"Both are disruptive playmakers with long, flowing hair and a shared alma mater.

They also are so close to one another as far as impacting games that initial reports Monday had Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, not Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Polamalu, as it turned out, edged Matthew by the slimmest of margins, getting 17 first-place votes out of 50 among those on a nationwide Associated Press panel. Matthews received 15 first-place votes.

The two can settle any debate about who's the NFL's top defensive player Sunday when their respective teams meet in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium.

Polamalu became the second Steelers player in the past three years to win the award given to the top defensive player. Outside linebacker James Harrison captured it in 2008 and finished third in the voting this season.

Polamalu tied a career-high with seven interceptions this season. He finished tied for second in the NFL in picks despite missing two games because of an Achilles injury.

Polamalu has been voted to six consecutive Pro Bowls, and the eighth-year veteran is a three-time, first-team All-Pro selection.

"You look at all of the plays Troy has made," Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "They're all game-changing plays."

None was bigger for Steelers than the one Polamalu made Dec. 5 in Baltimore.

With the Steelers trailing the Ravens, 10-6, late in the fourth quarter, Polamalu sacked quarterback Joe Flacco, causing a fumble that Woodley recovered.

Three plays later, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a game-winning touchdown pass to reserve running back Isaac Redman.

Polamalu has made plays like that despite the injury that has bothered him for much of the second-half of the season and limited him to practicing one day a week."