With the Steelers somehow still alive for a berth in the AFC wild-card field, they could be getting their best defensive player back in time for two key final regular-season games.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that safety Troy Polamalu’s return for Week 16 depends on the results of the weekly MRI exam on his injured knee.
“The result of his MRI is going to dictate what direction we take, like it has in recent weeks,” Tomlin said, per John Harris of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Health permitting, the Steelers are more likely to use Polamalu, since they still have a chance to sneak into the postseason field with the No. 6 seed.
And once a team gets in, anything can happen. Last year, the Cardinals made it to the Super Bowl as a No. 4 seed, and the Giants won it all in 2007 as the No. 5 seed.
Then there are the 2005 Steelers, who secured the sixth seed and beat No. 3, No. 1, and No. 2 in successive weekends to get to the Super Bowl, where they then beat the No. 1 seed from the NFC.
All this seeding, I dont know what to say!
I have been saying this to my self since they beat the Packers: If they just get in… I am not expecting a Super Bowl run but if they play the Pats who aren’t playing their best football of the decade at the moment, there is a chance they could beat them. Then they would probably play the Colts, which is the exact team they played in 05/06 also ranked number 1. Then if the won they would either play the Ravens, Chargers, or Bengals. Now who knows how the Bengals game would turn out, but I feel they could beat the Ravens, and have already beaten the Chargers (rather easily as I recall). Then they would be playing a mystery team from the NFC, it could be the Vikings who the Steelers bested, or the Saints who are good but let teams stay in the game, or even the Cards again (not where my money would be though). So as strange as it seems to be typing a path to a repeat Super Bowl victory of a 7-7 team it is possible. As my good friend Lee Johnson (former NFL player and fine radio host) says week after week when we pick games and someone picks the Steelers to lose: “They are the defending champs until the Super Bowl is over.”
The Steelers are playing the Ravens. Time to float the false who may play report. Hope Hines doesn’t get mad when Troy sits. This is more of the Tomlin rope-a-dope. Of course the real dopes are the Steeler fans (and players) who believe this hogwash as Tomlin continues to be a Belichik wanna be.
mr. obvious – if Tomlin gets a video camera for Christmas, would that make him more like Belichick?
“Then there are the 2005 Steelers, who secured the sixth seed and beat No. 3, No. 1, and No. 2 in successive weekends to get to the Super Bowl, where they then beat the No. 1 seed from the NFC.”
You forgot to mention the help the 2005 Steelers received from the refs when beating the No. 1 seed from the NFC.
I’m not saying the Steelers will get into the playoffs. But I do know this … there are a ton of haters out there who, under their “hatin’ jerseys” have a yellow streak when it comes to thoughts of playing the Steelers in the post season. So many gloated when it appeared they were done, but I sense a nervousness in some of these haters’ posts on here. Again, not guaranteeing they get in because, if the truth be known, they deserve their tenuous standing right now. But everyone has to admit the talent is there if this group ever gets its shit together.
Merry Christmas to everyone – even to those who hate the Steelers.
If they have troy, they will go somewhere, if not they won’t. I equate this the same way with my favorite team, the cards. If they did not have Warner, they go nowhere. Troy is the difference maker with the steelers. Not Ben. Often times they win in spite of Ben, not because of him. That NEVER happens with Troy
Prediction: Polamalu will play because it’s the Ravens.
To biglardawg:
You forgot to mention that the Steelers beat the Seahawks in the Super Bowl and then Holmgren cried about it for years. That was pretty funny.
I agree with Tuscany. Like I have been saying, if the Steelers play up to their potential, they can and would beat anybody. They were their own worst enemy this year. Hopefully the win over the Packers last week renews their confidence and swagger.
And if they are lucky enough to sneak into the playoffs this year, every other team should look out since nobody wants to play them. When a team plays the Steelers, they treat it as their Super Bowl. Just get into the playoffs baby!
GO STEELERS, and go Eagles this weekend to beat the Broncos!!
–danlinker
Troy is the difference maker with the steelers. Not Ben. Often times they win in spite of Ben, not because of him.–
It’s exaggeration to say that the Steelers “often” win in spite of Roethlisberger. There have been a few times when that has happened, but its atypical. The Steelers have also lost some games because of Roethlisberger. However, Roethlisberger has brought the Steelers many more wins than he has losses.
The other guy who is neglected in these conversations is Aaron Smith. He’s the second most important player on the Steelers’ defense, and he’s been on IR most of the year.
When you throw in the fact that Farrior has lost a crucial step in coverage and that Willie Gay hasn’t been an adequate replacement for Brian McFadden, it’s no surprise that the Steelers’ D has been horrid this year.
-Biglardawg
You forgot to mention the help the 2005 Steelers received from the refs when beating the No. 1 seed from the NFC.–
Jealous conspiricists make the victory in XL even more enjoyable. Keep it up!
I loved how they won in spite of Ben and his 503 passing yards against the Packers. And it was impressive how they won SBXLIII in spite of Ben. That end-of-game drive was an amazing thing to watch, executed as it was without a QB.
Florio, when you read the comments on PFT, does it frighten you to know these half-wits are allowed to have computers, cars … guns? Yikes!!
Apparently Dan doesnt watch Steeler games..’in spite of Ben?” have you ever really taken a look at Bens numbers,and all the records hes set or broken??WOW ..Yes there are games when Ben has taken sacks he shouldnt of .. and yes we have lost games cus Ben didnt have a good day…But name a qb who hasnt had that.. I dare you to name one.IF you try and say Brady Ill recant a recent loss for the Pats that ended on a Brady INT..how about Peyton.. lol when they lose tho its becus they didnt have Harrison or Wayne or wait better yet.. their o-line. hahaha Man SCREW YOU.. noone ever credits Ben.. I guess its shear jealousy.
In SBXLIII it was Ben and the Offense who drove the field for the game winning td.. but id bet youd say that wasnt Ben. LOL Asshole!
Troy is critical to this team thats true but so is Ben.. If you dont see that then you need help.
by the way. MrObvious spelled his name wrong.. its MrObviousASSHOLE
keep walking around thinking it takes one player to win or lose a game…..that will get you real far
“Florio, when you read the comments on PFT, does it frighten you to know these half-wits are allowed to have computers, cars … guns? Yikes!!”
Yes Deb, but the really scary thought comes when you realize that many of them breed as well…
“You forgot to mention the help the 2005 Steelers received from the refs when beating the No. 1 seed from the NFC.”
Uh, were these the same refs who tried to give the divisional game to the Colts by taking away the Palomalu interception (which later was confirmed to have actually been an interception) and almost cost the Steelers the game?
# mr. obvious says: December 23, 2009 8:44 AM
“Tomlin continues to be a Belichik wanna be.”
Tomlin wants to be a lying, cheating, adulterer & scumbag too? Who knew?
–i’m president charlie
keep walking around thinking it takes one player to win or lose a game…..that will get you real far–
When most of your team’s losses have come in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter (or in overtime), when no loss has been by more than 7 and all but two losses have been by 3 points, and when the one missing player still leads the team in interceptions despite playing in only 3 full games, then it’s fair to say that that one player could have made a huge difference in the season.
I’m confident in saying that the Steelers would have won the division had Polamalu not been injured.
@BobsCountryBunker …
The really amazing thing is that they can find willing partners
@Wyoff…
Good point. I mostly agree with you there in your response to Charlie. But to dig even further, in AT LEAST a couple of our losses, the offense didn’t do much to help our defense out in the first three quarters of the game. When you really look at it, the defense in most games, has played great ball for 3 quarters but the offense failed to show up. If the offense gets just one score, whether that be a TD or a FG, the outcome could have been very different in any number of games.