A few days ago here on WagerWeb.com, I mentioned it might be worth putting down a few bucks on Steelers safety Troy Polamalu to win Super Bowl XLIII MVP honors.
Yes, only seven times has a Super Bowl ended with a defensive MVP, and only three times has it been a defensive back. And Polamalu is good value at +1200 on WagerWeb.com. But there is one defensive player with lower odds than the Steelers’ Pro Bowler, and that’s a rookie – Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is at +800 on WagerWeb.com.
The rookie took off in the second half of the season for Arizona. He was just a nickel back until Nov. 2, when he replaced Eric Green in the starting lineup. He ended up leading the Cards in picks (4) and passes defensed in the regular season. But he really burst onto the national scene in that divisional-round win against Carolina when he held Panthers All-Pro receiver Steve Smith catchless until about a minute remained in the third quarter. DRC also had a pick in that game and has two this postseason.
His value as an MVP prop bet on WagerWeb.com has risen, in my opinion, because Steelers WR Hines Ward is not going to be 100 percent. That means Ben Roethlisberger likely will look toward Santonio Holmes more often, and that’s who DRC will be locked in on. Holmes has been very good this postseason, returning a punt for a TD against the Chargers and turning in a 65-yard touchdown reception (mostly yards after the catch) against the Ravens.
“He’s a guy who has speed coming in and out of cuts,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “He can catch the ball well, he catches it in traffic and he isn’t scared to run after the catch. And, if the quarterback is flushed out of the pocket, he’s a guy who’s going to move around and make plays.”
At 6-foot-2 and with 4.28 speed in the 40, DRC has the size to stick with big receivers and the speed to catch up if he is overplaying the short throw.
“He’s a game-changer,” fellow Cards defensive back Antrel Rolle said of the rookie.
However, he is a rookie, and he made a rookie mistake in the NFC title game as his coverage breakdown led to DeSean Jackson’s 62-yard TD reception. It is for his big-play potential, both good and bad, that makes DRC arguably the pivotal player on the Arizona defense.
The rookie will have about a 3-inch height advantage on Holmes as well as a strength advantage. But Holmes has a good ability to set cornerbacks up with double moves. If he does, Roethlisberger can throw the deep ball as well as anyone. Will the rookie bite and be able to recover? An MVP award and Super Bowl ring might depend on that answer.
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