'78 STEELERS - A Leap Above the Rest [according to Steve Sabol]

Florida Times-Union ^ | 2/6/05 | Vito Stellino

[foreverfree]

About 15 years ago, Steve Sabol, the president of NFL Films, came up with the idea for what he called the "Dream Season.''

With clever film editing, he and his staff made it look as if 20 of the best teams since World War II were playing each other in a six-game season to produce an eventual champion.

[foreverfree]

Happy Super Sunday XXXIX.

ff

[libs_kma]

Go PATS!! If Tedy Bruschi doesn't put a tackle on McNabb where McNabb goes one way and his jock flys the other, I'm going to consider the day a total loss...

[ovrtaxt]

Yeah, well

The best defense ever- Tampa Bay 3 years ago.

Of course, I'm a Bucs fan... flame away, Ravens fans!

[frankiep]

Everyone knows, or should know, that the greatest team of all time was the 1998 New York Jets :)

[Aquinasfan]

I love the Pats, but they haven't made it to the '78 Steelers' level yet. Maybe no team ever will in the salary cap era.

[libs_kma]

"The best defense ever- Tampa Bay 3 years ago....flame away, Ravens fans"

As good as some of those Ravens defenses were, I think the Bears 46 defense, and some of those Giants defenses with LT were statistically better than the Ravens.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

I don't think there can be an honest comparison.
The 78 Steelers never once lost a player to free agency.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

I don't think there can be an honest comparison. The 78 Steelers never once lost a player to free agency.

I think old timers just have to enjoy their record books.

The Packers of Vince Lombardi were dominant in their day, as we all know - but they didn't have a single 300-lb. lineman to their name. I think any modern NFL team would control the line of scrimmage against them, and I think that their skill positions would be mediocre by modern standards as well.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

Agreed.

I have respect for all the great teams, but these days the athletes do year-round weight training and diet that just wasn't the norm in the earlier era.

They sometimes talk about "throwback players" who could have played with the greats of yesteryear. A more realistic question would be which player from yesteryear could play with today's athletes.

[infidel29]

Bucs? Ravens? Did you notice the team named in the title? Do it for a decade then claim to be the best.

[infidel29]

The 78 Steelers never GOT a player through free agency either.

Back then it was easier to keep a team than it was to build it. Now it's easier to build it than it is to keep it.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

But - none of the Patriots major players were acquired via free agency except Dillon, and they have won without him.
Plus, if you look at this Pats team without free agency they would have Curtis Martin starting in the backfield.

[esoxmagnum]

Best defense ever? Bears 85-86 under Buddy Ryan.

[infidel29]

They got half their defense through free agency, Colvin, Vrabel, Traylor, Daniels!

They got Dillon through a trade.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

The only name standing out there is Vrabel, Colvin has been a non-factor thus far. Traylor is just another 400 pound guy in the middle, those types of run-cloggers have become interchangeable.

[infidel29]

Scratch Daniels, he was dropped after failing a physical months ago, my bad.

Add Harrison, Izzo, Rodney Bailey, Tyrone Poole, Roman Phifer, Hank Poteat granted not all starters, but still playing and don't the Patriots claim to not have any "stars" anyways?

[somemoreequalthanothers]

Who is Daniels?

[infidel29]

The Ravens had 2 "400 pound guys in the middle" they helped them win a Super Bowl and made Ray Lewis the best MLB and most OVERRATED player in the game. Just for the Ravens fans out there. Run stoppers like Ted Washington, Casey Hampton, Tony Siragusa and even Keith Traylor can't be underestimated.

[infidel29]

Philip Daniels was a DL from the Bears. Got signed months ago then released for being too out of shape.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

Tyrone Poole - also a non-factor this year. Spent most of the season on IR.

If we didn't have Harrison, we WOULD still have Lawyer Milloy, not a significant differrence IMO.
Lawyer and Rodney are almost the same player, Milloy just wanted too much compensation for his age.