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Ed Reed is a freak. I could see him getting it as well.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3811266
NEW YORK -- James Harrison slams down the current version of the Steel Curtain better than any Pittsburgh Steeler, earning him The Associated Press 2008 Defensive Player of the Year award.
The linebacker who had a career-high 16 sacks, setting a team record, and led the NFL with a career-high seven forced fumbles, beat Dallas' DeMarcus Ware in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters announced Monday. Pittsburgh's unit was the league's stingiest in total defense, pass defense and points allowed. Harrison was its main hammer.
"That's something that everybody in the league would love to have, to be voted the top player in the league for that year," Harrison said. "In my mind, I think I do -- and it's going to sound boring -- what the defense allows me to do and what my teammates allow me to do."
Harrison earned 22 votes to 13 for Ware.
Baltimore safety Ed Reed, the 2004 winner, got eight votes. Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth had five and Harrison's teammate, safety Troy Polamalu, got two.
Harrison credited defensive coordinator LeBeau's schemes with allowing him, an undrafted free agent from Kent State who was cut several times by Pittsburgh and once by Baltimore, to eventually become a star.
"The defense is built to play with 11 guys, and if all 11 guys are on the same page, playing the same defense on the same play, there's nothing that can go wrong and that's just how we feel about it," Harrison said.
But fellow linebacker James Farrior, who has seen Harrison develop from a backup to Joey Porter into one of the game's biggest playmakers, sees Harrison as the key.
"His whole at ude about football, I think he works harder than anybody else in this locker room," Farrior said. "He has a great work ethic. He's very tuned in to what he has to do to make himself better. That's all he strives for, to try to be better than anybody else, and you can see his determination when he's out there on the field.
"We've got good players on this team, and every team has good players, but he seems to be -- this year and last year -- making the plays that made the difference in the game."
Harrison is the fifth Steeler to win the award, including three Hall of Famers from the original Steel Curtain: Joe Greene (1974), Mel Blount (1975) and Jack Lambert (1976). In 1993, Rod Woodson was AP Defensive Player of the Year, and he is eligible for the Hall for the first time this year.
The Steelers did not allow a 100-yard rusher or 300-yard passer in 2008. Harrison didn't limit his work to that stingy unit, though: Harrison also had 12 special teams tackles.
"People said I couldn't do this or couldn't do that," he noted. "I was too short, too slow. Basically, I play and prepare myself in the offseason with the thoughts of what people said I couldn't do."
And he's proven he can do just about everything.
I actually would have given it to Ed Reed instead of Harrison. Ware could have had it if he hadn't disappeared the last 7 quarters of the season...
Ed Reed is a freak. I could see him getting it as well.
Steelers bias. Ed Reed & D-Ware both deserved it over Harrison. I can't wait till these bag ing Steelers nuthuggers from the 70's all die.
Screw the National Media. First Flacco didn't recieve a SINGLE vote in the rookie of the year balloting. Harbaugh wasn't even mentioned for coach of the year candidate. And now this crap!! Ed Reed coming in 3rd place?! Give me a break.....
wow, Reed and Ware both definitely deserved the award more.
no one from the team of choking dogs deserved any accolades.
Reed is damn good, but gets more recognition because of some of the big plays he pulled off in the last few games ... you could argue that Polamalu is every bit as good as Reed, maybe more consistent than Reed.
Ware would have been deserving except for the team he plays on.
Harrison is a heck of a tackler and a fumble-forcer; he deserved this one
Ed Reed deserved it.
Ravens got screwed.
Yeah that is a good point. Reed was pretty normal the first couple of games because he was playing hurt. He didn't really start getting Reed like until later in the season. I guess I am just a little upset that the media never manages to give us any recognition. Or when they do it seems like it is almost begrudgingly. Almost like the Spurs...
you ing must be on crack. oh wait, NVM, you're a steelers fan, i forgot.
Polamalu isnt even close to Reed. He's a good tackler, a solid run stopper, but very mediocre in coverage, and gets fooled fairly often by playaction, draws, and misdirection runs. He gets more BS interceptions (tipped balls, dropped passes, horrible ing throws) than anyone in the league.
Give me Dawkins over Polamalu. The biggest reason he gets hype is because of some big hits, and his stupid ing hair. He is like Roy Williams back when he had Darren Woodson covering up for his ass in coverage.
he also gets beat in coverage frequently, unlike Ware.
Ware > Harrison.
As much as I wanted Ware to win, I thought Reed was more deserving. Harrison is a of a player but I would have put him third behind Reed and Ware.
Check the quote above you from florige, who although a Ravens fan, has a balanced view unlike your Raider-loving ass. Troy is one of the smartest players in the league, and is a game-changer. The statement about "BS interceptions" puts you in SpursDynasty category ("fluke shots", as he says). If he seems to be involved in so many "lucky plays", its because of his instincts and energy level.
Harrison vs Ware:
Harrison: 101 tackles, 16 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 1 INT, 1 safety, 3 passes defended, 0 defensive offsides
Ware: 84 tackles, 20 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 0 INT, 0 safeties, 2 passes defended, 7 defensive offsides
Except for the sack total, Harrison has the edge everywhere else statistically. This despite the fact that Harrison plays in a better overall defensive unit with at least 1 other great player (Lamar Woodley) who competes with him for a share of tackles, sacks etc.
And going beyond the stats, Harrison brings more game-changing intangibles and crucial plays than Ware. He has been the difference between a W and L several times (examples: safety against the Chargers and the forced fumble off a sack that got ran back for a TD against the Ravens, each in a very close game). He gets doubled every time, and is the biggest reason the Steeler blitz is so damned successful.
Ware is good, but not that good.
I never saw anywhere in his post where he agreed with the Polamalu part. Perhaps he did, perhaps he didn't. All I saw was that he bolded a particular part of your post, and seemed to respond to that.
Don't get me wrong, Troy is a damn good safety. But to say he is at least on the same level or better than Ed Reed is absolutely asinine.
Seriously. Steelers fans. They are the most idiotic, homeristic fans of any team in any sport. I've never known so many fans that would be willing to suck 53 s at any time of the year.
Um, a better overall defensive unit actually will help a defensive player look better. If you have better defensive backs, then it gives pass-rushers more time to get to the QB. And vice versa. To say that having a better defensive unit will hold a player back, is ing stupid.
If you really want to go behind the stats, you would know that tackles is a very overrated stat, and in many cases, increased tackle numbers, mean that the defender is getting beat often in coverage, something I've seen quite frequently from Harrison, but not often at all from Ware.
You brag that Harrison gets doubled. So does Ware. Not to mention teams avoid running the ball to Ware's side because hes so damn good in run stopping as well. Zach Thomas himself even said that run stopping has never been so easy for him, because teams don't like to run to Ware's side.
Demarcus Ware is the best all-around LB in the league right now, and any non-homer would agree. Then again, it comes as no shock to me that you are arguing it, being a Steeler fan and all.
Ed Reed is a ball hawk. Polamalu will just flat lay you out. They both go through spurts where one of them will be having a monster year and the other is having a off year by their standards. They both are great though. Reed is just so dangerous after he catches the interception.
He agreed with the most important bit ... Reed was not as consistent throughout the season. He played great in the last 4-5 weeks, but that does not make him DPOY. Just because you caught a couple of AFC North games on TV the last couple of weeks doesn't mean you can extrapolate your impressions over a full season. Polamalu was a big reason the Steeler D was #1 against the pass, allowing a full 20 yards less per game than Baltimore. We also allowed 5 TDs less vs the pass than the Ravens.
You know what's worse? Raider fan sucking Dallas Cowboy ... you could at least have picked a less pathetic team to bandwagon onto, after your joke of a franchise folded early in the season. But hey, you're a Mavs fan, so it all makes sense how you end up picking loser teams to root for.
lol, Al Davis.
I disagree. Being the best LB on a good defensive unit means Harrison is the one who gets doubled more (and gets held more) which opens up opportunities for others to make plays.
Missed tackles was what got the Cowboys in trouble against Baltimore when the Ravens ran right over the Cowboys. So heck yeah, tackles are important. Harrison has more tackles against the run than Ware does. This despite the fact that Harrison drops back into pass coverage more than Ware and doesn't get the the same amount of opportunities. Also Harrison has been held more by opponents than Ware has.
I don't get this. The leader of the best overall defense in the NFL (possibly the best defensive unit since the Superbowl Bucs), who also has the best overall defensive stats in the league, plays every down, has made some of the biggest defensive plays in the league this year, is somehow not deserving of the DPOTY?
I suppose this is when you pull out the "fluke sacks" and "BS tackles" argument, eh?
Reed was quite good all season, and he dealt with some injuries early on if I recall. Whether you think he should be DPOY or not, whatever.
However, one man, does not make a unit. You obviously do not understand that, as evidenced in your stats for the entire unit.
You ing idiot. Why would I bandwagon onto the Raiders? I've been a Raider fan for life, and would never bandwagon away from them. They always have been, and always will be my team. I think the fact that I'm still a fan, more than proves im not the bandwagoning type. Being a Mavs fan has nothing to do with this either, other than even further proving I'm loyal no matter what. However, perhaps it is you, who is the bandwagon fan, seeing that you root for the Spurs and Steelers.
Reading is fundamental. I said you were a Raider fan bandwagoning onto the Cowboys after Oakland's season was basically over by week 6.
OMGWTF. Why would playing on a great unit result in more double teams? If anything, it makes it harder for the opponent to double team someone, because there are other very good players to account for.
You are such an idiot. I'm done with this.
Congrats to Harrison on his DPOY, despite Ware and Reed being more deserving to the eyes of the majority of people, except the got homer steelers fans.
HEY ERS he had 16 sacks and 8 forced fumbles he diserves it very bit as much as the next guy war had 20 sacks so what harrison is a of a player and i dont see the cowboys in the play-offs do u?? o and a little fact 4 ur asses
the only other times a steeler won DPOTY award they won the superbowl
74' - joe green
75' - mel blount
08 - james harrison ???
I never bandwagonned on to the Cowboys at any point. The only other team I would root for is the Eagles, because Donovan McNabb is one of my favorite players in the league.
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