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Looking back at Neil O'Donnell

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Steelers89, Aug 2, 2018.

  1. Watt Wack

    Watt Wack Well-Known Member

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    Ummm, NOD never returned to Pgh, not even to clean his locker out.
     
  2. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    Besides being weird that Da Stellars seems to have an attractive female alter ego, the info that was posted was inaccurate both times it was posted. First off Eric Green did not play for the Steelers in 95. He played for the Miami Dolphins that year. Second off Charles Johnson was not part of 5 wide in Super Bowl XXX. He was injured and did not play.

    5 wide were as follows. Yancey Thigpen, Ernie Mills, Andre Hastings, Kordell Stewart, and Corey Holliday. Corey Holliday was definately the guy who made the wrong read. Holliday was supposed to read the defense and run a hot route if there was a blitz on. Holliday did not run the hot route, and NOD threw to a spot. Heres why I dont blame Holliday. Brown read ODonnell the whole way. Brown broke his coverage off of Holliday before Odonnell even threw the ball. There was not intense pressure on the play. Neil made a bone headed decision to check down well before necessary. Obviously, Holliday was not the first option on the play. Lastly why you would trust Corey Holliday with a Super bowl on the line. Odonnell panicked and the rest is history. Blaming Corey Holliday was a cop out IMO.

    As for NOD leaving, I am convinced to this day that nobody wanted him back. They made Neil a crappy offer because he was the guy that single handedly cost us the Super Bowl. I really dont think Cowher wanted him back. At the time I hated the Mother ***ker and was all to happy when he signed with the Jets. Now that Im older, I realize how stupid it was to let your franchise quarterback go with a window that was still wide open. If NOD had lead the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl 31 imagine how different his legacy would be.
     
  3. shadowmaker

    shadowmaker Well-Known Member

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    You darn tooting we are salty and that bum gave us plenty of reason to be this way. Steeler fans from that era, dont ever say his name. He is known as "the Steeler QB that is nameless."
     
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  4. shadowmaker

    shadowmaker Well-Known Member

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    I am still happy to this day that the bum left. I will always believe he was talking to the Jets before the SB was played. I would have gladly joined the pitch fork crowd to run him out of town if he came back to the burgh. Yes, I still cant stand him.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  5. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    Talkin to the Jets!!!??? That’s crazy!

    They ran Neil out of town....rumor is the locker room wanted to strangle him after the game, so they treated him like a kicker who missed a field goal with a game on the line.

    I think we could have taken the 49ers in ‘94 rather easily, its a shame it never happened.


    Cowboys wasn’t a good matchup no matter how you slice it. Steelers D got tired... Cowboys Oline were immense... all time great line... their D was underrated as well, gotta give respect where it is due.
     
  6. tyler christopher

    tyler christopher Well-Known Member

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    Steelers D never got tired......... Cowboys got the ball at the goal line twice cause of turnovers...... I think cowbows only had like 4 first downs in second half........ We had that game in the bag........
     
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  7. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    TDFW, I will agree to disagree while all of what you said was right at the end of the day we still won't know if NOD would throw the ball away in the the big game AGAIN! While he did play well for us with that D and running game we should have won a SB and that leaves the QB as the part IMO that just couldn't get us over the hump. jmo :smiley1:
     
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  8. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    HaHa! I figured I would get a disagree from you. :lolol: The reality is I hate him just as bad as you do. I just think we could have snuck 1 more Super Bowl in during the 90s if he had stuck around.

    The two most polarizing figures in Steeler history have to be NOD and Kordell Stewart. I had a love/hate relationship with both of those guys.
     
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  9. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    Sneaky spammer.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  10. mcam

    mcam Well-Known Member

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    Just another QB you didn't want to throw games. The success of the Steelers during his time was carried by the defense and the running game.

    All Neil had to do was not mess it up.

    It is nice to have a QB that you actually have confidence can come back and win a game. Didn't have it then.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  11. D0bre Shunka

    D0bre Shunka Well-Known Member

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    The man with no name, for evermore...
     
  12. Watt Wack

    Watt Wack Well-Known Member

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    E. Smith 18 rushes, 49 yards, 2 TDs

    He didn't dominate, but I'd say 50 yards rushing and 2 TDs isn't quite "shutting him down."

    I remember on their 1st play from scrimmage, on an Emmitt rush, they pulled Larry Allen who enveloped and eradicated Lloyd in a bad way. That was a bad start.
     
  13. Watt Wack

    Watt Wack Well-Known Member

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    No, but they weren't as talentless as you seem to believe. NYJ added more talent in FA than any team in the NFL that offseason (I know that oe of operation often fails, but the had talent).

    https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/new-york-jets/roster/1996

    Richie Anderson wasn't chopped liver.

    Nor was Kyle Brady, Chrebet, Hugh Douglas, Jumbo Elliott, Jeff Graham, Bobby Houston, Keyshawn Johnson, Mo Lewis, Marvin Jones, Otis Smith, Webster Slaughter, Marvin Washington, Adrian Murrell, Gary Jones...and the O line was pretty good.

    As good as the early/mid 90's Cowboys? No. But bereft of talent? Not even close. If NOD was above average, that team could have been decent.
     
  14. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    Watt, I'm not saying NOD was good. I'm saying he was better than Tomczak, Miller, and Kordell. We had a two year window to win a title after XXX. NOD gave us our best chance.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  15. tyler christopher

    tyler christopher Well-Known Member

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    48 yds in a game is not shutting emmit smith down???
     
  16. Watt Wack

    Watt Wack Well-Known Member

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    But he wanted crazy $ at the time, and the SB implosion, no where close to happening. One of my disappoints was they never tried very hard to find a SB QB, they had everything else. Tomczak, Miller, and Kordell.....
     
  17. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    The Cowboys were better. They had a better offensive line. They had better offensive weapons, especially Smith at running back. They had a better defense, including the top cornerback in the game. Yes, Aikman was a huge edge at quarterback, but he was far from the only advantage for Dallas.

    People forget the adversity the Steelers fought through that season. Woodson blew out his knee in the opener and though he made it back for the Super Bowl, he wasn't his normal self. He only played on passing downs. The Steelers struggled at times defensively, eventually moving Lake from safety to cornerback to cover for Woodson's loss.

    The running game wasn't anything special. Pegram and Morris shared the job, but both averaged only 3.8 yards per carry. The move to more spread formations was another adjustment. The offensive line was outstanding in pass protection and they had a deep group of receivers. Stewart's expanded role began with injuries at receiver. O'Donnell also missed four games.

    The team started the season 3-4 before winning eight consecutive contests because the coaches kept making adjustments. I do think most of O'Donnell's success was due to fantastic pass protection and depth at receiver, but he was a key part of that team's ability to adjust and get to the Super Bowl. That team over-achieved. As frustrated as by O'Donnell's interceptions, looking back, it is amazing they made that game close.
     
  18. Watt Wack

    Watt Wack Well-Known Member

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    The only non-franchise QBs to win a SB in the modern era was Dilfer, Brad Johnson and one could argue Flacco (although he played out of his mind that postseason). In other words, a mediocre QB like NOD rarely wins a ring.
     
  19. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    Doug Washington, Nick Foles?
     
  20. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Doug Washington? Do you mean Doug Williams?

    Also, I'm wondering what Watt Wack is defining as the modern era.
     
  21. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    Yeah Doug Williams. Messed that up.
    I'm sure the modern era for him is what best fits his narrative.
     
  22. Tulsa

    Tulsa Well-Known Member

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    NOD should have been named Super Bowl MVP. Since they gave it to Brown, at the very least should have been a co-mvp thing.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  23. JackAttack 5958

    JackAttack 5958 Well-Known Member

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    Watch out, Glenn, Scribe is pretty tough on you when you make a material error like that. Maybe he'll cut you a break since yours wasn't Steeler related like mine. :lolol:

    Just messing with you, Scribe. ;)

    Have a good night, all.
     
  24. SteelerJJ

    SteelerJJ Well-Known Member

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    #14 was decent. The WR's running the wrong 'hot' routes certainly contributed to the Super Bowl fiasco.
     
  25. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    Skins won 2 out of 3 Super bowls with Mark Rypien and Doug Williams. They were far from franchise guys. Jeff Hostetler won one for the Giants. These guys were all around during NODs era. Bears won with McMahon. He was not what I would call a franchise QB. Even Phil Simms could be in this discussion. You dont necessarily need a hall of fame QB to win a Super Bowl if you have a great team.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1

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