New List: Greatest Plays in Steeler history

OK, maybe not entire history, but at least since 1970...

1. Do I even have to name it?
2. Harrison's TD run SB XLIII
3. Bradshaw to Swann TD, SB X
4. Roethlisberger to Holmes TD SB XLIII
5. Bradshaw to Stallworth TD SB XIV
6. Bradshaw to Swann TD SB XIII
7. O'Donnell to Mills, sideline catch, 1995 AFCCG
8. Roethlisberger's tackle, 2005 AFC Divisional
9. Randle-El to Ward, SB XL
10. Roethlisberger to Wallace GW TD vs Green Bay 2009
11. Bradshaw to Swann TD SB XIV
12. Polamalu's pick-6 2008 AFCCG
13. Russell's fumble return 1975 AFC Divisional
14. Parker's record TD run, SB XL
15. Bradshaw to Lewis TD, 1976 AFC Divisional
16. Eric Williams picks off Elway, 1984 AFC Divisional
17. Bettis plows over Urlacher, 2005
18. Roethlisberger to Brown helmet catch, 2010 AFC Divisional
19. Bradshaw-Swann-Cunnungham OT flea flicker, 1978
20. Kordell Stewart's 40-yd TD run, 1997 AFC Divisional
21. Harrison crushes Reed, forces fumble, punt return vs Ravens, 2007
22. Bradshaw to Swann TD 1974 AFC Championship
23. Harrison's blocked punt, SB X
24. Bradshaw to Bleier Td 1974 AFC Divisional
25. Holmes's punt return for TD, 2008 AFC Divisional

 

Awesome list! I think you just about covered it.

 

There should be about 2 or 3 Troy P plays in there. Howbout him finger tipping the football off the ground for an INT versus the Chargers?

Bettis over Urlacher is way to low...that one is a classic.

 

Good list. I don't even have time to absorb it all right now. I like that you didn't just do 10, because there are so many.

I have to put Harrison at #1 though, ahead of the Immaculate Reception. The IR was amazing, and although I feel JH's play won us the game and we'd have lost otherwise, the IR really really won the game. Still, the thing that kills me about it is that it was at least 50% luck, if not more. Great play, but JH's play was more earned, by him and his teammates. And it was also the Super Bowl, if you're factoring in importance.

I disagree about Bettis being too low. It was an awesome play, but 100% symbolic. That's the only reason it's so awesome. Bettis was in the last dominating game of his long career, and considered washed up by many, and Urlacher was the top MLB in the game right in his prime. But we had more or less won the game, and even if Urlacher had brought him down we still would have scored on that drive, probably the next play.

 

I'd also put Hines Ward's hit on Reed ahead of Harrison's. JH's was just a great form tackle and he got his helmet on the ball. Ward demolished him and was calling for sideline help before he hit the ground the second time. Too awesome for words.

Makes me want to put Ryan Clark's hit on Welker in there, too.

 

They needed that game though against the Bears. They needed all those games at the end just to make the playoffs. If I recall correctly bears were climbing back in a hurry in that game until Jerome took over.

This isn't the most important plays in history list. This is the great play list. Overall it was a great tough run and they will be replaying that until we are old and gray.

 

Roethlisberger to Holmes #2
Harrison #3
Bradshaw to Swann #4

It would be blasphemy to put anything ahead of the IR.

 

Someone needs to make a video collage of all these plays!

 

Dang - I'm having a tough time thinking of any others. There have to be more than 25, but it is amazing how all of the years kind of blur together. Maybe a combination of Polamalu's "jump the snap" tackles where he is in the backfield before the RB even gets the ball? How about Jack Lambert or Mel Blount? Any great plays from them? Rod Woodson had to have made a few spectacular plays too, didn't he?

I know one - how about Woodley's hit/fumble on Warner to seal SB XLIII? My son has an autographed copy of that hit. I don't think I've ever yelled louder after a defensive play.

I'm sure I'll think of a few more to add to the list.

 

There's an idea. A new list: Top 10 Steeler hits of all time. I'll come up mw/ that one next.

 

This doesn't count. Anyone remember that preseason game where Lloyd pushed Farve after the whistle and he flew about 5 yards back in the air?

One memorable moment I remember in the early 2000's is when Farrior and Bell flew in head first like Superman and stuck some RB on a goal line stand, they may even have cause a fumble?

How bout Ward kicking the ball to himself?

Lake, Porter, Greene, and Lloyd are good for some great plays....

 

I do remember that. If memory serves, Favre had led the Packers on a TD drive on their first posession, and favre jumped up and down, hands in the air, as though they were playing a Super Bowl. That didn't sit well with Lloyd.

 

Some of the big hits that come to mind, without the aid of reviewing highlights:

Edwards' hit on John Gilliam in SB IX. The ball popped up in the air and was picked off by Mel Blount.
Lambert's stick on Preston Pearson in SB X.
Donnie Shell on Earl Campbell, 1978...hit broke Campbell's ribs.
Lambert on Greg Pruitt, 1979. This is the famous shot when Lambert promptly stood and pointed a finger down at Pruitt.
LC Greenwood on Roger Staubach, 1979. Knocked Roger out with a concussion.
Lambert on Turk Schonert, 1983.
Tyron Stowe on Robert Delpino. Kickoff. MNF 1990. This might be the biggest, hardest hit I have ever seen by a Steeler. If you haven't seen it, try to find it.
Rod Woodson on Warren Moon, 1992. Knocked Moon out.
Gary Jones on Don Beebe MNF 1993.
Ward on Ed Reed 2007
Ward on Rivers 2008
Clark on Welker 2008
Clark on McGahee 2008 AFCCG

 

Add to this - Harrison on Cribbs and some other Clown - 2010.

 

No particular order, but should be added to the list.

Troy's finger tip INT against the Chargers
Troy's diving INT against the Eagles (Pre-season, but the play is ridiculous anyway)
Troy's sack against the Titans where he flew over the Oline just as the ball was snapped and pulled Kerry Collins down
James Harrison's sack on Vince Young where he literally picked him up, flipped him upside down in mid air then dropped him on his head (the wow factor was huge)
Ryan Clark's hit on Greg Olsen 2 or 3 years ago I believe. Olsen is so much bigger then Clark, yet Clark destroyed him.

 

I don't remember that, but I do remember Tyrone Carter laying into him. Could that be it? I also remember it as more of a "draw," because Carter got pretty messed up as well.

Interesting side-note, Polamalu's INT against the Chargers would have been returned for a TD if Larry Foote hadn't accidently bumped into him and knocked him down. I beleive 100% that if Foote hadn't done that, and Troy had gone all the way, it would be known as the greatest defensive play in NFL history.

 

Don't remember that one, but you jogged my memory on something else, with Bell.

I once saw him blitz up the middle against the Jaguars, and hit the Center, whose name I believe was Jeff Smith. It looked like a strong safety lighting up a defenseless receiver. I know I'm exaggerating it in my memory, but it was SO big, SO jarring, I had never seen a hit like that on an OL player before, and I haven't since. The exception might be a blind-side Keith Rivers style shot, like that douche Warren Sapp laid on (Clifton?), but this is in a different league. It was not a sneak attack, it was straight up the gut. He absolutely destroyed him.

I have not seen it since the live broadcast, probably in 2002 or 2003-ish. If anyone can rustle up that clip, I will give you four horsies :swordsman: :swordsman: :swordsman: :swordsman: three dancers and two of these guys

While I'm asking, I also want to see Kreider putting Ray Lewis on his ass again. I've tried to find it online, and there's actually a bunch of articles on it, but no clip.

 

Clarks hit on Welker (as much as I liked seeing that cracker get leveled) was cheap. IMO you cant have a cheap shot on your greatest hits list.

And what about Harrison laying out Ed Reed during a punt return on the MNF game a few years back?

At 1:43 here:

[youtube:1ek3xyfg]126jeLyxO1E[/youtube:1ek3xyfg]

 

Some other top plays that could make the list:

Ben to Holmes to beat Balt and basically win the division in 08

Troys strip of flacco last year which lead to the winning td

Kordell 90 yards to Bobby shaw in 01 to beat the rats and clinch division

All were in huge spots to win road games vs the rats. Man I love beating them. Thoughts on where those rank?

 

I am not one of those guys that says, "Are you a Steelers fan or not??? Why don't you go cheer for the Pats!" But the Steelers' way is playing physical football, and it appears you don't care for that. We can all agree the hit was awesome. You say the hit was cheap. I say, based on what?

NOT on the rules of the game, NOT according to Mike Pereira, and NOT according to Wes Welker.

http://www.aolnews.com/2008/12/03/nfl-defends-ryan-clarks-hit-on-wes-welker/
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=3743149

Pereira famously said, (famous in my household anyway) that Clark did not break any rules, and should not have been flagged, however he was still glad that he was flagged, because the hit was so tough.

So I won't question if you're a Steelers fan, but I will say in a very sincere, non-mocking tone, what kind of Steelers fan are you? The kind that considers clean, brutal, physical enforcement to be cheap? I didn't know we had that kind around.

 

Holmes
Harrison
IR

The IR was amazing, but it was a fluke play that merely allowed us to lose to Miami the next week. I also have the bias of having seen live (by which I mean that I was not around in 1973 or even 1983, not that I was in Tampa) the Holmes and Harrison plays.

I kind of feel like Mike Wallace's catch against the Packers with no time left should be on such a list.

 

I second the Troy "jump the snap" plays. I don't recall anyone else ever doing that. There are lots of big hits, big scoring plays, but those "jumping over the offensive line and tackling the quarterback before the handoff" plays are truly unique and special.

 

Agreed. The Collins one had a bigger Wow factor, but the one on Seneca Wallace might have been more impressive. Wallace is a fast guy, and was running backwards to hand the ball off, and got tackled. I have never, ever seen that.

It didn't even make the highlights that night.