Harrison wins DPOY; Reed shut out

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end James Harrison has been named the Defensive Player of the Year. What a joke.

 

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware, yes the same one that plays for the underachieving NFC East team that failed to even reach the playoffs, was the runner-up.

 

Where is Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed in all of this?

 

Let me just say that Harrison is a fantastic player, a beast actually. He is nearly impossible to block unless you have an All-Pro tackle. Most teams don't have that luxury, which forces them to use a tight end, running back, additional lineman or some combo of the above just to slow him down.

 

Harrison had a team-high 16 sacks and forced a league-high seven fumbles. Those fumbles proved to be the difference in wins at New England and against the Ravens. That's all well and good and he should be commended on a strong season.

 

However, Reed has had an absolutely fantastic season. He had to be everywhere in the secondary this year since the Ravens lost a starting cornerback and safety for most of the season.

Despite having to run around and cover for all of the mistakes of the backups in starting roles, Reed still managed to intercept nine passes and score two touchdowns. All he did Sunday was almost single-handedly carry the Ravens to a playoff victory with two interceptions and a touchdown.

 

Watching him return an interception, take off up the field, set up his blocks and then weave in and out of traffic almost effortlessly is a thing of beauty. He can completely change the complexion of a game on a single play. The safety is a factor on run support and watches film religiously, giving him the information he needs to jump routes and make big plays.

 

He has played throughout the season with various leg injuries, making the acrobatic plays he makes all the more impressive. In training camp, he wasn't even sure when or if he would play again because of a serious neck injury. To fix it, Reed would need surgery, but that would mean the end of his playing career.

 

The ball-hawking safety is so dominant that he gets inside the heads of opposing quarterbacks and makes them think twice before releasing the ball. That extra second allows the pass rush more time to reach the quarterback and the defense to recover an offensive players is uncovered.

 

This is no knock on Harrison, who is truly an outstanding player, but Reed deserved to win the DPOY award.

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