NFL Defensive POY -- James Harrison

That's a damn good point.

Choosing the best defensive player is so subjective because every player on defense has a different job.

If I had my choice, I would always take a great defensive tackle who took two players to block him, if they could block him with two players.

 

Reed has made plays against them, but you are right about Thomas. He used to kill the Steelers every time out. Lewis is Lewis. He's a great player.

I think Reed had a sack when they played the Steelers the second time this season. He also had a big tackle in that game if I remember correctly. I don't ever remember him having a monster performance against them like what Harrison did in that Monday night game in '07, but it's not like he disappears.

To be fair, the Ravens handled Harrison pretty well in the second meeting this season after he had a big game early in the season. But they had an either two offensive tackles (using their unbalanced line) or a tackle and a tight end on him all day.

I think Harrison gets held a lot, too, but I was writing that off as my fanboyishness.

 

Not fanboy.
Reality.
I think the refs allow it to save QBs' lives. (OK, so that's fanboy).

 

Sorry if it sounded like I was calling you a fanboy. I agree with you. It does seem like teams get away with holding him a lot. Maybe it is because he relies on a bull rush so much, so it is a little tougher to see than if he was going around the guy blocking him.

I just expected the anti-Steelers crowd to start crying foul if we got too deeply into that. There are enough objective good things about the year Harrison has had that we don't even have to get into the holding calls we think he should be getting.

 

To be fair, there are quite a few great defensive players who get held on just about every play.

Ware had 84 tackles and six forced fumbles (and actually had more solo tackles than Harrison), so I'd say he's about as well-rounded. What stood out to me was Harrison seemed to make a ton of big plays at crucial times, as did Reed.

 

Earlier this season--I think it might have been the Giants game--the Ravens had Reed return punts.

 

Harrison had more total tackles despite missing the final game and most of the one before it with a hip injury. He makes more steady plays against the run than Ware, though both had strong cases for the award.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-apdefensiveplayer&prov=ap&type=lgns

Harrison is the first undrafted player to ever win the award.

 

Haha, screw the Steelers! PD website headline:

Ohio native wins NFL's defensive player of the year award

Suck on that, Pittsburgh!!

 

Ohio native also won a Super Bowl a few years back.

I ain't talkin about Chaz Frye either.

 

Wow, I never knew that. Only thing that could be worse is you telling me the Steelers' prized quarterback is from Ohio.

 

Oz, it gets worse. I really hate to break this to you. Brace yourself. Chuck Noll is from Cleveland and he played his entire career for the Browns.