Redskins Coach Would Take Landry Over Polamalu 'Any Day'

The Redskins defeated the Steelers in their Week 2 preseason matchup Saturday, but despite the meaningless victory, there are still concerns about Washington's inert offense. It starts with quarterback Jason Campbell, of course, although fans now have a new favorite backup quarterback should things get to that point.

The defense is a different story, however. Free-agent acquisition Albert Haynesworth and first-round pick Brian Orakpo have suddenly given Washington a pass rush, and as Pittsburgh and Baltimore (the 'Skins opponent last week) can attest, a suffocating defense can mask a lot of offensive shortcomings.

The '09 Redskins defense isn't yet on par with some of the league's best units, but it wouldn't come as a complete surprise if that changed in the coming months. Because in addition to Haynesworth and Orakpo, there's also free safety LaRon Landry who, according to safeties coach Steve Jackson is, well, just keep reading (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette):

In case you missed it, the Redskins were crowing before the game that their free safety, LaRon Landry, is better than the Steelers' Troy Polamalu.

"I'd take LaRon over [Polamalu] any day," Washington safeties coach Steve Jackson said last week. "They would probably rather have Polamalu because he does do the things like a linebacker with the blitzing ... But when you watch him play true free safety, it's not even close in my humble opinion as far as who the better safety is."

Forgetting for the moment that Landry and Polamalu play different positions (one is a free safety, the other a strong safety), or my undying loyalties to the Steelers, the 2008 stats disagree with Jackson's contention.

The Football Outsiders Almanac (on sale now!) offers this:

Troy Polamalu led all safeties in Defeats*. He tied Brian Scott of the Bills for the league lead in Run Defeats and finished tied for second behind Yeremiah Bell in Pass Defeats. Polamalu's Stop Rate of 58 percent was the highest in the league for a safety with more than 50 plays...

Defensive statistics are highly circumstance-driven, and safeties who play close to the line like Polamalu get a huge boost when Stops and Defeats are tabulated. Still, the statistics confirm what just about everyone knows: Polamalu is the best safety in the NFL.

And if you're not into the whole egghead stat thing, how about this, courtesy of Brandon Jacobs.