Top Steelers Linebackers

I have heard many a fan who believes James Harrison is the Steelers best linebacker at this time. Some believe its Lamarr Woodley. The fact of the matter is the best linebacker is whoever made most plays when it mattered. The answer to that one is clearly Lamarr Woodley. No question he had the best overall year of the Steelers linebacking corps. What I am asking you all, as fans is, who IS the best linebacker overall. I will break it down into a few separate subjects. Pass rush, run D, pass defense, and size (just for fun).

PASS RUSH

The key to judging this is who had the most sacks, drew the most double-teams, and caused the most overall QB commotion.

1. Lamarr Woodley: This guy may not have had the most sacks in the first half of the season, but baby, it's all about how you finish! He had a sack in every one of his last eight games. He had two sacks in each of his last two games. Also over the season, he drew more and more double-teams, leading to other players getting sacks.

2.James Harrison: Dude! He's James Harrison. People keep docking him points because he didn't have as stellar a year as he had last year. So what! You can't expect him to have 16 sacks and seven forced fumbles every year. While he only had like two sacks in the second half of the season, he drew double-teams which sure helped lead to Woodley's fantastic year.

3. Lawrence Timmons: He is my favorite of the Steeler linebackers (see the picture?) and he can become one of those great talents in years to come. I say he had a break-out year. He had 78 tackles in 14 games (56 solo) and had big games when he wasn't a backup. Half of the games he played in he had seven or more tackles which is pretty nice. He had four FF and seven sacks. VERY respectable numbers for an ILB. He also had some big plays in big moments like the Browns game when he had two FF on two plays in a row...on sacks! And did anyone else see that HUGE sack on Pat White in the Dolphins game. He practically killed him!

4. Keyaran Fox: He has the speed, quickness, and play-making ability to be a starter when James Farrior falls down the depth chart.

5. James Farrior: I had to put him on this list for fairness!

RUSH DEFENSE

The key to judging this one is who had the most tackles for loss, most tackles overall, and has the best ability to read a play.

1.James Farrior: From last place to first place, right? He is a veteran, and has been very consistent throughout his career. He had more than 100 tackles this past season. While he may be aging, he still garners respect from the offense. He only had two tackles behind the line, but what else would you expect from a MLB, not known for his rushing ability.

2.Lamarr Woodley: There isn't much you can say bad about this guy. He is fast, powerful, and commands respect from blockers. This dude had five tackles behind the line, 18 counting sacks. He is also powerful enough to drag a power back to the ground on his own. He didn't have too many tackles, 68, but those were all important ones. He made so many big stops in almost every game. There was one stat that I thought unusual for how he plays. He only had one FF.

3.Lawrence Timmons: Yes, I do think I'm giving him a little more love than most do because he's my favorite linebacker. But, you have to count the statistics. He had four tackles for a loss, and 11 counting sacks. He is very fast and possesses the quickness to be successful. He is becoming better at diagnosing plays. He also has power, shown by his four forced fumbles. I believe is a young developing talent.

4.James Harrison: He is very strong and can be fast when needed. My one and only complaint about Harrison is that he is going on 33-years-old. He is an aging player despite his limited seasons actually playing in the NFL. He didn't quite have a season like last years but he did have 10 sacks to go along with five forced fumbles.

5. Keyaran Fox: I think he needs to develop a little more, but he could be the starter in the 2011 season.

PASS DEFENSE

Judging this one is slightly more difficult since the Steelers have really groomed pass rushers, not defenders. I think it would come down to who simply allowed the least catches and has the most passes defended. Putting pressure on the QB is also a nice place to focus on. Obviously interceptions weren't their forte this year.

1. Lawrence Timmons: He had the most passes defended per snap. He is super quick and has good instincts. Other linebackers had better pass defensed statistics, however they had more opportunities. He was also a good pass defender in his college days. Let's not forget that he had one of the rare interceptions.

2. Lamarr Woodley: He had five passes defended. He didn't have any other stats in this department. But while he lacked stats, he still makes it SO much easier for the DB's. He puts a ton of pressure on the quarterback, and that makes them throw some shoddy passes.

3. James Farrior: It was very difficult for me to choose between Farrior and Harrison. Farrior is a much better pass defender, but Harrison puts pressure on the blockers. HE commands double-teams and that takes away targets for the QB. I chose Farrior because he is the better defender, and sniffs out pass plays better than Harrison.

4. James Harrison: Like I said before it was a tough choice for me to make. Harrison is very effective in the pass rush game causing trouble for blockers and QB's but he doesn't have the actual ability to cover a receiver. I just haven't seen enough from his defending skill.

5. Keyaran Fox: Remember the Vikings game?

Total scores:

Lamarr Woodley-5

Lawrence Timmons-7

James Farrior-9

James Harrison-11

Keyaran Fox-14

 The reason Farrior beat out Harrison is because he is the better all-around player. Sure, I have some bias for Timmons, but he is raw, and his stats show he could become a future star. Woodley has become THE premiere pass rusher in the AFC. Keyaran, like I said before, can become a starter in a couple years.