Your thoughts on James Harrison

[Steeldude]

I realize he is coming off the knee injury and he is getting older, but he doesn't have the same fire and intensity. He doesn't chase down plays all over the field. I am hoping he gets back to his old self by late December. As of now, he poses no real threat. The Steelers have virtually no pass rush.

Harrison could be a cap casualty next season if he shows no signs of improvement.

[Count Steeler]

They should probably rotate in Carter and give him some rest. I think he will be improved by the playoffs. Don't think he is still 100%.

[stillers4me]

I read somewhere that he said his knee will not be 100% this year. Last year he said that about his back. I wonder if he will have another year at all.

[vader29]

Steelers’ James Harrison won’t be 100 percent at all this season

Steelers linebacker James Harrison missed the first four games of the season with a knee injury, and although Harrison has returned to start the last four games, he says he’s not 100 percent healthy. And not even close to 100 percent healthy.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...l-this-season/

[Devilsdancefloor]

i think he is getting there, much like troy we are so used to him making amazing plays. 1st thing he needs to RUSH the passer and not drop back so much, but i do agree maybe worilds or cater can give him a breather here and there,

[SteelerFanInStl]

He's not close to 100% but he's also getting mugged on pretty much every play.

[Count Steeler]

He's not close to 100% but he's also getting mugged on pretty much every play.

Yeah, that too. There should be at least 1 holding call for him every game.

[steelreserve]

He's been damn near invisible individually. However, since he's been back, the defense as a whole has been playing MUCH better. I don't think that's entirely coincidence.

[GBMelBlount]

I know I saw a flagrant holding on a replay.

[zulater]

He's been damn near invisible individually. However, since he's been back, the defense as a whole has been playing MUCH better. I don't think that's entirely coincidence.

It's not. He's occupying blockers and freeing up Timmons even when he doesn't make the play himself. He wont ever be what he was. But the defense is still much better with him than without him.

[steelpride12]

You don't understand. Harrison is used to using his size as an advantage. Harrison get's by defenders by bending his knee's and getting low and weird angles around them. He now cannot bend to those crazy angles because of his injury which limits what he can do.

[Psycho Ward 86]

i think we all knew when he signed that extension we knew he wasnt going to play that whole thing out. It was way too expensive near the end of the contract, and that was by design, so that we could trade him or cut him without damaging our cap quite as much. Looks like we wont be able to trade him with his injuries and age being a red flag, but i agree, definitely a soon-to-be cap-casualty. I hope Worilds and Carter are ready to step it up. Im proud of the way our guys are playing the past 3 weeks but we need to be getting more pressure and turnovers if we want to make it through the season deep.

[Steeldude]

I don't think there is a LB on the team that can replace what healthy Harrison brings. The Steelers will need to draft an OLB. I mean an OLB, not a converted DE.

[Moose]

We are never going to see Harrison play the way that he used to. Let's face it, age and injury took it's toll. Plus I remember reading Harrison saying that he is tired of the fine's he got blasted with and changed his style of hitting. I definitely don't like Harrison chasing tight ends......that's asinine, he should be rushing QBs. But, having Harrison on the line help's the defense quite a lot.

[Seven]

There is nothing wrong with Harrison's "intensity". He's injured as hell. I can understand questioning how he fits into this team's future, but I would give it a little more thought than saying he is lacking "fire" and "intensity".

[steelpride12]

I don't expect Harrison to be back to 100% form the rest of this season. With the extent of his injury and the time it took for him to get surgery it's just mere impossible.

[Steelman]

Harrison's as tough as they come, but it's hard to play with that nasty leverage he usually has when you're nursing his type of knee injury. He might be an expensive ailing linebacker, but with Troy out, he makes this defense stick IMO.

[86WARD]

You can see it most when he is engaged with a blocker. He doesn't have the strength in his lower body that he used to. He used to be able to get low, get low at a ridiculous angle. Now he is attacking more in an upright position and linemen are able to handle him a little better.

[Steeldude]

There is nothing wrong with Harrison's "intensity". He's injured as hell. I can understand questioning how he fits into this team's future, but I would give it a little more thought than saying he is lacking "fire" and "intensity".

Try watching the games, Suitanim.

[Craic]

He's been damn near invisible individually. However, since he's been back, the defense as a whole has been playing MUCH better. I don't think that's entirely coincidence.

Hopefully tomorrow evening or Wednesday, I'll get a chance to sit down and watch the game again - and I want to watch Harrison specifically. Someone was saying that he is setting the edge a lot better now, which means more pressure and causing the QB to move around more.

[Steeldude]

Hopefully tomorrow evening or Wednesday, I'll get a chance to sit down and watch the game again - and I want to watch Harrison specifically. Someone was saying that he is setting the edge a lot better now, which means more pressure and causing the QB to move around more.

He is getting better at setting the edge, but I don't know if he will be as effective as he was in the past. His pass rush looks to easy for tackles to defend....for now.

[steeldawg]

Harrison is so banged up and woodley looks like he is getting so big he cant even move.

[Steeldude]

Harrison is so banged up and woodley looks like he is getting so big he cant even move.

It's interesting that you should bring that up. I was told that no matter how much weight a person gains it will never affect their speed. Yeah I know, it's nuts, but some people think it's true.

As for Harrison, I don't think he will ever be the same. The pressure he puts on his knee is tremendous. My knee was never the same after having arthroscopic surgery.

[zulater]

It's interesting that you should bring that up. I was told that no matter how much weight a person gains it will never affect their speed. Yeah I know, it's nuts, but some people think it's true.

As for Harrison, I don't think he will ever be the same. The pressure he puts on his knee is tremendous. My knee was never the same after having arthroscopic surgery.

Then it's not a matter of focus and intensity as much as physical limitations due to age and injury?

[Craic]

It's interesting that you should bring that up. I was told that no matter how much weight a person gains it will never affect their speed. Yeah I know, it's nuts, but some people think it's true.

As for Harrison, I don't think he will ever be the same. The pressure he puts on his knee is tremendous. My knee was never the same after having arthroscopic surgery.

Mine was fine, but it took a full year for it to get that way. I think it depends on what you had done and how much muscle they had to go through.

[JayC]

we need to find a good pass rusher in the draft. woodley and james aren't bringing the heat enough anymore. the reason we've been good on defense lately is because ike is playing better and lewis seems to have figured it out this year and clark is playing at a pro bowl level (timmons too). we've been tackling well also and we also don't seem to be playing 10 yards off the line as much anymore with our corners which is wonderful

i love harrison but i think this might be his last year in the black and gold unless something changes

[Steeldude]

Then it's not a matter of focus and intensity as much as physical limitations due to age and injury?

The lack of intensity comes from seeing how he carries himself on the field. He doesn't run down plays across the scrimmage/field. If that is due to injury and/or age then he needs to sit.

[zulater]

The lack of intensity comes from seeing how he carries himself on the field. He doesn't run down plays across the scrimmage/field. If that is due to injury and/or age then he needs to sit.

Why? Even injured he makes more impact than Carter.

[X-Terminator]

Try watching the games, Suitanim.

Not even close.

[Steeldude]

Why? Even injured he makes more impact than Carter.

I agree. What I mean is if he is ailing to the point where running in a straight line is a problem then perhaps he should sit so as not to make it worse.