Polamalu plays provide lessons

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

OK, so Troy Polamalu isn’t perfect.

Polamalu’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown rallied the Pittsburgh Steelers after they fell behind Cincinnati 7-0 on Sunday, and he later sealed their 23-7 victory with a second interception that ended the Bengals’ best drive since the first quarter.

So why was Polamalu nearly in tears afterward, apologetic to a fault about a rare error in judgment?

After making his second interception, Polamalu — about to be tackled — sailed a spiraling lateral across the field to teammate Bryant McFadden. The ball bounced around before McFadden fell on it, and the Bengals easily could have recovered it.

To Polamalu, one lapse ruined an afternoon’s worth of mostly exceptional work.

“It was incredibly arrogant and selfish,” Polamalu said. “I represent something bigger than myself — my faith, my family and this team. I’ll try to never yet that happen again. It was just a very arrogant play.”

Polamalu’s hastiness to keep a play going led to a rare chastising from defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who almost never questions his five-time Pro Bowl safety’s instincts. LeBeau doesn’t want Polamalu attempting such a risky play in a closer game.

“I think it is a great teaching tool moving forward,” coach Mike Tomlin said.

So might a video of Polamalu’s ever-growing succession of textbook-worthy plays over a season in which one of the NFL’s most recognizable players has re-established himself as one of the few who can regularly change the course of games. Each of the last three weeks, a single Polamalu play has turned around a Steelers game.