Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are cautiously optimistic the Steelers will continue to win without Troy Polamulu, athough the All-World safety took his play to a new, astounding level in the first half of Thursday's season opener against Tennessee. It's a concern, certainly, and we're keeping our fingers crossed for his full and speedy recovery.
Pro Football Weekly aptly summed up the situation of his absence and what it might mean for the Steelers, as things stand today ...
"The Steelers have fared well in Polamalu's absence before. In the eight career games he has missed, Pittsburgh has limited opponents to 10 points or less six times. In another instance, his absence coincided with other starters resting in the meaningless 2007 season finale vs. Baltimore, a game the Ravens won 27-21.
"The other game Polamalu missed came in Week 14 of the 2007 season, when Patriots QB Tom Brady riddled the Pittsburgh secondary in a 34-13 Patriots victory. Surely you recall Steelers FS Anthony Smith's prediction of victory and his inability to back up his words.
"Smith, of course, is no longer a Steeler, but Clark, who missed the New England debacle, too, is playing at a high level. And Carter knows the defense very well.
"This isn't to say that the Steelers won't miss Polamalu if he's not in the lineup when Pittsburgh is slated to face quarterbacks like Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer and Philip Rivers and runners like Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson in the weeks to come. But there is more than enough talent to ensure the Pittsburgh defense's play won't regress to the point that it's a weakness."
Sounds about right.
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