Having the Steelers season now in full throttle, where is the dynamic duo of LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, most importantly, Harrison? He’s a five time Pro-Bowl linebacker with fearsome abilities to force fumbles, sack quarterbacks and frightfully make his presence known on the field. Yet he has missed the first three 2012 regular season games and continues to be invisible on the stat sheet.
The previous four seasons, he mustered 45.5 sacks and well over 200-plus tackles which most outside linebackers cannot attain in the NFL. With having only one sack of the season, Pittsburgh is beginning to question his ability to jump start his play and maintain his well known power to rush the quarterback. With the absence of Harrison’s quickness to suffocate a quarterback’s momentum and his determination to force turnovers, the Steelers defense still remains No. 1 throughout the league.
The past season along with the 2012 season, Harrison has missed a total of seven regular season games with multiple injuries including a fractured orbital bone and knee injury plus a suspension. Harrison’s knee injury, which required arthroscopic surgery during training camp, is what might be holding him back from swallowing quarterbacks whole this season. So, how long will Pittsburgh have to wait for the reappearance of their number one contributor to the “Big Nasty D?” It’s sad to say, but maybe by the end of the season or later.
“I’d say it’s getting a lot closer to what would be fully conditioned, but it’s obviously not going to be all the way there for the simple fact my knee isn’t going to be all the way there till probably the end of the season.” Harrison said.
His age, a fragile thirty-four, could also be a contributing factor to his less than appealing play on the field and dismal statistics. Fortunately, having a genius defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, allows the Steelers to go forth with different yet effective strategies to remain at the top of the charts, so to speak.
Now, I’m not jumping on the “he’s a jagoff” bandwagon because what glaringly shows on the field is that Harrison consistently gets held on most every play along with being double teamed. Also, take into account that different defensive schemes are called where he purposely gets held or double teamed to allow other linebackers such as Lawrence Timmons and/or Woodley to break free to do what they do best; rush the passer and protect the outside. Since Harrison’s return in week five, he’s missed just one defensive snap and continues to make strides in overcoming his injury. Is it time to let him go? Absolutely not. I have Steelers faith in Harrison and his almighty wingspan. It may be droopy but definitely not clipped.
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