Is Cam in the pantheon?

Smith was a better run stuffer. He routinely dominated double teams to allow others to make tackles, more than Cam I'd say. Cam does it all well but not nearly as well as Smith when it came to run defense and clogging holes.

Cam was a better pass rusher but not sure we asked Smith to do that much. Now it seems like we let our DT's get after it a bit more than we used to. Cam knocks passes down better than almost anyone ever. Believe he's in the top 10 for D-linemen in NFL history and still has more game to play. That might be where Cam separates him self from the other great DT's we have had.

Also not sure it's fair to say Cam disappeared in playoff games. What was he asked to do in those games? I don't recall too guys running all over us in the playoffs. Pass defense has been the death of us in the playoffs. Last 2 or 3 seasons the run defense has been terrible largely due to our ILB's and NT play. Cam has been a man among boys on this defense the last couple seasons.

Maybe the worst thing I've seen from a steelers team is watching Cam run down RB's and WR's 20, 30, 40 yards down field while guys like Bush, Edmunds, and Highsmith just jogged down the field like they could give a crap less.

 

We play the D line totally different with Heyward than We did with A. Smith.
You know this.

 

I think the difference there may be what was asked of both guys. Also, Smith had better guys around him for much of his career. Heyward is every bit as powerful, but I think he is quicker closing on the quarterback than Smith. The latter was great at generating pressure, but not as good at completing the play.

 

I feel like that was a different version of the 3/4 defense that Aaron Smith played in then what’s currently being played by the Steelers.
I don’t recall Smith getting the opportunities to pass rush that Heyward has. And maybe that’s because Heyward is better at it?

I love Cam, but I just can’t think of many instances where he completely took over a game. One or two come to mind, but he pales in comparison to guys like:
Hines ward, Jerome Bettis, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, any of the 70s Hall of Famer’s. Heck in the short time he’s been here TJ Watt has had more of an impact.

 

I think even with rings he isn't a hall of famer. Classic hall of very good player.

 

Lot of those in the HOF in my opinion.
It has always been My belief You should have 2 at least make it 2 a SB before You are even considered for the HOF.
I know not a popular opinion, but a honest one.
I Like(NOT) how some get in with only regular season stats....especially playing in a weak a$$ division. Like the post season doesn't even matter at all.
I see people complain about so, and so in the post season.....Yet there are guys in the HOF that have never done anything in the post season.

 

I mean is it Barry sanders fault he never got a ring? Or Megatron? Look at what happened to Stafford soon as he left the lions. I don't think making a sb should determine ones hof worthiness.

 

They could have left. Also Stafford really proves not much. If Goff could take the team 2 the SB....then they added even more 2 that team since....So I really don't give that much credit 2 Stafford, but He has a SB win so....

 

Every time I read the OP title I see “Is Cam in the Parthenon” which is what we called the crapper at summer camp

 

Not the Acrapolis?

 

Both designed by
I M Pei.

 

I respectfully disagree. Smith would seek out double teams and dominate them and still make tackles. He would often collapse his entire side of the o-line. On runs teams had to double team him to try and create a lane. He forced everything inside for Hampton and the ILB's to blow up. Smith wouldn't budge. It was something to see. You don't see Cam doing that consistently. I'm not saying Cam isn't equally awesome and maybe an even better all around DT. He probably is but as a 3-4 down lineman on stuffing the run I'm not sure there was many better than Smith. Smith did have a better NT next to him but both Cam and Smith benefited from a good pass rush and similar responsibilities. If Cam could do what Smith did we'd be asking Cam to do it. Having Hampton in the middle just made the ILB's job very easy and made our run defense deadly.

Remember when we used to generate a good # of sacks and pressures from our ILB's? Now it's too big of a gamble to send an ILB most of the time because it's doubtful the NT will clog the middle. We consistently see blockers at the 2nd level on run plays and we have undersized ILB's that don't like physicality. IMO it's just a poorly designed defense. Pick your poison... cover TE's and middle zones well or stop the run ? After years of getting killed by Tom Brady and a few others we went all in on the fast ILB and now it's a different problem.