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10/30/2009 3:31 AM

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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October on Thursday after tearing through opposing offensive lines for 21 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles in four games - all victories.

That comes as no surprise, considering Harrison is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

What is surprising, however, is that Harrison has done his damage without a whole lot of help from bookend outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley.

You remember Woodley, who teamed with Harrison last year to set a team record for sacks by a duo with 27.5.

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Woodley had 11.5 sacks in his first season as a starter and was seen as a future Pro Bowl player. But seven games into the current season, Woodley ranks last among Pittsburgh's starting linebackers - and eighth on the team - with 25 tackles. He has just two sacks.

That, however, isn't something new.

After recording 9.5 sacks in the Steelers' first eight games last year, Woodley had just two in the second half of the regular season. In his past 14 regular-season games - he missed one with an injury - Woodley has only four sacks.

That's not going to cut it for an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh's defense, where the linebackers are set up to be playmakers.

Sure, Woodley returned a fumble for a touchdown Sunday in a win over Minnesota. And he did have a strong playoff performance last year, picking up six sacks, including a sack-strip of Arizona's Kurt Warner that clinched the team's Super Bowl victory.

But that showed what Woodley is capable of and drove home the importance of good outside linebacker play in Pittsburgh's defense.

The Steelers selected Woodley in the second round of the 2007 draft because they wanted him to be the replacement for Clark Haggans. Woodley is looking a lot like Haggans - a guy who would tease every once in a while by winning an occasional indivdual matchup - but not somebody who will consistently get to the quarterback against top-level competition.

And therein lies the rub.

Early in the season, when neither Harrison or Woodley were getting to the quarterback, it was viewed as opposing offenses getting rid of the ball quickly to elude those two outstanding pass rushers. Over the past month, Harrison, has shown that he can still get there. Woodley has yet to do that.

With defensive end Aaron Smith out for the remainder of the year, the Steelers need Woodley to get the job done. After leading the league in pass defense last year (156.9 yards per game), the Steelers are giving up 214 per game this season. Some of that is because strong safety Troy Polamalu missed four games with a knee injury. But you can also look to the lack of production of Woodley as a factor.

Perhaps Woodley is just going through a slow stretch. Perhaps he'll have another outstanding stretch that matches what he did in the first half last season.If he doesn't, the Steelers will have a difficult time getting to, or lasting very long in, the playoffs.

F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com

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