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SteelerEmpire
04-08-2011, 12:33 PM
Even a steadily competitive franchise like the Pittsburgh Steelers has its fair share of dud moments.

You know what they say. Nobody's perfect.

The Steelers have had some interesting moments over the years, but let's focus on five low points in team history during the Super Bowl era. I'm sure you'll enjoy recalling some moments from years gone by where, for one reason or another, things just didn't go the way they should have.

LINK: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/657995-pittsburgh-steelers-5-biggest-bonehead-moments-in-team-history/page/1

fansince'76
04-08-2011, 12:41 PM
Every so often, that anger gets the best of them. In Super Bowl X, Jack Lambert didn't take a minor taunt by Dallas Cowboy Cliff Harris very kindly. Harris patted Pittsburgh kicker Roy Gerela on the side of the head after Gerela missed a kick (Pittsburgh's kicking woes are older than you may think).

Lambert immediately picked up Harris and slammed him to the turf. As Lambert tells it, he then artfully talked his way out of being ejected, which he should have been. Given the magnitude of the game and the stupidity of the play, this was NOT a smart move.

How Lambert is Remembered

He's one of the all-time favorite Steelers and, since Pittsburgh triumphed over Dallas, this moment is usually laughed about today.

But if Lambert's move had somehow flipped the Steelers' luck, he would probably be one of the all-time goats in Super Bowl history. Luckily for him, his negotiating skills were on par with his tackling.Completely disagree - that incident fired our defense up even more in that game. This should be replaced on the list by Korkie's dipshit move of throwing an INT into triple coverage in the end zone in the '97 AFCCG on a second-and-goal from the 5, especially since the Bus was running all over the Broncos to that point. THAT was a bonehead move and cost us that game and a trip to the SB. :doh:

SteelerEmpire
04-08-2011, 01:06 PM
Completely disagree - that incident fired our defense up even more in that game. This should be replaced on the list by Korkie's dipshit move of throwing an INT into triple coverage in the end zone in the '97 AFCCG on a second-and-goal from the 5, especially since the Bus was running all over the Broncos to that point. THAT was a bonehead move and cost us that game and a trip to the SB. :doh:

Yep. That 97' game was aggravating... :frusty:

steeldevil
04-08-2011, 01:52 PM
I am so glad that I was only 7 years old and not yet a football/Steelers fan when Super Bowl XXX "happened". I can not even fathom how awful it must have been to watch those events occur live.....

fansince'76
04-08-2011, 02:45 PM
I am so glad that I was only 7 years old and not yet a football/Steelers fan when Super Bowl XXX "happened". I can not even fathom how awful it must have been to watch those events occur live.....

It was heartbreaking, especially since our defense was absolutely frigging awesome in that game and played their guts out. Wish we could have had Lake and Woodson in our secondary for XLV....

st33lersguy
04-08-2011, 03:09 PM
How does Lambert body slamming Harris make it higher than Neil O Donnell or Phil Luckett's incompetence, that inspired the team. Also Walter Abercrombie was the biggest draft blunder? What about Huey Richardson or Jamain Stephens

tihmtahm
04-08-2011, 04:00 PM
Completely disagree - that incident fired our defense up even more in that game. This should be replaced on the list by Korkie's dipshit move of throwing an INT into triple coverage in the end zone in the '97 AFCCG on a second-and-goal from the 5, especially since the Bus was running all over the Broncos to that point. THAT was a bonehead move and cost us that game and a trip to the SB. :doh:

Interesting that we remember Stewart for that blunder, but nothing is said about Big Ben throwing the ball into triple coverage in the last SB. Ben is a far better QB, which makes it worse IMO. Especially since Miller was wide open to the left and potentially could have scored.

SteelerFanInStl
04-08-2011, 04:04 PM
What, no mention of Barry Foster not fielding the kickoff against the Niners his rookie season?

SteelerEmpire
04-08-2011, 05:48 PM
Interesting that we remember Stewart for that blunder, but nothing is said about Big Ben throwing the ball into triple coverage in the last SB. Ben is a far better QB, which makes it worse IMO. Especially since Miller was wide open to the left and potentially could have scored.

I noticed that too... But Ben's game did taper off a bit in the playoffs. But I don't know if it was because the competition got tougher or not ?

86WARD
04-08-2011, 07:46 PM
What, no mention of Barry Foster not fielding the kickoff against the Niners his rookie season?

bigger boneheaded move than Lambert...

86WARD
04-08-2011, 07:47 PM
Interesting that we remember Stewart for that blunder, but nothing is said about Big Ben throwing the ball into triple coverage in the last SB. Ben is a far better QB, which makes it worse IMO. Especially since Miller was wide open to the left and potentially could have scored.

QFT.

steelerdude15
04-09-2011, 12:00 AM
What about when EL tried tossing it back to Hines and the Patriots recovered it. That was back in either '04 or '05.

Godfather
04-09-2011, 08:14 PM
What, no mention of Barry Foster not fielding the kickoff against the Niners his rookie season?

That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title.

zulater
04-09-2011, 08:23 PM
Interesting that we remember Stewart for that blunder, but nothing is said about Big Ben throwing the ball into triple coverage in the last SB. Ben is a far better QB, which makes it worse IMO. Especially since Miller was wide open to the left and potentially could have scored.

No Stewart's was way worse because it cost us a trip to the Super Bowl. And Ben is forgiven because he's advanced the Steelers to the Super Bowl 3 times!

zulater
04-09-2011, 08:28 PM
I can't believe they cited Lambert for slamming down Cliff Harris in the Super Bowl.:doh: At worse Jack could have cost the Steelers 15 yards, but it was early enough in the game that it wouldn't have been insurmountable. As it was it proved to be the spark that brought the team out of it's early game doldrums.

Only a true bonehead would suggest that was a Steelers boneheaded moment.

By the way, for the moron who blogged that over at Bleacher report, there's no way Lambert could have been tossed out of the game. He didn't throw a punch. :nono:

zulater
04-09-2011, 08:38 PM
That was even bad for bleacher report.

First off the Steelers had much worse first round selections than Walter Ambercrombie. While Walter fell short of expectations, he at least proved to be a decent NFL player who had a respectable career.

If your going to use the draft for boneheaded Steelers moment Huey richardson, Jamain Stephens, or Daryll Simms would be much better examples. But even better than that would be not drafting Dan Marino in 83.

Another ommited boneheaded moments was Dave Smith spiking the ball a yard short of the end zone in 1970.

Psycho Ward 86
04-09-2011, 09:45 PM
Interesting that we remember Stewart for that blunder, but nothing is said about Big Ben throwing the ball into triple coverage in the last SB. Ben is a far better QB, which makes it worse IMO. Especially since Miller was wide open to the left and potentially could have scored.

He had way too much pressure coming at him on that throw to get it anywhere

Stlrs4Life
04-09-2011, 09:46 PM
How does Lambert body slamming Harris make it higher than Neil O Donnell or Phil Luckett's incompetence, that inspired the team. Also Walter Abercrombie was the biggest draft blunder? What about Huey Richardson or Jamain Stephens

Because the Author is a bonehead!

Mach1
04-10-2011, 02:37 AM
What, no mention of Barry Foster not fielding the kickoff against the Niners his rookie season?

That was one of the first ones that popped in my mind, behind the spiked pass by plex or the int by O'Donnell.

Godfather
04-10-2011, 10:12 AM
That was one of the first ones that popped in my mind, behind the spiked pass by plex or the int by O'Donnell.

Did we ever find out for sure if O'Donnell made a terrible throw or the receiver ran the wrong route?

tube517
04-10-2011, 10:23 AM
Lambert fired up the defense in Super Bowl X. How old is this "writer"? I suggest he go back and watch the whole Super Bowl again. You don't hear anyone else calling that a "bonehead" play. Cliff Harris probably has nightmares, that rooty poo candy ass.

Complete joke.

If anything, put Keyaron Fox's penalty in the Super Bowl in there.

Mach1
04-10-2011, 10:57 PM
Did we ever find out for sure if O'Donnell made a terrible throw or the receiver ran the wrong route?

Either way it was a bonehead play.

Edman
04-11-2011, 08:50 AM
The Plaxico Burress spike against the Jaguars in 2000.

Randle El catching a long pass from Ben but tries lateraling it to Hines and winds up with a turnover against New England in 2005.

Those are the top two out of the top of my head.

Texasteel
04-11-2011, 09:46 AM
I can't believe they cited Lambert for slamming down Cliff Harris in the Super Bowl.:doh: At worse Jack could have cost the Steelers 15 yards, but it was early enough in the game that it wouldn't have been insurmountable. As it was it proved to be the spark that brought the team out of it's early game doldrums.

Only a true bonehead would suggest that was a Steelers boneheaded moment.

By the way, for the moron who blogged that over at Bleacher report, there's no way Lambert could have been tossed out of the game. He didn't throw a punch. :nono:

Once again Zu we agree, and thats starting to scare me.

The boneheaded stunt was Harris taking a day that was totally going in their direction and completely turning it around. I had always thought that Harris should have been the Steelers MVP in that game.

First this was not a minor incident. Harris was trying to get into the head of the entire team, and he would have. Unfortunately he forgot to check where Lambert was.

Second the turn around did not stop with the incident. When Harris manage to get to his feet, by the way with Lambert standing over him, he scampered away like a whipped pup, and the rest of the cowboys made a wide arc around Lambert. The cowboys game was never quite the same after that. Where as Lambert procided to get into the fact of every Steeler he came in contact with, offense or defense. I swear I even saw Greens eye widen. I believe I heard Andy Russell say that he was just too scared not to make the play after that.

If that had not happened, I truly think we would have lost this game. But it did, and we did. Thank you Mr. Harris, you stupid shit.

Who ever wrote this, I hope you don't do this for a living.

zulater
04-11-2011, 01:17 PM
The Plaxico Burress spike against the Jaguars in 2000.

Randle El catching a long pass from Ben but tries lateraling it to Hines and winds up with a turnover against New England in 2005.


Those are the top two out of the top of my head.


Good one, er I mean bad one. :chuckle: I'd forgot all about that stupid lateral until just now.

But to me one of the most boneheaded things I've observed as a Steelers fan, something that not only changed a game for the worse, but an entire season was Cowher's handling of Roethlisberger in the 2006 season. :doh: Not only did he needlessy rush him back from his apendectomy, I'm convinced that Batch should have started at least the first 3 games of that season, and probably even the first 4, and had he done so I believe the Steelers start out 2-2 at worst ( they actually ended up 1-3) and probably 3-1. You could just see Ben those first two games back visibly flinching before and during contact, something he never has done before or since. Anyone who still has a tape of that Jaguar or Bengal game can see what I'm talking about. And even with Ben playing as bad as he possibly could in those games, they were still there for the taking right up until the closing moments.

And just to prove he ( Cowher) learned nothing from early in the season, when the Steelers finally did start putting something together, Ben got knocked out cold in Atlanta. But hope was on the horizon with a trip to the putrid 2-14 to be Raiders the following week, you figured Cowher would give Ben a week off and get him right for the stretch run. But oh no not Bill, can't trust Charlie Batch ( and the running game) who won his last 3 starts as a Steeler to get the win and instead allows a still dizzy Ben to go out and have the first 4 interception game of his career. Anyway in the four games I believe Ben had no business playing the Steelers went 0-4 and Ben personally threw 1 td pass as opposed to 11 interceptions. For the other 11 games Ben played that season he threw 17 td's versus 12 interceptions and the Steelers went 7-4. ( 7-3 if you discard the Falcon game that Ben was unable to finish, but left with the lead.)

Long story short, I loved Bill as the Steelers coach, but he definetely was off his game for the 2006 season. Sometimes I almost wonder if he purposely sabotoged that season to make it easiar to leave?

Oh and so as not to leave Mike Tomlin out ( who again I love as our coach) his decision to stick with the 2 point conversion against the Jaguars in the 2007 wildcard game after a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 12 was about as stupid a coaching decision as I've ever seen as far as a strategic in game manuever. :doh:

Steeldude
04-12-2011, 12:29 AM
biggest bonehead move in steelers' history was making kordell the starting QB and then keeping him there for 5+ seasons.