NFL Week 15: What's the Morrall to the story?

I disagree. Sure the safeties aren't generally asked to man up on someone who is 6-5 and runs a 4.3 40. But safeties are often the quarterbacks of the defense. The good ones are asked to play run support and can make a difference all over the field, whereas a corner is often relegated to one side of the field. That's why a quarterback's first read is generally the safeties.

 

Ask anybody who watches the Steelers what safeties mean to a defense. They fell apart late last season without Polamalu and Clark, though losing Aaron Smith was also a part of that.

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08350/935281-66.stm

First of all, this is gross. Steelers punter Mitch Berger, who is also the team's holder, said that Baltimore defensive back Frank Walker "got in my face and spit right in my mouth." Nasty. He also said that Walker tried to take out kicker Jeff Reed's knee. This was on the extra-point after the game-winning touchdown.

At least it helps explain why Reed was stupid enough to shove the guy and draw a 15-yard penalty after the kick.

 

Damn it, y'all are not giving tonight's MNF game enough attention!!!

 

Ed Reed's not even the best safety in his division, that would be Polamalu. And as we've seen this year, a healthy Polamalu makes a huge, huge difference to that Steelers defense. Polamalu ought to merit MVP consideration before Reed, especially with the Steelers closing in on the Titans for home field with the toughest schedule in the NFL.

 

None of those guys do shit without a pass rush, just like receivers don't do shit without a QB

 

Yeah, but you have to double Plax. Without him, you can single covrer both WRs, and put an extra defender in the box to stop the run, or to blitz. Hixon has yet to prove he can get free against a decent corner. Don't get me wrong, Jacobs being out also hurt the run game and the O line did little to help, but the Boys were able to suff the box because of the outside coverage. What do you need in the playoffs to win? A running game and go-to WR. Right now, the Gints don't have either.

Maybe about 5-pages too late, but Dick Jauron needs to be fired TODAY!!

 

Right. And no good quarterback does (a thing) without an offensive line or a sound ground game ... offensive linemen for MVP!

 

A day -- or two months -- too late for most Bills fans. Yeah, the same ones who were talking about him as a Coach of the Year candidate not all that long ago. Times change, no?

 

There are safeties who shine without a strong pass rush just as their are receivers who are great no matter who is throwing them the ball.

Just as a pass rush helps a secondary, the reverse is also true. The Steelers' sack total is way up this season for two reasons. One is the emergence of Lamarr Woodley, but the more important factor is the improved play of the secondary creating more coverage sacks.

Polamalu, Reed and Bob Sanders of the Colts don't need a pass rush to be impact players against the run. I'm not sure there is a player in the AFC who means more to his team's defense than Sanders, and it is easy to see because he does miss a lot of games.

Polamalu allows the Steelers tremendous flexibility. There is not a safety in the NFL who is better able to play close to the line of scrimmage and still get back into coverage. I use him as the example just because I see him the most, but an elite safety is going to make plays in any defense.

Fake edit: Well put, Oz

 

Did the Bills really start 4-0, or was that me having a flashback to the 1990s?