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NFL Pittsburgh Steelers

Troy Polamalu Will Be X-Factor For Pittsburgh Steelers In Week 9

Pittsburgh Steelers Troy Polamalu

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

There is a buzz around the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, and that buzz has a chance to turn into a roar on Sunday night. The Steelers have put up back-to-back wins at home and made headlines this week by thrashing the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was 33 yards from breaking the single-game yardage record, as the offense put up astronomical numbers. While the offense was rolling, the defense was busy stopping the Colts’ offense and scoring nine points of their own.If the defense is going to get better this week, veteran Troy Polamalu will need to be his usual disruptive self.

Since Pittsburgh drafted Polamalu in 2003, he has been a wrecking ball on defense. He is a player that opposing offenses need to plan for, because he can blow up the play on any given snap. Health has been an issue for Polamalu the past few years, but this season he has been healthy and has been making the plays that Steelers fans have come to expect. While he is always a difference maker on defense, he seems to take his play to another level against division opponents.

Against division opponents, Polamalu changes from a man into an animal. Yes, he is past his prime, and yes, there have been rumblings that this is his last season, but when a division opponent is on the schedule, Polamalu steps up. This week’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens is a huge game for the Steelers, not only because it is a rivalry game, but because both teams are fighting for the division title.

Polamalu has proven to be a difference maker in many divisional games over his illustrious career. No fan of the Steelers will ever forget the time that he intercepted his college roommate, Carson Palmer, and then flew over Palmer on his way to the end zone for a touchdown. There was also the game in 2010, where Polamalu appeared out of nowhere behind Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco and strip-sacked him, giving the Steelers the ball, and eventually the win. These are just a couple of plays that exemplify the disruptive nature of Polamalu, and the types of plays that he will need to produce this week.

The Steelers last loss came to the division-rival Cleveland Browns. A loss to any divisional team is never good, but a loss to the Browns left an especially sour taste in the mouths of the team, and fans alike. In order for the Steelers to avoid another tough divisional loss, Polamalu will need to have at least one of his patented plays. With his past, it is hard to imagine that at least one of these spectacular plays won’t happen this Sunday night against the Ravens and Flacco. The defense was good, not great, against the Colts this week and there was plenty of room for improvement. In order for Pittsburgh to continue to climb in the AFC North, the defense will have to get better. Luckily, the defensive unit is home to the unharnessed force that is Troy Polamalu.

Andrew Lenz is a Blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RealAndyLenz, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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