Pittsburgh Steelers had 4 members make the Top 100 on the NFL Network’s Top 100 Players List. This list has been debated for some time and when Big Ben joined the list at #41 it stirred up Steeler Nation for sure. It’s hard to imagine 40 better players in the league who have a .704 win pct and 3 trips to the Super Bowl (2 Super Bowl titles) in just 7 years. Here is how the Steelers came in with videos.
#82 – LAMARR WOODLEY
On a list voted by his peers, LaMarr Woodley has been named the 82nd best player in the NFL. Woodley has been a great asset for the Steelers. He is an outstanding Outside Linebacker who can do it all. He can rush the passer, cover the pass and stop the run. He is a very well rounded Linebacker. Most can do one of the three well, Woodley does them all.
Woodley has developed well for the Steelers. He came into the league as mostly a pass rusher. He played sparingly in his rookie season, mostly on passing downs. Woodley has racked up 39 sacks in four years as a Steeler. 35 of those came in his 3 years as a starter. Woodley is also tied with James Harrison for a Steelers record of 3 straight seasons with 10 or more sacks. Woodley also holds an NFL record of 7 straight playoff games with a sack.
Woodley has also developed into an all around player. He is being used more in pass coverage now due to his ability and is still racking up double digit sacks each season. Woodley intercepted 2 passes this season and returned one of them for a touchdown. He is being counted on more and more to stop the pass in all ways not just on the blitz.
#41 – BEN ROETHLISBERGER
On NFL Networks list of the 100 Best Current NFL Players list as voted by the players, Ben Roethlisberger came in at number 41. That puts Ben in the top 2 and a half percent of all Football Players in the NFL which isn’t the worst company to keep.
I do have a problem with how low Big Ben is on the list. Being that he is the 7th best QB on the list to me is a joke.
So even though Roethlisberger just turned 29 and has been to 3 Super Bowls already (winning two, I might add), I can’t complain as much as I would like, but I will tell you the biggest problem that I do have with it. Roethlisberger is ranked below two Quarterbacks, Michael Vick and Phillip Rivers, who have NO RINGS and a measly two Conference Championship games between them. Those Numbers are both 2 less than Roethlisberger who commands a stoutly 2 Rings and 4 AFC Championship appearances in 7 years. That is an unacceptable analysis of Quarterbacks by the players.
#21 – JAMES HARRISON
Steelers Linebacker James Harrison was named the 21st overall player on the NFL Top 100 list. That is a great honor to be given to you by your peers. Harrison is very deserving of the honor and I think he landed just about in the right spot. With the guys that are left on the board above him I cannot say that I would move him much farther than where he is.
The only players at his position that he is behind are Demarcus Ware and Clay Matthews. Matthews was up for Defensive Player of the Year last season and had a stellar season. Ware has had a good career and is a beast on the outside for Dallas but I do not know if I could put him above Harrison.
If I am guessing correctly the other defensive players on the list you can not be mad that Harrison does not jump many of them. He is not ranked higher than his own teammate Troy Polamalu. So Harrison seems to be slotted right about where he should be give or take a few spots. Still a great honor. Harrison is very deserving. He puts up big numbers each week and is damn near impossible to block. He uses his leverage greatly and it gives him an advantage over taller offensive linemen.
Then you have the quarterbacks who got 5 spots in the top 20.
So Harrison seems to be slotted right about where he should be give or take a few spots. Still a great honor. Harrison is very deserving. He puts up big numbers each week and is damn near impossible to block. He uses his leverage greatly and it gives him an advantage over taller offensive linemen.
#6 – TROY POLAMALU
Troy”s Top 6 Video from NFL.com
As NFL Network finished their list of Top 100 Players as voted by the players on Sunday night there was one Steeler left on the list. That player was Troy Polamalu. Polamalu was slotted as the 6th best player in the NFL. He was named the 3rd best defensive player in the NFL.
Polamalu only followed 5 players in the NFL:
- Tom Brady
- Peyton Manning
- Adrian Peterson
- Ray Lewis
- Ed Reed
There is only a little bit to gripe about here. Offense gets the attention when it comes down to it so this is no real surprise. There is no way Troy was getting over Peyton or Brady. They were one/two no matter how you slice it. Adrian Peterson is a beast so that one doesn’t hurt that badly either. Players enjoy his style of play.
On defense Ed Reed did have 10 interceptions in 10 games. Both he and Troy are what other players strive to be at the safety position. Also Ray Lewis is going to go down as probably the best linebacker of all time so for players to name him the number one defensive player in the league is more of a career respect type thing than a knock on Troy. I can live with this as the way the players voted it out in the top ten.
Any way you shake it out #6 in the entire NFL is a great honor to have bestowed upon you by your peers. Troy is more then deserving and will be right up there again if they do this list next season.
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