Top 5 Most Underrated Pittsburgh Steelers of 2012

The Pittsburgh Steelers, like every franchise in the NFL, consist of a mixture of over-hyped, under-appreciated and properly valued talent. 

It's the classic overrated versus underrated debate, and the following countdown focuses on those members of the Black and Gold who don't get the full credit they deserve for their talent and contributions.

Steelers Country consists of a group of loyal members that are among the most incredibly passionate in all of sports, which naturally invites a severe collection of opinions. Consider: How many Terrible Towel owners have thrown a "Terrible Tantrum" over Ben Roethlisberger's ranking on any numbers of lists counting down the NFL's best quarterbacks?

Be honest, Steelers fans, did the veins from your neck protrude when you learned that Philip Rivers was ranked higher during last year's NFL Network "Top 100 Players of 2011?"

If not, you're likely in the minority, or you're simply realistic enough to understand that above any ranking, it's the ring that's the thing!

One other thing is for sure: fans, whether for love or bias, will always side with the good guys, those players who wear the colors that are closest to their hearts.

As such, it's always commonplace to view one's own team's players as being naturally... well, underrated! And, as the author who gets to agree with the popular hometown sentiment in this article, I get to play the good guy and evade the wrath that comes with the overrated list.

Ah, it feels so nice to be the hero...

Honorable Mentions

In my efforts to look at the roster with complete objectivity, it became painfully obvious that the majority of Pittsburgh Steelers players are either underrated or at least held in accurate esteem.

Drawing from this conclusion, one can already make one of two assessments:

1) My loyalty has blinded me into misguided beliefs that I defend behind the veneer of objectiveness. 

Or...

2) The winning track record across many recent seasons for the Steelers is no coincidence, considering the quality of players across their roster, many of whom do not get the full credit they deserve.

For those who believe the former, I warn that the rest of this article may not be for you, and a listing of overrated Steelers may better satiate your needs.

And fans belonging in the latter category should know that the greatness of the Steelers isn't exclusively the result of marquee players making headlines.  In fact, there is so much of the roster not appropriately lauded that narrowing the list down to five players without at least naming a few honorable mentions seemed a disservice.

If anything speaks well to the depth of talent on the Pittsburgh roster, it's that!

These are the folks that didn't crack the list, but I believe they embody what it is to be, say, mildly underrated.

Jerricho Cotchery spent much of 2011 working to return from injury.  As the year progressed and the regular season gave way to the sudden death (and it sure was sudden this past January) of the postseason, Cotchery began showcasing his timely playmaking ability. 

His 23-yard tying touchdown against the Broncos was a possible preview of coming attractions.  Cotchery has great hands, supreme physical gifts and the ability to make the tough grab against all odds.  With a full offseason to develop with the rest of the offense—in addition to the loss of the most physical and veteran receiver on the roster—Cotchery may prove to be one of the more underrated players on the roster heading into 2012.

Ryan Clark is often recognized for his ability to "lay the lumber" on receivers, serving notice that the Pittsburgh defensive backfield truly is Steelers territory.  However, his synchronicity with Troy Polamalu has helped the Black and Gold finish at or near the top of the league in pass defense or average yards surrendered per opponent pass for seasons.

Also, Troy Polamalu is one of the greatest hybrid players in the game today, fulfilling defensive roles across the board.  While his disruptive nature is to the benefit of the Steelers, his role only works if his "backup quarterback" in the backfield serves as a stopgap over the middle of the field. Left on an island, Clark hold his own more often than not, an attribute most fans forget in light of his hard hits.

LaMarr Woodley may be underrated, but it is only to a lesser degree.  The national spotlight has begun to shine a bit more brightly on the superb outside linebacker who wreaks havoc in defensive backfields.  Just ask Tom Brady how the 30th of October worked out for his squad.

With Woodley, the Steelers got pressure on opposing passers.

Without Woodley, they didn't.

Plain and simple.

Lastly, Brett Keisel may have once been viewed as the guy that backed up Aaron Smith, and he definitely is more renowned outside of the 'Burgh for his beard than his bravado.  Yet he is a yeoman on the gridiron, consistently stuffing the run nearly as well as Smith and always finding his way around the football in many key moments.

His quick burst at the snap (watch him exclusively during a few defensive series this season and you'll see what I mean), not to be confused with a quick burst off the line (e.g., Dwight Freeney), often gives him early leverage, allowing him to stuff runners off-tackle behind the line of scrimmage or disrupt plays in the opposing backfield.

No. 5: Antonio Brown

The entire offseason has been officially titled "The Mike Wallace Saga. Starring Mike Wallace. With Mike Wallace."

Did I mention the forward was written by Mike Wallace?

Mike Wallace is a deadly deep threat.  Nobody denies his rocket speed and ability to get atop NFL secondaries.

Despite the fear he places into the hearts of isolated corners and frozen safeties, Wallace still has a great deal of polish to add to the rest of his game. 

Larry Fitzgerald money?  I think not.

However, as it concerns moving the sticks, making the tough catch through traffic, running precise routes, going over the middle and being able to both sustain drives and make big plays for bulk yardage, I'd argue the best all-around receiver the Steelers feature is Antonio Brown.

How many 3rd-and-19 conversions does this "kid" have left in him?  From the looks of last season, the answer is simply more.

With his laid-back demeanor and general charm, the humble Brown differentiated himself from Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes. 

As the team's all-time record holder for most combined yards in a single season, including a gallery of eye-popping returns and receptions, the 2011 team MVP demonstrated himself in the same light as Holmes. From his ability to make amazing catches to his skills as a returner on special teams, No. 84 appeared at times to simply be No. 10 with a new shirt.

So, yeah, sign Wallace already.  But not if it compromises the team's ability to return Brown.

No. 4: Ben Roethlisberger

Quite possibly, no player in the NFL divides legions of fans so deeply as Ben Roethlisberger.

Many will argue that his lack of "big money" statistics (a.k.a. the fantasy football is "real" football misconception), occasional proneness to turnovers and frequent sacks separate him negatively from the best quarterbacks in the game.

After all, many fans view the quick reads, decisive throws and pocket presence/patience of the Killer B's, Brady and Brees, as the "right" way to quarterback.

Some of these fans do make valid arguments, but few are able to justify their opinion without ignoring many of Ben's positive attributes.

Is he a top 3 quarterback in today's NFL? I'd argue that he isn't. However, does he rank below the fifth spot? Absolutely not.

Years of reading rankings that had Vick or Rivers ahead of Big Ben on the totem poll sent Steelers fans into frequent frenzies.

After all, they understood the biggest strengths of their quarterback:

1) An uncanny ability to make plays out of the pocket.

2) Accuracy on the run that seems to defy physics.

3) A hefty yards per attempt, a statistic largely correlated with championship quarterbacking that almost always ranks near the top of the NFL.

4) A history of coming through in the clutch (even considering Super Bowl XLV) and ability to rally of team on his back despite odds and injuries.

5) And perhaps above all else, the ability to read a defense, make quick and decisive throws when available, go through progressions and engineer an offense the traditional way when the game plan calls for it.

In other words, he can play it both ways; to date, he's won using his way. We'll see how that balance changes going forward.

Like Troy Polamalu on defense (who does not show up on this list—some question his elite status, but most rank him as a top safety in the game), Roethlisberger's intangibles may not show on the scoresheet, but they do show on the scoreboard!

No. 3: Ike Taylor

As a whole, the Wild Card loss in Denver was an inglorious ending to a fantastic season for Ike Taylor.

Yet, the Steelers' strategy was a recipe for failure in the defensive backfield. Stacking the box and compromising the secondary, the Black and Gold failed to get sustained pressure in the backfield. As such, the result was plenty of time for Tim Tebow to throw, no secondary to "read" and corners locked in man coverage for unrealistic stretches of time with no safety support.

In short: DOOM.

And, for the Steel City: GLOOM.

In fact, on Tebow's initial first down of the game, he had six seconds to throw the football.

With time to throw and no safety coverage to consider, NFL receivers will get open, and the evidence was no more plain than when Tebow and Thomas combined for an aerial circus over a defender whose normal dominance became an element of the weekly game plan Steelers fans took for granted.

Isolated on such an island for so long, any corner can and eventually will get burnt and most receivers will get open. Period.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying that Ike Taylor should be in the company of a Darrelle Revis as it concerns the game's top defensive backs. 

However, he is among the finer second-tier cornerbacks in the game today and his man-coverage skills within the construct of Pittsburgh's defense are a skill set that give the unit the ability to expand their playbook. Week after week the team had depended on Taylor to match up against the opponent's best receiver, and more often than not Ike has won the battle. 

Despite becoming an easy scapegoat for naysayers who take issue with the Pittsburgh secondary, Taylor will continue to be an important cog in the Steelers' defensive backfield. And, quite predictably, Taylor will continue to have success in his role as top corner, something most Pittsburgh fans have taken for granted.

Now, which player wants to step up and earn his spot on the other side of the field? Stay tuned!

No. 2: Lawrence Timmons

While there is certainly room for polish, Lawrence Timmons has shows all of the critical skills for a linebacker in the 3-4 system, particularly one coached by the zone blitz czar, Dick LeBeau.

He ranks among the league leader in tacklers each season, but his speed and pass coverage skills make him equally adept at dropping back into the intermediate secondary, a staple skill that the Steelers' defensive philosophy cannot function without.

Annually, he leads team linebackers in passes defensed. A look over his career statistics showcases a player who can rush the passer, force fumbles, get interceptions, knock down a few throws, oh, and... lead the team in tackles!

That he didn't make the Pro Bowl in 2010 is a complete disgrace.

In fact, over the last two seasons, over 58 percent of Timmons' tackles have come within four yards of the line of scrimmage, indicating that he has a nose for the pigskin and is able to quickly meet and tackle the ball carrier.

Considering that he's just gotten started, fans can fully expect the name "Timmons" to rank in the national spotlight along Harrison and Woodley in the near future.

No. 1: Heath Miller

With the addition of Todd Haley, who knows what impact the new Steelers offense will have on the production of Heath Miller?

To date, the Steelers' offensive system has not been conducive to the type of "Dallas Clark" statistics that most fans use as their litmus test for tight end greatness.

However, those privy to the finer points of the position understand that Miller is an incredible talent and the perfect tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

His ability to get body position on defenders, use his arms to create separation and show off his soft hands by snagging nearly every pass thrown his way are attributes that some of the game's more popular tight ends possess.

Like the game's "fantasy" ends, Miller is a downhill runner after the catch, though his style may not be the most graceful or flashy.

In the Steel City being a tight end means blocking on a regular basis, sometimes almost exclusively, and Heath is one of the most underrated downfield blockers in the game of football. Whereas Hines Ward was recognized for his superb blocking skills, Miller does not get as much attention despite dominating that aspect of the game in a manner that is irregular (and, frankly, quite superior) for his position.

On running downs or passing downs Miller is a steady blocker, practically serving as a third offensive tackle on many of the team's plays.

For his willingness to play team ball, despite possessing skills that could very well yield far greater individual accomplishments, Miller deserves great praise as a combination tight end. By combination, I quite simply refer to two adjectives: humble and able.