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Career Defining Plays by Steelers Players

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by mytake, Jun 15, 2020.

  1. mytake

    mytake Well-Known Member

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    Most of us would agree that the Immaculate Reception was Franco Harris' defining play. James Harrison's 100 yard Interception return was his defining play. Antwaan Randle El's pass in Super Bowl XL was his defining play. Andy Russell's 90 yard lumbering interception return. Roethlisberger has had a couple of defining plays. Which Polamalu play do you pick - Jumping over the line to make a stop; the Int return in AFCCG; or the INT where he picks the ball inches off the ground? And there are some players whose defining play produced a negative outcome, specifically one player I refuse to name.

    Sadly, it is hard to come up with defining plays for the offensive line and to an extent the defensive line. Also, some players possible defining play might instead be a defining image or picture. Who remembers Jack Lambert shoving Cliff Harris in the Super Bowl after Roy Gerela missed a kick and Harris tapped him on the helmet? Did Lambert's actions change the outcome of that game?

    I listed some of the more iconic defining plays, but what players do you remember as having defining plays? Is Hines Ward hit on Keith Rivers his defining play or is it a catch in Super Bowl XL?
     
  2. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    Not really a defining play and I seem to be one of the few Steeler fans who remembers it. Playing the Ravens when the rivalry was tops in the NFL and the Bus and Ray Lewis slammed into each other and both went down but popped right back up and just looked at each other with respect. It was like seeing two cars hit head on. I remember we (Steeler fans I was with) all jumped off the couch. Really had no impact on the game but was what real football is all about.
     
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  3. troybellringer55

    troybellringer55 Well-Known Member

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    Limas Sweed had the most career defining play above them all.

    Was wide open in the 2008 AFC Championship game dropped the ball, then acted dead on the ground and cost the Steelers a time out under 2:00 minutes.

    That one play defined his NFL career.
     
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  4. mytake

    mytake Well-Known Member

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    The Tribune-Live is doing the Numbers countdown, my hope is they bypass #14.
     
  5. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    I will never forget the colorful language coming out of my brother in laws mouth. I'm not kidding when I say he said the F word at least 25 times with additional words following it and slammed his beer can against the wall.
     
  6. SteelCity_NB

    SteelCity_NB Staff Member Mod Team

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    Despite all the drops, my Limas Sweed memory will always be:

     
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  7. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Bettis running over Brian Urlacher.

    Lambert slamming Cliff Harris.
     
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  8. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    upload_2020-6-15_18-24-19.jpeg
     
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  9. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Roethlisberger has a few good enough to qualify, but it has to be the touchdown pass to Holmes for the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII.

    John Stallworth has the go-ahead, 73-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl XIV. I recently watched the entire second half of that game online. I was too young to remember much about the game beyond how anxious everyone seemed to be. I don't think I ever really understood just how much trouble the Steelers seemed to be in before that play. I know he only caught three passes that day, but I still think he should have been MVP of that game over Bradshaw.
     
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  10. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Willie Parker's 75 Yard Super Bowl run was one that stuck out to me when I started watching highlights of past Steelers Super Bowl wins after they won their sixth in 2008. Definitley a good one. In addition, one can even make the case that said play was Alan Faneca's greatest block of his Steelers and possibly NFL Career.
     
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  11. santeesteel

    santeesteel

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    Lynn Swann's "kangaroo" catch in the SB!
     
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  12. bigbenhotness

    bigbenhotness Well-Known Member

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    Harrison int return
     
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  13. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    TJWatt' s first preseason game against the Giants. It was the first time I ever looked at a rookie defensive player and knew that this guy was going to be something special.



    I mean we knew the pedigree, we knew it could take a year to see him settle in, guys were telling me it was only the first preseason game and not starting NFL quality competition but I've never seen that type of debut from a rookie.
     
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  14. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    i think Big Ben's shoestring tackle has to be mentioned here as well. Many people would have a totally different opinion of Jerome Bettis if not for that great effort by Ben.
     
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  15. steelersrock151

    steelersrock151 Well-Known Member

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    Rocky Bleir

     
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  16. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Yep.


    Does not take much to see "it" in a player. Pedigree or otherwise, if a player has "it", you will know it when you see it. Glad we took him over Obi Melifonwu.


    What a horrible analysis by me!! :eek: :facepalm:
     
  17. Iowasteeljim

    Iowasteeljim

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    How about the Bus running over Urlacher? That was Steeler's football!
     
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  18. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    Lambert tossing C. Harris has to be my favorite Steeler play.
     
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  19. troybellringer55

    troybellringer55 Well-Known Member

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    Chris Kunitz #14 for the Penguins was good.
    He help win 3 Stanley Cups for the Pens.

    For the Steelers however it's never good.
     
  20. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    I've always felt that Joey Porter defined his career with the 2 (almost back to back) sacks he had on Peyton Manning late in the 2006 divisional playoff game.

    [​IMG]
     
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  21. KnoxVegasSteel

    KnoxVegasSteel Well-Known Member

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    +1 for Bus trucking urlacher.
     
  22. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    For Rod Wodson, I will never forget him breaking up a pass to Michael Irvin in Super Bowl 30, then pointing at his injured knee.

    People thought his career was over after the knee injury. It's a shame he spent the second half of his career with other teams
     
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  23. KnoxVegasSteel

    KnoxVegasSteel Well-Known Member

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    Nobody has mentioned Troy P. yet. How about the time he perfectly timed the snap and leaped over the line and took down Kerry Collins. That was definitely a trademark play for Troy.
     
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