by
Neal Coolong on
May 11, 2012 10:01 AM EDT 
Al Bello - Getty Images
The outside linebacker is the glory hog of the
Steelers defense.
Not that James Harrison and
LaMarr Woodley don't deserve the praise they get, but their other front seven contemporaries are setting them up for success.
They're used to success. They've had a lot of it. But what the best tandem of 3-4 OLBs in the game haven't shared much together is injuries.
Harrison and Woodley missed a combined 12 games last season, more than one third of the Steelers' regular season contests. It was time for the glory hogs to give some credit back to their teammates, considering the Steelers produced one of their lowest sack outputs in many years, yet, still led the NFL in scoring defense.
What can they do about injuries? Not much. as any middling Weekend Warrior can tell you, a popped hamstring like Woodley's isn't something that heals overnight. Due to the vital importance the hamstring has in explosive movement, it's very easy to re-injure. That was the case with Woodley, who was well on his way to another Pro Bowl appearance, even Defensive Player of the Year consideration when he began chasing
Patriots* QB
Tom Brady out of the pocket for what seemed to be the 15th time in a Steelers Week 8 win. Woodley already had two sacks and was en route for a third when he pulled up while running, and put his hand on the back of his leg - the universal sign of a tweaked hammy.
He was never the same player the rest of the year. That injury occurred in wake of
James Harrison's broken orbital bone, which he suffered on a hit from
Texans LT
Duane Brown (who is totally allowed to ram defensive players with the crown of his helmet because he plays on offense, according to the league that's pushing the safety agenda as if scores of future lawsuits depended on it). Harrison missed four games, and while he came back to play outstanding football (Week 9 vs. Baltimore in particular), the missed time and the lack of help on his opposite side sent his sack numbers plunging.
One thing they can do is bring in depth to help pick up the slack when injuries happen. They talked to free agent
Matt Roth recently,
a guy who could play both OLB and DE for the Steelers, but optimism of his signing diminished when he left town without a contract. He still could be in the fold, but either the offer or the player weren't good enough to make it official now.
Jason Worilds was neither great nor terrible, and middle-of-the-line isn't befitting the description of a glory hog.
Lawrence Timmons chipped in time at the position as well, and didn't produce much, either. It will be critical for the Steelers to keep Harrison and Woodley healthy, to develop Worilds as a high-level contributor if not a spot starter, and to continue building depth within the unit.
Does the fact the Steelers kicked Roth's tires mean they've lost faith in Worlids or Chris Carter? Probably not. Roth has played both OLB (in Cleveland) and DE (in Miami) in 3-4 defenses, and every team covets that 2-for-1 kind of player when filling out their rosters. The Steelers don't typically sign starters in free agency, but the best teams in the league find low-priced veterans to fill key positions of depth.
Their starters typically come from within. It remains to be seen whether Worilds or Carter are future starters, but keep in mind, Harrison was with the team for three seasons before winning a starting position and Woodley barely played his rookie year. If the Steelers were 12-4 with the league's top scoring defense while producing 35 sacks (tied for 17th in the league), imagine if they were able to get to the passer more often. Depth, as well as the development of younger players, is critical.
(read more)http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/5/11/3013728/talkin-outside-linebackers-lamarr-woodley-james-harrison-matt-roth
