Bradshaw interview for those that may have missed it

https://937thefan.radio.com/media/audio-channel/terry-bradshaw-former-steelers-hof-qb-mp3-0

 

He always says what's on his mind, very interesting on his thoughts about big Ben and Brady.

 

Ben is a better QB than Terry was. I'll have some of what he's smoking.

 

It was a decent interview. Terry is a character but I can dig what he said. He was open and honest and kept it Terry-esque... I dug it personally. My trips to da burgh in and around town have provided many stories from many folks. Some pissed me off others seemed shady honestly, but he bore it out and gave an old man's take... I dug I and I understand.

 

Two different times with different rules for the defensive backs with Ben then with Terry. If Terry threw same amount as Ben with the same rules as today, it probably is a lot closer then you think and maybe even advantage to Terry.

 

Hard to say, but while Ben was elusive in the pocket and extended plays, TB was a scrambler who ran like a fullback when he hit the open field. I actually think Terry's game would translate well in today's nfl.

 

Last night I watched a replay of our `75 Steelers game against the Cowboys in the Super Bowl. Yep, Bradshaw could scramble for sure.

Other things I got reminded of:

Joe Green was hurt and tried to play but was ineffective. He eventually got sat down.

The wind was a factor. Gerela missed 2 FG`s and an extra point. Seemed like both teams had bad punters.

How big Franco and Lambert were compared to other players in their positions. Also how Franco was unusually great at being a cut back runner for such a big RB and also his quickness. He definitely was not protecting himself in that game as some like to stick that label on him.

Some will hate this, but have to say I was not impressed with either Bradshaw or Staubach except for a few key throws by Bradshaw to Swan that resulted in HUGE game changing plays. I think this was the last year a DB could mug a receiver, so stats were bad for QB`s and this game marked the end of the old school football era.

 

You know TB was an enigma, his career stats were almost the same as another QB from that Era, Jim Plunkett. Plunkett had 34 more int's than TD's during career, TB had only 2 more TD's than int's career, 2 more SB wins (which got him into the HOF), but Plunkett played on some really bad teams. I guess my point is, while TB will forever be in our hearts, he really was not that exceptional in most of his career. While Plunkett was not a scrambler, makes me wonder how he (or a couple of others) from that generation of QB's would have fared with the Steelers. Just meaningless thoughts, but still I think a couple of those guys would have had the same results. That said, the one difference in TB was he was fearless (especially after reclaiming the job from Joe Gilliam). That one trait (besides a cannon arm) is what made the difference IMHO.

 

Here's what I know. The bigger the game the better Bradshaw played especially at crunch time. Ben has been mostly sporadic but also had some incredible moments himself but not to the level that Terry did.

 

Terry was Super Joe before Montana was Super Joe.

 

I had a list of a bunch of reasons why Bradshaw is much better than Ben, but this alone closes the deal. Everything I was going to post about leadership, arm strength/accuracy, play calling ability, etc. is just icing.

 

Interesting thoughts, though.

Ive always thought Plunkett was underrated given how awful the Patriots were, and how he consistently stepped up to do his job from the bench at the Raiders. His INT rate is also probably due in part to the extent he threw downfield compared to others at the time.

 

Agree, every time I saw Plunkett throw it was long downfield passes. He was bombs away.

 

Arians and Plunkett would have been a match made in heaven if not for the different eras.

 

I agree with this sentiment. The fire in the eyes of TB when the game was on the line and he would look down the line of scrimmage before the snap is when I knew the offense would make the necessary yardage. I was confident, even during real time of the game situation. Failure was not an option for TB on offense and Jack Lambert exuded that same will of steel on defense.

 

Hey 86WardsWay.

4-0 in Super Bowls. No stage was too big for the man. What else is there to say. Nuff' said.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

The gap between Bradshaw and Plunkett is wider than you make it out to be. That is why the latter will never get into the Hall of Fame despite being the quarterback for two Super Bowl winners. Plunkett came into the league in 1972, one year after Bradshaw, but he was a terrible quarterback until 1980. He really only had three good years, but two of them were on championship teams.

The touchdown-to-interception ratio is a huge gap, especially when you consider how much of Plunkett's production came after the league changed the rules to benefit the passing game. Those changes certainly helped Bradshaw, too, but he took better advantage of them.

 

Lambert really wasn't big for his position. He was tall, but very light for a middle linebacker.

 

I loved that TB was our QB for all the reasons people said he was dumb. He did what "nobody" expected at times and he did it successfully. QB's back then were supposed to do what the coach told them and Terry did what he thought would win.

He was the last QB in the NFL to call his own plays.

He was the last QB in the NFL to take a shotgun snap (which sailed over his head)

He was unique in a lot of ways!