Steelers coach Mike Tomlin figures to have good news about Troy Polamalu when he gives an official update on the strong safety’s status Tuesday.
Polamalu left the Steelers’ 18-12 loss to the Bengals on Sunday in the first quarter after re-injuring his left knee.
But the five-time Pro Bowler treated today as if it were any other Monday during the season. Polamalu, who didn’t need crutches to make his way around the Steelers’ practice facility, spent most of his afternoon in team meetings.
Earlier in the day, he played Ping Pong with teammates in the Steelers’ locker room, which doesn’t sound like something someone would do if they had just seriously hurt their knee.
While I expect Tomlin to say at his weekly news conference that Polamalu’s injury gave Steelers fans a scare more than anything else, that doesn’t mean he will play this Sunday in Kansas City.
If I’m Tomlin, I use what looks like a break in the schedule to rest Polamalu and give him additional time to strengthen the knee that he sprained in the Steelers’ season opener.
Such a plan comes with some risk. As bad as the Chiefs are — their two wins are against the Redskins and Raiders — anything can happen in the NFL.
Witness the trouble that undefeated New Orleans had against the lowly Rams in St. Louis last Sunday.
But Tyrone Carter has played well when the Steelers have needed him to step in for Polamalu or free safety Ryan Clark. And if the Steelers can limit the Bengals to 176 yards of total offense after Cincinnati’s first possession last Sunday — that is the only one that Polamalu played in its entirety — they can take their chances with Carter manning strong safety against the Chiefs.
“Troy’s been out before and Tyrone’s come in and done his usual thing. He played great (against the Bengals) and we always have confidence when he comes into the game,” Steelers inside linebacker James Farrior said. “There’s really not a lot of dropoff but you never can really replace a player like Troy. He’s one of those special players in the NFL but Tyrone comes in and does a great job.”
November 17th, 2009 - 7:56 am
Bottom line , if they play Troy this Sunday against Kansas City , they're crazy !
November 17th, 2009 - 8:15 am
Do not fear my brother steelers, i have just looked at the schedule of both cincy, the ravens, and the steelers, now this will take to the last game of the season and it will be a dog fight, but the steelers will win the north again, and again by one game but the same record of 12-4 like last year, all 3 teams have a soft schedule but the bengals must travel to minnesota, and sandiego, that is the week we take over 1st. so you see, not all is lost, Right!
November 17th, 2009 - 10:30 am
I totally agree, rest Polamalu for our Baltimore games and playoff run. I didn't think he should have played as soon as he did from the beginning, but he performed well. Only it's so suspect. Knee and leg injuries to football players are tougher than one may think to come back from. Give him more time... hide his uniform. SDo whatever it takes to keep him rested another game.