All-time favorite Steeler Offense/Defense

I'm going to take my usual approach to these questions, and assume the 70s team will be picked a huge amount. So...

Defense - Rod Woodson. Elevated the team in so many ways. Probably a tie with Troy in that sense, but I had to pick one...

Offense - Louis Lipps. Technically it would be Thigpen (obvs), but Lipps gets my vote today because, for most of the 80s, he WAS the offense in my eyes (on a team built around the run): a WR completely born at the wrong time - he had Woodley, Malone and Brister throwing to him, and he still figures as one of our best all-time receivers.

 

If I had to choose one QB to win one Super Bowl it would be Terry Bradshaw. He came up big at the most crucial times in Super Bowls every.single.time!

 

The way I see it, everybody has gifted skill players, but games are won and lost in the trenches. Our inability to run the ball hurt us against Denver. We should have won that game.

 

Cool thread. I could list about 50 guys on defense that I've liked, but offense will be much tougher because I really don't care about it all that much (defensive guy at heart).

Defense: Troy Polamalu

Everything about Troy was perfect, even before he leaped over the line to stuff plays.

Offense: Le'Veon Bell

Like a hot knife through butter, plus he never screws up (on the field).

I'm loving all the Kordell respect in this thread.

 

Offense: Bettis with a VERY slight edge over Franco. Love the "3 yards and a cloud of dust" style of play.
Defense: Joe Greene! Mean, tough, and have caught tons of albacore, tuna, dorado and marlin on his namesake jigs!

 

lambert on defense. played the position with passion.

ward on offense. same as above.

neither were big enough or fast enough as your typical stars, they just knew how to play football.

this is very tough to pick just two.

 

I actually think it speaks quite well of Fitz given that he played so well in the absence of our greatest offensive threat. If AB had gotten to play I think they would have totally sold out to stop him and that could have helped Fitz even more. Our line played much better than the Pats did but they had been through like 6 different linemen by that point though. The only coach on the staff this year that I think outdid Munch was probably James Saxon.

 

Yeah, I'm 36 and always liked Kordell.

He injected a bit of magic into an offense that didn't always have it.

 

I seem to think that Emmitt Smith only had something like 3 running plays. They just executed them to perfection, over and over again. I think Kirwan said that.

 

Those of you who were just youngsters when stewart was here, obviously got caught up in the slash hype, but older fans who went back decades before he showed up knew him as the single disaster who kept us out of two superbowls by throwing 3 picks in not 1 but 2 AFCC games that kept us home, and with a number 1 defense playing in both games when all he had to do was manage the game to get a win, yeah he could run for 500 yards in a season but he was the worst passer to ever play quarterback here, his 1 and only pro bowl selection was a joke, he had 12 TDs and 13 picks but he went just because he had 500 plus yards rushing, seeing that losers name mentioned here makes my blood boil...............

 

I dont care if he had 10 OCs, he wasnt a passing QB, he wasnt acurate and would run the ball first most of the time instead of reading his progressions, 77 passing TDs in an 11 year career 8 years with the steelers says it all......

 

Very tough to choose between Lambert and Green on defense, but I`m going with Lambert because of the way he went all out. For example, I can remember numerous times you would see the other team set up a screen play, then you know who just dive through the blockers and take down the runner, often for a loss. Greene was a man among boys. They HAD TO double team him.

On offense it is much harder to pick one. QB Bradshaw (frustrating in first half of career, great after), Great RB`s Harris or Bettis, WR I actually like Stallworth over Swann. I`ll go with Bradshaw.

 

I`m a Steeler fan since `72 (which is a most wonderful time to have become one) and my opinion of Stewart is also low. I knew we could never win a Super Bowl as long as he was QB. He just didn`t have the smarts and just played on instinct.

My biggest disappointment was Neil O`Donnell. The 95 SB when we had the ball with a few minutes left and down by 3, I felt sure we would go down the field and tie or win. Not only Steeler fans got robbed by him throwing directly at a defender, but the whole country watching could have seen a fantastic finish to the game. Everybody got robbed, except the Cowturd fans.

 

Offense- Easy ..... #20 Rocky- Everyone knows his story from college RB to War Hero to unheralded NFL FB after a couple of years of pure Heart and determination that didn't go un-noticed with his teammates and even motivated Mean Joe and set the Tone for Steeler Tough.

Defense- How do you choose? Troy/Lambert/Ham/Woodson/Blount/Greene/L.C. & Aaron but I'll go with Deebo...... Undrafted small college you was cut multible times to DPOY & SB Hero who was lambasted for being "too" rough to being A team leader and Example to the next Generation.

I like underdog stories that breed success!!!!!!!!

Cajun

 

Wow two pages in an not one vote for Blake on D

Mine would be Bettis on O due to being the epitome of 'Steeler run you over running game'.

On D I have to go with Troy simply for his athleticism, big-play ability, and all done with a humble soft-spoken personality.

 

My all time favorite Steelers defender is the Cleveland Browns offense.

 

Offense : Limas Sweed
Defense: Ziggy Hood

 

Defense Jack Lambert He was just the best. I'd like to see him out on the field in Roger Goddell's NFL.

Offence. Rocky Bleier the ultimate team guy as tough and gritty as you could want

 

We could debate all day, but this thread is about respect. If you don't dismiss our opinion due to our young age, we won't dismiss yours due to your age. Personally, I think my football knowledge as a teenager outpaced that of many adults despite the fact most other kids my age didn't know anything. Likewise, it's entirely possible you don't like Kordell for reasons not connected to the reason most guys your age don't like him. There are other threads on this board that have completed the debate. You can look those up if you want my side.

 

For me it's got to be Lambert on Defense and Bettis on Offense

Honorable Mentions - Troy Polamalu and Frano Harris

 

Actually, he had 14tds and 11ints (not 12td/13ints as mentioned). He also ran for another 5tds and threw for over 3,000 yards (3,109 -- 4th-best in team history at the time). And they went 13-3. He wasn't entirely awful. Was he worthy of the Pro Bowl?

Rich Gannon was really the class of the AFC that year and was a slam dunk Pro Bowl selection.
Tom Brady only had 18tds to 12 ints that season. He was't 'Tom Brady' yet.
Peyton Manning threw 23 picks and the Colts went 6-10.
Steve McNair had a slightly better statistical season than Kordell but the Titans were 7-8 with him as a starter.
Mark Brunell had similar stats to McNair and the Jags were 6-9 behind Brunell.
Brian Griese and Jay Fiedler had similar seasons both throwing 19ints apiece and neither of their teams won their division.

#1 seed in the AFC with a 13-3 mark, competent statistical season, 2nd-best in the AFC (behind only Gannon) for lowest interception percentage (his 11 picks doesn't look as horrible now, right?).

Hard to say his Pro Bowl selection was "a joke."

 

Jack Lambert- Was how you played football. When I was playing in college I wore a white t-shirt with number 58 written on it with marker.
Lynn Swann- Was "AB" before "AB". Our go to receiver back then.