NFL 100: A Spotlight
The 1970's were the beginning of the modern era of the NFL. The American Football League merged with the NFL. With the merger the NFL's three teams joined the newly formed American Football Conference. One of those three teams were the Pittsburgh Steelers. Perhaps without the merger, there would be no mention of the Steelers in the 1970's.
For the first 40 years of their existence, the Steelers were known as a laughing stock. They would lose games by bizarre circumstances and finish with a winning record eight times from 1933 to 1971. Their winds of misfortune changed when they hired Chuck Noll.
On January 26th, 1969 Chuck Noll was hired to reverse the course of the franchise. His way of doing of building this team into a powerhouse was through the draft. Noll drafted little-known defensive end from North Texas by the name of Joe Greene. A future hall of famer. To his undying credit he and the scouting system helped transformed the Steelers.
Noll would continue to draft well in the coming years adding L.C. Greenwood in the 1969 draft to complement Joe Green on the defensive line. In 1970, the Steelers drafted Terry Bradshaw (Steelers won a coin flip) and Mel Blount. Bradshaw and Blount would become future hall of famers as well. In 1971, they drafted Jack Ham, Mike Wagner, and Larry Brown (Ham would be a hall of famer as well and Mike Wagner would immediately start and would continue to start for the rest of the decade).
In the magical year of 1972 they added Franco Harris and Joe Gilliam. It would be in 1972 that they achieved an 11-3 record and a berth in the playoffs. In a game dubbed "The Immaculate Reception" they won their first playoff game with Franco Harris scoring the game-winning touchdown.
In 1973, the Steelers didn't add a hall of famer. That year they would continue to build off what they started the year before with a 10-4 record. They would lose to the Oakland Raiders in a revenge game. The next year would be much different.
The 1974 NFL draft for Pittsburgh was the best in NFL history. They drafted Lynn Swan, John Stallworth, Jack Lambert, and Mike Webster. All four of them would become hall of famers. Some notables that went undrafted that Pittsburgh signed were Donnie Shell and Randy Grossman. The 1974 season was a rollercoaster for the quarterback position as the Steelers jumbled between quarterbacks throughout the year. While the rest of the team was gelling together.
Terry Bradshaw, who had endured much scorn from the fans and his head coach Chuck Noll, would transform into one of the best. He would finally come into his own late in 1974 to help lead the Steelers in playoff wins against the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings. What changed I think was that he became more confident as a passer. The Steelers were finally champions after 41 years with the Super Bowl IX victory.
Unlike most coaches who would be satisfied with one championship, Chuck Noll predicted that the Steelers would go out and do it again in 1975. Who could blame him. His team was relatively young and got a taste of winning championships. The 1975 season was even more of a joy knowing that the team could execute the gameplan and display that confidence since they know how to win a championship. They would finish with a 12-2 record and would get victories against the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys enroute to their 2nd championship.
The 1976 and 1977 seasons didn't yield a championship but the team would still put up quite the numbers. Franco Harris and Rocky Blier would run for 1,000 yards rushing while the defense put up four shutouts. The Steelers run as Super Bowl champions ended in the AFC championship against the Oakland Raiders. Pittsburgh would finish with a 9-5 record with another AFC Central crown and a berth in the playoffs. The Steelers would lose to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
In 1978, the Steelers would return to glory with a 14-2 record. Terry Bradshaw would have his best season as a quarterback and the offense would change under new rules. One of the new rules was dubbed "The Mel Blount Rule." The team would get their revenge over the Denver Broncos while easily handling the Houston Oilers they would return to the Super Bowl. They would win their 3rd championship against the Dallas Cowboys in an instant classic game in Super Bowl XIII. Even with three titles, Chuck Noll still felt that the team had not reached their peak.
Pittsburgh earned the title of "City Of Champions" throughout the 1970's. The Pittsburgh Pirates had won championships in 1971 and then in 1979. The Steelers pressure to win a championship was ever so present as the Pirates played in Three Rivers Stadium as well as the Steelers.
The team struggled with injuries and turnovers. They finished 1979 with the best offense but would commit 53 turnovers throughout the season. They would finish the season with a 12-4 record and beat the Miami Dolphins and Houston Oilers enroute to Super Bowl XIV. The Pittsburgh Steelers would struggle in the first half but would turn it up enroute to a 31-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams to win their 4th championship in six seasons.
While the team wouldn't have the same success into the 1980's, the Pittsburgh Steelers mark in NFL history is undisputed. They had one of the greatest defenses in the history of the NFL, a running game that was superb and a quarterback that is highly underrated. All the while being coached by one of the most underrated head coaches in NFL history, Chuck Noll.
Week 12 Recap
Indianapolis 17, Houston 20: TW: Texans; CV: Texans
Oh boy did this game have some drama. Not really in-game drama but certainly some PTSD from me picking the Texans in week's past. Jacoby Brissett would finish the game with 129 yards passing with zero touchdowns while scoring a rushing touchdown with 20 yards. Jonathan Williams was the Colts leading rusher with 104 yards with a touchdown. DeShaun Watson finished with 298 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Carlos Hyde had a good day on the ground with 67 yards rushing. Key division win for Houston, the sky is the limit the rest of the way for them.
All-time series: Colts lead 28-9
Next week: Indianapolis: vs Tennessee; Houston: vs New England
TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0
Oakland 3, NY Jets 34: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Well, shit happens. Derek Carr finished with 127 yards passing with an interception. Josh Jacobs would finish with 34 yards rushing, not quite the game that I was expecting from him. Sam Darnold threw the ball for 315 yards with two touchdowns, playing well and being confident. Darnold would rush for a touchdown as well. Le'Veon Bell ran the ball for 49 yards. Sam Ficken would hit 2 of 3 field goals in the win. Maybe it was the... jet lag. Get it?
All-time series: Raiders lead 25-20-2
Next week: Oakland: @ Kansas City; NY Jets: @ Cincinnati
TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1
NY Giants 14, Chicago 19: TW: Bears; CV: Bears
The Return of the Mitch! Daniel Jones would provide the only scoring in the game with 150 yards passing with two touchdowns. Saquon Barkley ran the ball for 59 yards. Darius Slayton had 67 yards receiving. Mitchell Trubisky finished the game with 278 yards with a touchdown while throwing two interceptions. Trubisky would run it in for a score as well. Tarik Cohen ran the ball for only 25 yards. Chicago is still alive... barely.
All-time series: Bears lead 34-24-2
Next week: NY Giants: vs Green Bay; Chicago: @ Detroit (Thanksgiving)
TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1
Pittsburgh 16, Cincinnati 10: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Mason Rudolph struggled but perhaps the Steelers found a winning formula with Devlin Hodges. Rudolph would throw for 85 yards with an interception before getting benched for Hodges. Hodges gave a boost to the Steelers offense with a 78-yard bomb James Washington, finishing the game with 118 yards with a touchdown. Benny Snell almost had a 100-yard day but would finish the game with 98 yards rushing. Ryan Finley would finish the game with 192 yards with a touchdown. Joe Mixon would rush for 79 yards with zero touchdowns.
All-time series: Steelers lead 66-35
Next week: Pittsburgh: vs Cleveland; Cincinnati: vs NY Jets
TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1
Seattle 17, Philadelphia 9: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
The Eagles offense struggled and it really showed. Russell Wilson might not have the best game so far this season but it was effective. Wilson finished with 200 yards passing with a touchdown while throwing an interception. It should be noted that Wilson was sacked six times. Raashad Penny was the MVP for Seattle this game with 129 yards rushing including a 58-yard touchdown. Carson Wentz had 256 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions while sacked three times.
All-time series: Seahawks lead 10-7
Next week: Seattle: vs Minnesota; Philadelphia: @ Miami
TW: 4-1; CV: 4-1
Tampa Bay 35, Atlanta 22: TW: Falcons; CV: Buccaneers
I praise you for two weeks of solid play and you do that to me, Atlanta! Shame on you. Jameis Winston would finish the game with 313 yards passing with three touchdowns and threw for two interceptions (one of them early in the game). Ronald Jones ran the ball for 51 yards with a touchdown. Matt Ryan threw the ball for 271 yards with an interception. The other Matt at quarterback in Matt Schaub would get 59 yards with a touchdown. Qadree Ollison was the leading rusher for Atlanta with 20 yards.
All-time series: Falcons lead 27-25
Next week: Tampa Bay: @ Jacksonville; Atlanta: vs New Orleans
TW: 4-2; CV: 5-1
Miami 24, Cleveland 41: TW: Browns; CV: Browns
Miami didn't get a lot going in this game but Ryan Fitzpatrick would provide the only touchdowns for the Dolphins. Fitzpatrick finished the game with 214 yards with two touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. He would also run for 45 yards with a rushing touchdown. Baker Mayfield threw for 327 yards with three touchdowns while throwing an interception. Nick Chubb ran the ball for 106 yards with a touchdown. Cleveland is still alive.
All-time series: Dolphins lead 11-9
Next week: Miami: vs Philadelphia; Cleveland: @ Pittsburgh
TW: 5-2; CV: 6-1
Detroit 16, Washington 19: TW: Lions; CV: Lions
The leg of Dustin Hopkins and special teams would lead the Redskins to victory. Jeff Driskel finished the game with 207 yards passing with a touchdown while throwing three picks. Bo Scarborough had a good day on the ground with 98 yards rushing. Dwayne Haskins threw the ball for 156 yards with an interception. Derrius Guice ran the ball for 32 yards, giving him leading rusher honors for the Redskins. Dustin Hopkins hit 4 for 4 in field goals while Steven Sims ran in for a touchdown on a 91-yard kickoff return. Special teams can help win games too.
All-time series: Redskins lead 31-14
Next week: Detroit: vs Chicago (Thanksgiving); Washington: @ Carolina
TW: 5-3; CV: 6-2
Denver 3, Buffalo 20: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Broncos couldn't get a lot going as the underrated Bills defense got another win. Brandon Allen finished the game with 82 yards passing with an interception. Phillip Lindsey ran the ball for 57 yards. Josh Allen threw the ball for 185 yards with two touchdowns while throwing an interception. Devin Singletary had a field day on the ground as he ran the ball over the Broncos defense with 106 yards. Buffalo has a good record but unless they can beat the good teams in their league, they won't get far.
All-time series: Bills lead 22-16-1
Next week: Denver: vs LA Chargers; Buffalo: @ Dallas (Thanksgiving)
TW: 6-3; CV: 7-2
Carolina 31, New Orleans 34: TW: Saints; CV: Panthers
The game was pretty close and it really came down to which team's kicker could come up in the clutch. Kyle Allen had a good rebound game as he threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Christian McCaffrey ran the ball for 64 yards with a touchdown and got 69 yards receiving with a touchdown. Drew Brees threw the ball for 311 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Latavius Murray ran the ball for 64 yards with a touchdown. Wil Lutz would hit the game-winner from 33 yards.
All-time series: Tied 25-25
Next week: Carolina: vs Washington; New Orleans: @ Atlanta (Thanksgiving)
TW: 7-3; CV: 7-3
Jacksonville 20, Tennessee 42: TW: Titans; CV: Jaguars
The Titans score six touchdowns in this game. Nick Foles threw the ball for 272 yards but wouldn't get a touchdown in the game. Foles did get 20 yards from the ground. Leonard Fournette would provide the touchdowns for the Jags as he ran the ball for 97 yards with two touchdowns. Ryan Tannehill would have another good game as he threw the ball for 259 yards with two touchdowns. Tennessee's running game was stellar as Derrick Henry ran the ball for 159 yards with two touchdowns. Ryan Tannehill ran the ball for 40 yards with two touchdowns. Tennessee as a playoff team could be very dangerous.
All-time series: Titans lead 30-21
Next week: Jacksonville: vs Tampa Bay; Tennessee: @ Indianapolis
TW: 8-3; CV: 7-4
Dallas 9, New England 13: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
Another huge loss for Dallas in a season where they were supposed to go far in January. Dak Prescott threw the ball for 212 yards while throwing an interception. Ezekiel Elliot did fine with the ground game with 86 yards. Tom Brady threw the ball for 190 yards with a touchdown. The touchdown was a pass from Brady to Nkeal Harry. Sony Michel would run the ball for 85 yards. New England didn't really need it but a win is a win.
All-time series: Cowboys lead 7-6
Next week: Dallas: vs Buffalo (Thanksgiving); New England: @ Houston
TW: 9-3; CV: 8-4
Green Bay 8, San Francisco 37: TW: Packers; CV: 49ers
Well the game I thought would be closer but to the 49ers pass rush credit, they made this game a blowout by halftime. Aaron Rodgers finished the game with 104 yards with a touchdown (not a typo with the passing yards) and was sacked four times. The Packers running game was largely ineffective but Jamaal Williams ran the ball for 45 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo was really good in the game, throwing the ball for 253 yards with two touchdowns. Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman would score rushing touchdowns while compiling 45 and 39 yards rushing respectively. Maybe the Packers needed another wake up call.
All-time series: Packers lead 36-31-1
Next week: Green Bay: @ NY Giants; San Francisco: @ Baltimore
TW: 9-4; CV: 9-4
Baltimore 45, LA Rams 6: TW: Ravens; CV: Rams
Another blowout in primetime! To say that Lamar Jackson was spectacular would be an understatement. Jackson threw the ball for 169 yards with five touchdowns, while compiling 95 yards rushing. Mark Ingram would be the leading rusher for Baltimore with 111 yards with a touchdown. Jared Goff was largely ineffective in the game with his 212 yards passing while throwing two interceptions. Todd Gurley was ineffective in the running game as he amassed 22 yards. I can't see the Rams recovering well after this game. Shame that this team was in the Super Bowl nearly 10 months ago.
All-time series: Ravens lead 4-2
Next week: Baltimore: vs San Francisco; LA Rams: @ Arizona
TW: 10-4; CV: 9-5
The Records (By Week & Year):
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 11-4-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-4
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 2-11
Week 11: 12-2
Week 12: 9-5
Overall: 108-69-1
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 12-3-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 5-10
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 7-7
Week 8: 14-1
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8
Week 11: 10-4
Week 12: 10-4
Overall: 109-66-1
No comments:
Post a Comment