasty and it appears as if he's playing football like if he doesn't win you're taking food out of the mouths of his family. Harrison brings a kind of nastiness to a defense that can't be taught or faked. Somewhere along the way Quarterbacks began to not worry so much about the INT they might throw to Troy and started worring about being stripped by an unblockable force.
Santonio Holmes - I think there's a lot riding on Holmes this season. He may need to pick up the slack for a missing Nate Washington, he has to pick up the slack for an aging Hines Ward, and without his playoff and Super Bowl performance it's difficult to tell what would have been. It isn't a question of "if" Holmes will step up - he did that already and he did it at the perfect time. The question is how will he follow it up?
Lawrence Timmons - It's up to Timmons to improve the position he takes over for Larry Foote. His importance is about being ready and proving he's worth the patience, the draft pick and the money. You're a 1st round pick L.T. now let's see you play like one.
*** (6th) Ike Taylor - I only included Timmons because he has a questionable role to fill this season, making his play "more important". However outside of that I think Ike Taylor would easily be in the 5th spot. He's often overlooked nationally but he does so much for this defense and he certainly gives us the option of going one on one with some of the best WR's in the league.
5 Favorites -
Jeff Reed - I still remember kickers in Pittsburgh struggling with relatively easy Field Goals - due to "swirling winds". Reed has been a consistent kicker now for several years and I feel he's heavily underrated for a guy who predominately kicks in horrible weather. Currently he has a better FG % than Gary Anderson's career % or even his % with Pittsburgh in his younger days.
Hines Ward - I know deep down I would probably hate the guy if he played for another team. But with every passing season I get a little depressed thinking that Hines only has a few more years playing at this level. When the Steelers were pretty lousy in late 90's Hines Ward was the one guy you knew was going to put everything he had on the field of play.
Heath Miller - Heath plays with so much hustle, and he really does seem to do whatever's best for the team. If our offensive line were better I think he'd certainly get more looks as a receiving TE. He's just an all around team player. One day his hustle is going to be a difference maker - I just know it.
LaMarr Woodley - I seriously still can't believe we picked this guy up in the second round! I've enjoyed watching LaMarr since his Michigan days and I really think he's one of those players who has endeared himself to Pittsburgh fans very quickly.
(Insert Favorite Rookie or 1st Year Long Shot) - I unashamedly will admit I'm a sucker for a Pre-Season story. Yes I'm that guy who puts a little too much stock in watching a player do very well in a preseason game against scrubs...and that's just how I roll. Going into the Pre-season I'm giving Martin Nance the early chance to show me something. He's not a rookie but I'm hoping he comes in and just electrifies the place.
(6th) Willie Parker - When the glow of my Rookie Love fades (go ahead make fun of the usage of Rookie Love) but Willie Parker is another guy that goes down as one of my All-Time favorites. He works his tail off and when he's healthy with a decent line in front of him he can be just as dangerous as any starting Running Back in the league.
L.B.
5 Most Important -
Ben Roethlisberger - He won a Super Bowl behind a spotty Offensive Line and with the help of 3rd string running backs in the regular season. He never quits on a game or on a play. With him we're contenders, without him we could be looking at a top 15 draft pick.
Troy Polamalu - He takes this defense to a different level. His speed and instincts make him a walking mismatch for Offensive Coordinators. He's waiting for you to make a mistake so he can seal up the game.
James Harrison - and here's the guy pressuring you to make that mistake. Harrison (IMO) is the second coming of Jack Lambert, or at least as close to it as you can get in this era. Mean, Nasty and it appears as if he's playing football like if he doesn't win you're taking food out of the mouths of his family. Harrison brings a kind of nastiness to a defense that can't be taught or faked. Somewhere along the way Quarterbacks began to not worry so much about the INT they might throw to Troy and started worring about being stripped by an unblockable force.
Santonio Holmes - I think there's a lot riding on Holmes this season. He may need to pick up the slack for a missing Nate Washington, he has to pick up the slack for an aging Hines Ward, and without his playoff and Super Bowl performance it's difficult to tell what would have been. It isn't a question of "if" Holmes will step up - he did that already and he did it at the perfect time. The question is how will he follow it up?
Lawrence Timmons - It's up to Timmons to improve the position he takes over for Larry Foote. His importance is about being ready and proving he's worth the patience, the draft pick and the money. You're a 1st round pick L.T. now let's see you play like one.
*** (6th) Ike Taylor - I only included Timmons because he has a questionable role to fill this season, making his play "more important". However outside of that I think Ike Taylor would easily be in the 5th spot. He's often overlooked nationally but he does so much for this defense and he certainly gives us the option of going one on one with some of the best WR's in the league.
5 Favorites -
Jeff Reed - I still remember kickers in Pittsburgh struggling with relatively easy Field Goals - due to "swirling winds". Reed has been a consistent kicker now for several years and I feel he's heavily underrated for a guy who predominately kicks in horrible weather. Currently he has a better FG % than Gary Anderson's career % or even his % with Pittsburgh in his younger days.
Hines Ward - I know deep down I would probably hate the guy if he played for another team. But with every passing season I get a little depressed thinking that Hines only has a few more years playing at this level. When the Steelers were pretty lousy in late 90's Hines Ward was the one guy you knew was going to put everything he had on the field of play.
Heath Miller - Heath plays with so much hustle, and he really does seem to do whatever's best for the team. If our offensive line were better I think he'd certainly get more looks as a receiving TE. He's just an all around team player. One day his hustle is going to be a difference maker - I just know it.
LaMarr Woodley - I seriously still can't believe we picked this guy up in the second round! I've enjoyed watching LaMarr since his Michigan days and I really think he's one of those players who has endeared himself to Pittsburgh fans very quickly.
(Insert Favorite Rookie or 1st Year Long Shot) - I unashamedly will admit I'm a sucker for a Pre-Season story. Yes I'm that guy who puts a little too much stock in watching a player do very well in a preseason game against scrubs...and that's just how I roll. Going into the Pre-season I'm giving Martin Nance the early chance to show me something. He's not a rookie but I'm hoping he comes in and just electrifies the place.
(6th) Willie Parker - When the glow of my Rookie Love fades (go ahead make fun of the usage of Rookie Love) but Willie Parker is another guy that goes down as one of my All-Time favorites. He works his tail off and when he's healthy with a decent line in front of him he can be just as dangerous as any starting Running Back in the league.
L.B.
Comment