/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45991750/usa-today-7273669.0.jpg)
Welcome to the first edition of the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Greatest Plays Bracket. In honor of March Madness, we at BTSC have decided to select, what we thought, the top 16 Steelers plays of all-time. Once we made the selections, we ranked them in order of importance.
Yesterday the bracket saw it's first upset as Troy Polamalu's diving interception against the San Diego Chargers as the No. 13 seed beat out John Stallworth's legendary Super Bowl 14 catch as the No. 4 seed.
As the bracket continues, the matchups get more and more difficult to choose one play over the other. In a battle of old vs. new Steelers plays, could one of the more iconic images in Steelers' history be enough to overcome possibly the biggest interception in the last 25 years? Take a look and place your vote!
5. Jack Lambert throws Dallas Cowboys' Cliff Harris in Super Bowl 10
I remember watching the highlights of this game, and my father pointing to this play and telling me, "Now THIS is what the Pittsburgh Steelers are all about." The image of Lambert coming to the aid of fellow teammate and kicker Roy Gerela is one which is incredibly ingrained into my subconscious, and I know I'm not alone. When Cowboys safety Cliff Harris taunted Gerela for missing a field goal on the biggest of stages, Lambert decided to step in. What he did, as evidenced by the video below, was much more than just a player standing up for another, but a player sending a message to an entire team saying - We won't be pushed around.
12. Troy Polamalu's interception in the 2008 AFC Championship Game
As the Steelers held onto a slim 16-14 lead in the 4th quarter of the 2008 AFC Championship game, Joe Flacco was leading a drive with an opportunity to put the Ravens in field goal range and advance to Super Bowl 43. What Flacco didn't anticipate was Steelers' safety Troy Polamalu jumping the route (although nearly over running the pass) and not just intercepting the ball, but taking the play back for a touchdown which gave the Steelers a lead they would never relinquish.
Two iconic plays from two different times in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Although Lambert's play didn't lead to points, or win a Super Bowl it shouldn't decrease it's significance. It is time for you to decide which play advances to Round 2, and which play will be eliminated by voting below.
The bracket continues Monday with Lynn Swann's acrobatic sideline catch in Super Bowl 10 and the fan-favorite image of Jerome Bettis steamrolling Brian Urlacher in the snow at Heinz Field in 2005.
We hope you continue to enjoy the Sweet 16 bracket - Steelers style.