How can people say Ed Reed had a better season than Troy Polamalu?

who cares what people say, the only thing that counts is the AFC North, and Superbowl win and troy has and will continue to be better than ed reed in those categories

As a Bengals fan I have seen too much of both of these guys over the past few years. I should be the authority on which is a better defender. It isn't even close. It's Reed. He stays within his responsibilities and knows his role within his defensive scheme. Polamalu takes too many chances and gets lucky way more than perceived. Watch a game and see how many times reed misses a tackle and how many are missed by Polamalu. Plus Reed rarely overruns plays. Polamalu plays catch-up a lot on runs right at him. PS -- Farrior and Harrison are BOTH better overall defenders than Polamalu.

You cant base a defensive players success just based on stats. Nnamdi Asomugha had 40 tackles & 1 INT last year & he's the best CB in the league & made the ProBowl. Ed Reed is mainly in coverage for most plays while Polamalu is often near the line of scrimmage making tackles. The Steelers & Ravens are just utilizing both players to their strengths. Sometimes when the safties have more tackles its bad, because that means the opposing RB is running past the LBs & they arent making many tackles. And in Nnamdi Asomugha's case, more INTs doesnt always mean youre a better player, because often teams would never throw to his side becuase he so is good at coverage, similar to what they try to do w/ Ed Reed. Ed is better at coverage, while Troy is better at tackling & stopping the run, which is why Ed has more INTs & Troy has more tackles. Overall, Ed Reed is the better player; He's the best saftey in the NFL

Ed Reed is much better because like many have said, if Reed intercepts it, there is a good chance he will take it all the way for 6, when Polamalu intercepts it nothing usually happens.

Also Int's don't really all have to do with covering the pass, it has to do with your field awareness, if it was all about pass coverage, then you wouldn't see D-Line men and Linebackers make INTs. Reed has much better field awareness, Polamalu is more Physical and is a hitter who blitz almost every play, Reed drops back almost every play, the results are always gonna be different.

Its Reeds ability to defend the pass that makes himbetter than Polamalu, when Polamalu gets picks his biggest returns are for 20 yds, when Reed gets them they become probable touchdowns. Not to mention Reed is the sole deep safety on the Ravens, he basically covers the mid secondary by himself and he does it btter than any pair of safeties in the country, he doesnt have as many takles because his front seven handle the run, they dont need Reed to, the SS on the team Leonard is basically a fifth LB for the Ravens and Reed is the only way they can afford to do that. Plus Reed has been doing this since season one, he just lived in Lewis' shadow, Reed will likely go down as the top saftey the NFL has ever seen if he can last as long as sharper, williams and dawkins.

Obviously people need a lesson on football 101. Ed is a "Free" safety. The free safety is like a 3rd corner, plays the pass more, more INTs, more pass deflections. Troy is a "Strong" safety, The Strong safety is like a 4th LB. More tackles, more tackles on RB's, more sacks. This argument about who is better, Troy or Ed is ignorant. So here is the gospel according to JK.

Ed is the best Free Safety in the NFL. Troy is the best Strong Safety in the NFL. Any questions???

Polamalu plays the run a lot more than Ed Reed so I hope he gets more tackles

Ed Reed scored or put his team in scoring position everytime he picked the ball of last year, the guy single handled won a couple games for them

Ed Reed was better, reason why he was on every highlight reel last season

Couldnt have said it better

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Ed Reed plays the pass more, thats why he has more INTs and Troy plays the run more, that's why he has more tackles.

1 plays Free Safety and 1 plays Strong Safety. they both have different playing styles and are used different in their defense, and there stats are usually different. so people can always argue who the better Safety is.

Both are great players without a doubt. As far as intercepting the ball and returning them for TD's, that goes to Ed Reed. Both are ball hawks. Polamalu has a better awareness of where the ball is and can make the for sure tackle. I would say that Polamalu is the better safety.

Ed Reed had more interceptions and touchdowns than Troy Polamalu.

That's how people can say Ed Reed had a better season than Troy Polamalu.