When all was said and done, veteran defensive back Will Allen was called upon to start the season opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a role that he often found himself in spelling strong safety Troy Polamalu over the course of the past several years.
While it was a move that many cynics predicted throughout the offseason, the truth is that his entrance into the starting lineup was a direct byproduct of third-year safety Shamarko Thomas failing to demonstrate a level of reliability playing the position that the coaches felt comfortable with.