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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 Round 1 of the tournament was wrapped up when Rocky Bleier's go-ahead TD catch in Super Bowl 13 sent Lynn Swann's go-ahead TD catch packing. Today we start the second round of action, and the matchups only get more difficult. We are down to the Elite Eight, and only the best of the best will make it to the Final Four.
Today's matchup pits No. 5 seeded Jack Lambert throwing Dallas Cowboys safety Cliff Harris in Super Bowl 10 vs. No. 10 seeded Ben Roethlisberger's miraculous shoe string tackle in the 2005 AFC Divisional playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. One iconic image combined with one miraculous play. Be sure to vote below to see who advances to the next round.
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.
10. Ben Roethliserger's shoe string tackle against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2005 AFC Divisional game
It was over. Tunch Ilkin was telling fans to pack their bags and book their travel plans to play the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game. Joey Porter was yelling, "CHEAT THAT!" on the sidelines after the team was robbed of a Troy Polamalu interception. It was over. Here came Jerome Bettis on the field to seal the deal, and then the fumble occured. The moment when Steelers Nation's hearts stopped around the globe as the ball hit the turf and Nick Harper picked it up in stride and raced towards the end zone. Roethlisberger turns and runs with him and makes one incredible open field tackle.
Jack Lambert embodied what the 1970's Steelers were. His toughness, tenacity and downright anger towards the opponent is what all Steelers fans feel deep down inside when they declare they are a Steelers fan. However, Ben Roethlisberger's tackle did more than simply save the day for the 2005 Steelers. He saved Bill Cowher's career as a Super Bowl winning coach, he saved the team's remarkable run as road warriors to Super Bowl XL and probably saved Jerome Bettis from being left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame due to this play being the lasting image on everyone's mind.
Two great plays, but only one can move on to the Final Four. Be sure to vote below and check back tomorrow as Rocky Bleier's go-ahead TD in Super Bowl 13 goes up against Lynn Swann's famous sideline catch.
We hope you continue to enjoy the Sweet 16 bracket - Steelers style.