Farrior puts steel in Steelers
PITTSBURGH – James Farrior has already received one teammate’s vote as the NFL’s top defensive player this season. Make that a lot of votes.
“I’ve gone online like 20 times and voted for him (for the Pro Bowl),” Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu said.
The Steelers might not feel the need to stuff the ballot box if Farrior were a bigger name. But while he lacks the reputation and name recognition of defensive stars such as Julius Peppers, Simeon Rice or Willie McGinest, Farrior is enjoying one of the best seasons of any NFL player.
Farrior’s line score to date: four interceptions, four forced fumbles, three sacks, three fumble recoveries, 81 tackles. With numbers like those, Steelers coach Bill Cowher said Farrior is making a strong case for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
“There may be some better pass rushers, there may be some better interceptors,” Cowher said. “But when you look at a guy who plays the run the way he plays the run, who plays the pass the way he plays the pass, who has the production that this guy does, and does the things we ask him to do, I don’t think there is a more productive defensive player in the NFL.”
Farrior’s best asset, according to his coach, is that he has no discernible weakness.
“He’s made big hits, made tackles inside the box. He makes plays outside the box, drops back into coverage, rushes the quarterback, sets the defense,” Cowher said. “He’s having a very productive year.”
Farrior has had nothing but productive seasons since the former Virginia star broke in with the New York Jets in 1997. He was credited with a league-high 101 tackles in 2001, but had to move inside in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense after being a weakside linebacker in the Jets’ 4-3 defense. Farrior’s numbers dropped off after he signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent in 2002, but he has been the Steelers’ top tackler the last two seasons.
The Steelers (12-1) allow a league-low average of 257 yards per game, and their defense has kept their 11-game winning streak going despite a falloff by the offense.
Pittsburgh hasn’t scored more than 19 points in any of its last four games, but hasn’t allowed more than 16. The Steelers have yielded only five TDs in six games, twice allowing only field goals.
“We know sometimes its going to come down to good defensive play, and that’s what we love,” Farrior said. “As a defense, those are the kind of games you want.
“My goal is to go out and make every tackle in the game. I know that’s probably not possible, but it’s my goal to try to make it happen.”
Unlike Joey Porter and linebacker Larry Foote, Farrior isn’t a big talker on the field, but that didn’t prevent his teammates from nicknaming him Big Play.