LayingTheWoodley56
12-12-2011, 11:56 AM
Let's talk about something fun, something non-Ben-Pouncey-Harrison-Niner related for a few minutes. What are your top 10 relatively recent Steeler games, why, and let me know what you think about my list. Let's say since the start of the 2002 season, playoffs and regular season included. Here goes:
10) 2005 v. Bears in the snow (21-9): Part of our four-game winning streak to force entry into the playoffs and a truly memorable performance from the Bus in a driving snowstorm in the second half. We all know the iconic image of him destroying Urlacher at the goal line.
9) 2008 v. Cowboys (20-13): I loved this one. Loved the fourth quarter comeback. One of my favorite Steeler plays of all-time was Deshea hopping in front of that Romo pass to bring in the winning touchdown while Heinz went nuts.
8) 2004 Div. Playoffs v. Jets (20-17 OT) : I remember dreading what was to come the next week because we did not look good in this game, but Doug Brien's two missed kicks and the OT victory while dreams for One for the Thumb in Ben's rookie year were still alive make this game very memorable to me, as does the fact that I live in New York and was dreading what I was going to hear from all the Jets fans I know if we lost.
7) 2008 AFC Championship v. Ravens (23-14): What could be better than going to the Super Bowl at the expense of the team we hate more than any other? Polamalu's pick was epic, and who can forget Clark's life-altering hit on Willis McGahee. Santonio's catch-and-run was another big-time highlight.
6) 2004 Halloween v. Patriots (34-20): Perhaps my favorite all-time regular season game. This was the game when Ben announced that he was without a doubt the real deal with an efficient performance that helped us shatter the Pats' 21-game winning streak. I'll never forget after we went up 14-3, on the next possession my man Deshea Townsend picks off Brady's first pass and puts the game basically out of reach.
5) 2010 Div. Playoffs v. Ravens (31-28): Truly an awesome game after falling behind 21-7. Most vivid detail I can recall is the cameras literally shaking when we were getting turnovers and coming back in the third quarter. Antonio Brown's signature moment for his career may end up being that helmet catch on 3rd and 19 to put us in position to send the Ratbirds home heartbroken yet again.
4) 2002 WC Playoffs v. Browns (36-33): I'll never forget this one. Maddox leading the comeback down from 24-7, Fu bulling into the end zone to take the lead with less than a minute left, all with snow falling at Heinz on a day when people said it first felt like it could stand up to Three Rivers in terms of atmosphere. I can still see El sliding into the end zone after his punt return to cut a 14-0 deficit in half.
3) 2005 Div. Playoffs @ Colts (21-18): Unbelievable ups and downs. I remember being in awe of how well we were playing as heavy underdogs, jumping out to a 21-3 lead. Shock when they overturned the Troy pick that would have won the game. Euphoria when Peazy and Potsie brought down Manning to seemingly clinch the game. Like everyone else, a heart attack when the Bus fumbled. And utter relief and joy when Vanderjaqt kicked that ball into the next area code.
2) 2008 Super Bowl XLIII v. Cardinals (27-23): A superior game to XL, just not quite the same euphoria because we had done it such a short time before. Still, an amazing feeling when the ref confirmed what we all knew: that Santonio had come down, both feet in bounds to secure the 6th. Harrison's INT return was one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen on a football field to turn a 14-10 deficit into a 17-7 lead. Win was made ten times better by the fact that we came so close to blowing it. Suffice to say, I was losing my mind.
1) 2005 Super Bowl XL v. Seahawks (21-10): I know this win was tainted in the minds of some by the officiating, but I think that all of it was fairly valid and called within the rules. I'll never forget seeing Hines leaping into the end zone and knowing we just basically clinched the Super Bowl and finally got that One for the Thumb. This is my #1 because it was the first title we won in my lifetime and I don't think I've ever been happier.
Honorable mentions: 2005 AFC Title @Broncos; 2010 13-10 W @ Bal (Polamalu strip-sack, Redman breaking tackles for the winning score); 2005 WC @ Cincy; 2004, dealing the undefeated Eagles their first loss; 2008 @ Ravens (the Santonio catch at the goal line game); and to finish, a weird one: the game in 2002 when Maddox replaced Kordell and led us to victory against the Browns.
Agree, disagree, comments? It's never a bad time to reflect on all the good times we've had around here even in the midst of another season. :tt04:
10) 2005 v. Bears in the snow (21-9): Part of our four-game winning streak to force entry into the playoffs and a truly memorable performance from the Bus in a driving snowstorm in the second half. We all know the iconic image of him destroying Urlacher at the goal line.
9) 2008 v. Cowboys (20-13): I loved this one. Loved the fourth quarter comeback. One of my favorite Steeler plays of all-time was Deshea hopping in front of that Romo pass to bring in the winning touchdown while Heinz went nuts.
8) 2004 Div. Playoffs v. Jets (20-17 OT) : I remember dreading what was to come the next week because we did not look good in this game, but Doug Brien's two missed kicks and the OT victory while dreams for One for the Thumb in Ben's rookie year were still alive make this game very memorable to me, as does the fact that I live in New York and was dreading what I was going to hear from all the Jets fans I know if we lost.
7) 2008 AFC Championship v. Ravens (23-14): What could be better than going to the Super Bowl at the expense of the team we hate more than any other? Polamalu's pick was epic, and who can forget Clark's life-altering hit on Willis McGahee. Santonio's catch-and-run was another big-time highlight.
6) 2004 Halloween v. Patriots (34-20): Perhaps my favorite all-time regular season game. This was the game when Ben announced that he was without a doubt the real deal with an efficient performance that helped us shatter the Pats' 21-game winning streak. I'll never forget after we went up 14-3, on the next possession my man Deshea Townsend picks off Brady's first pass and puts the game basically out of reach.
5) 2010 Div. Playoffs v. Ravens (31-28): Truly an awesome game after falling behind 21-7. Most vivid detail I can recall is the cameras literally shaking when we were getting turnovers and coming back in the third quarter. Antonio Brown's signature moment for his career may end up being that helmet catch on 3rd and 19 to put us in position to send the Ratbirds home heartbroken yet again.
4) 2002 WC Playoffs v. Browns (36-33): I'll never forget this one. Maddox leading the comeback down from 24-7, Fu bulling into the end zone to take the lead with less than a minute left, all with snow falling at Heinz on a day when people said it first felt like it could stand up to Three Rivers in terms of atmosphere. I can still see El sliding into the end zone after his punt return to cut a 14-0 deficit in half.
3) 2005 Div. Playoffs @ Colts (21-18): Unbelievable ups and downs. I remember being in awe of how well we were playing as heavy underdogs, jumping out to a 21-3 lead. Shock when they overturned the Troy pick that would have won the game. Euphoria when Peazy and Potsie brought down Manning to seemingly clinch the game. Like everyone else, a heart attack when the Bus fumbled. And utter relief and joy when Vanderjaqt kicked that ball into the next area code.
2) 2008 Super Bowl XLIII v. Cardinals (27-23): A superior game to XL, just not quite the same euphoria because we had done it such a short time before. Still, an amazing feeling when the ref confirmed what we all knew: that Santonio had come down, both feet in bounds to secure the 6th. Harrison's INT return was one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen on a football field to turn a 14-10 deficit into a 17-7 lead. Win was made ten times better by the fact that we came so close to blowing it. Suffice to say, I was losing my mind.
1) 2005 Super Bowl XL v. Seahawks (21-10): I know this win was tainted in the minds of some by the officiating, but I think that all of it was fairly valid and called within the rules. I'll never forget seeing Hines leaping into the end zone and knowing we just basically clinched the Super Bowl and finally got that One for the Thumb. This is my #1 because it was the first title we won in my lifetime and I don't think I've ever been happier.
Honorable mentions: 2005 AFC Title @Broncos; 2010 13-10 W @ Bal (Polamalu strip-sack, Redman breaking tackles for the winning score); 2005 WC @ Cincy; 2004, dealing the undefeated Eagles their first loss; 2008 @ Ravens (the Santonio catch at the goal line game); and to finish, a weird one: the game in 2002 when Maddox replaced Kordell and led us to victory against the Browns.
Agree, disagree, comments? It's never a bad time to reflect on all the good times we've had around here even in the midst of another season. :tt04: