Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Rupert Patrick wrote:As a Steelers fan, I loved Polamalu, but Reed was a much better player, and one of the all-time greats. Reed had twice the career interceptions of Polamalu (64 to 32), and seven career pick sixes to Troy's three. Reed also returned two fumbles for TD's, as did Polamalu, but also returned a punt for a TD, along with three blocked punt returns for TD's. (How many people in pro football history have returned a punt for a TD along with a blocked punt for a TD? I can't think of another.) I have to think his three blocked punt returns for TD's might also be a record. Reed led the NFL in interceptions three times, putting him alongside Everson Walls as the only players ever to lead the league three times in interceptions. Reed and Polamalu each played in 15 postseason games; Reed had nine interceptions to Polamalu's three. Reed's nine postseason interceptions are tied for the most ever. Ed Reed definitely belonged in the top 100, Polamalu did not.

I decided to find out how many people in pro football history have returned a punt for a TD along with a returned blocked punt for a TD; the answer is two - Ed Reed and Ronde Barber. And I was correct in that Reed's three blocked punt returns for TD's is a record; he is tied with Tom Flynn, who played with the Packers and Giants in the 80's, but he did them all with the Giants. It always bothers me to leave a question like that unanswered. Ed Reed is the answer to a number of trivia questions.

Rupert Patrick wrote:

Rupert Patrick wrote:As a Steelers fan, I loved Polamalu, but Reed was a much better player, and one of the all-time greats. Reed had twice the career interceptions of Polamalu (64 to 32), and seven career pick sixes to Troy's three. Reed also returned two fumbles for TD's, as did Polamalu, but also returned a punt for a TD, along with three blocked punt returns for TD's. (How many people in pro football history have returned a punt for a TD along with a blocked punt for a TD? I can't think of another.) I have to think his three blocked punt returns for TD's might also be a record. Reed led the NFL in interceptions three times, putting him alongside Everson Walls as the only players ever to lead the league three times in interceptions. Reed and Polamalu each played in 15 postseason games; Reed had nine interceptions to Polamalu's three. Reed's nine postseason interceptions are tied for the most ever. Ed Reed definitely belonged in the top 100, Polamalu did not.

I decided to find out how many people in pro football history have returned a punt for a TD along with a returned blocked punt for a TD; the answer is two - Ed Reed and Ronde Barber. And I was correct in that Reed's three blocked punt returns for TD's is a record; he is tied with Tom Flynn, who played with the Packers and Giants in the 80's, but he did them all with the Giants. It always bothers me to leave a question like that unanswered. Ed Reed is the answer to a number of trivia questions.

I guess I'm higher on Troy than most. While they were playing, I thought they were about dead even. I guess I may have been too influenced by Troy's highlight plays; Reed always made everything look so easy.
I would concur that Reed is the better of the two, but I still maintain that Troy is the 2nd best safety over the last 30 years. I have him slightly ahead of Dawkins, and significantly ahead of thumpers like Lynch and Atwater.

JohnTurney wrote:

JWL wrote:"Box safety" is not a negative term.

It often denotes that the player cannot play deep (lacks speed) and that
his skills are suited to play the run or cover short zones or a TE (rather
than a wide receiver)

The great safeties could do both, Ed Reed played some SS, DOnnie SHell
could play around LOS and also cover a deep zone of 1/2 the field.

TP couldn't have played deep middle or 1/2 the field and still be great
He was used in a way the fit his skills. But he couldn't play
centerfield like some of the others

I always thought "box safety" as a position limitation. What would we call a safety who's not good in the box? Is that a "range safety"? Someone like Paul Krause who many said avoided making tackles up on the line of scrimmage.

nicefellow31 wrote:
I always thought "box safety" as a position limitation. What would we call a safety who's not good in the box? Is that a "range safety"? Someone like Paul Krause who many said avoided making tackles up on the line of scrimmage.

Maybe a "post" safety or deep safety?

JohnTurney wrote:

nicefellow31 wrote:
I always thought "box safety" as a position limitation. What would we call a safety who's not good in the box? Is that a "range safety"? Someone like Paul Krause who many said avoided making tackles up on the line of scrimmage.

Maybe a "post" safety or deep safety?

Of course, in the olden days we had a strong safety and a free safety.

rhickok1109 wrote:Of course, in the olden days we had a strong safety and a free safety.

I try to avoid new-fangled football announcer cool guy sayings like "he put a foot in the ground", "eye discipline", "eye talent", "he is in space", etc. Mike Mayock helped popularize a bunch of these. There are probably several dozen of these you'll hear during college and pro telecasts.

"Box safety" is a term that seemed to enter the lexicon in recent years. However, I don't put it in the same category as the cool guy terms and sayings. It refers to safeties who often line up in the scrimmage box. Jamal Adams might be the active safety who most often lines up in the box and he is one of the top safeties in the league. In his era, Troy Polamalu hung out near the line of scrimmage quite a bit. He certainly did not do it all the time and was not bad at all in coverage. Reed was simply better there. Reed had amazing range.

If Polamalu makes the PFHOF on the first ballot, I think that would actually be fine. I might squeeze him into my top 10 safeties list but not top eight.