Why the ‘Blitzburgh’ Steelers defense of the 90s had the best linebackers in NFL history

[polamalubeast]

The Pittsburgh Steelers 'Blitzburgh' defense of the mid 90's had the greatest quartet of linebackers the league has ever seen.

Sometimes you find the inspiration for your next off season article, and other times the inspiration finds you. Maybe even smacks you right between the eyes. Two separate incidents this week gave me a nudge in the right direction.

First, I was scrolling through Facebook and noticed it was Greg Lloyd's birthday. That instantly brought a plethora of great memories flooding back about one of my all-time favorite Pittsburgh Steelers. Later that day I saw a picture of the linebacker group from the Blitzburgh defense of the 1995 Super Bowl team on another Steelers website. The picture accompanied an article wondering how such a dominating defense seems to have been largely forgotten in the annuals of NFL history. Some historians may have forgotten, but Steelers Nation remembers all too well.

I feel it is beyond debate that the linebacker quartet on those Blitzburgh defenses was the most talented group in league history. All four individuals possessed Hall of Fame talent and played like it at various points in their careers, even if only one is presently enshrined in Canton. The other three either had their careers cut short by injury or have somehow failed to tickle the election committees fancy as of yet. The fact their years together as a quartet were few and they failed to win a championship together has resulted in them being underappreciated in my opinion.

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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...y-kevin-greene

[hawaiiansteeler]

The Pittsburgh Steelers 'Blitzburgh' defense of the mid 90's had the greatest quartet of linebackers the league has ever seen.

Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Andy Russell disagree. add in Henry Davis if you want to make it a quartet.

[Fire Goodell]

Not better than the HoFers in the Steel curtain, but with that said, it takes that squad to top Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Levon Kirkland, and Chad Brown

[Rotorhead]

They are the reason I became a Steelers fan, period.

[FrancoLambert]

I feel it is beyond debate that the writer of this article didn’t see Lambert, Ham, and Russell play.

[st33lersguy]

70s Steelers are the best ever

[hawaiiansteeler]

70s Steelers are the best ever

of course, for the writer to say "I feel it is beyond debate that the linebacker quartet on those Blitzburgh defenses was the most talented group in league history" is downright ignorant.

[Mojouw]

There are many very good and great LB trios and quartets. While I loved the early 90's group and would argue strongly for their inclusion any any listing of top set-ups -- It just seems extremely short-sighted to put them at the top.

Off the top of my head other groups worthy of consideration:

70's Steelers
Sam Mills/Pat Swilling/Ricky JacKson and some other guy era Saints LBs
LT/Banks/and others for the Parcells era Giants
Ray Lewis and the crew for the 2000's Ravens
Anything involving Mike Singeltary

I think I am missing some Raiders and Broncos teams as well as maybe Cowboys and early Packers as well? Maybe the early SB era Chiefs were also led by linebackers? What about the glory years of the Dolphins? I can't remember...

Come to think about it. Sustained success in the Super Bowl era on defense (so not one good year) appears to be highly correlated with multiple really freaking good linebackers.

[teegre]

Sam Mills/Pat Swilling/Ricky JacKson and some other guy era Saints LBs

This is the correct answer.


(Vaughn Johnson was the fourth member of The Dome Patrol.)

[AtlantaDan]

There are many very good and great LB trios and quartets. While I loved the early 90's group and would argue strongly for their inclusion any any listing of top set-ups -- It just seems extremely short-sighted to put them at the top.

Off the top of my head other groups worthy of consideration:

70's Steelers
Sam Mills/Pat Swilling/Ricky JacKson and some other guy era Saints LBs
LT/Banks/and others for the Parcells era Giants
Ray Lewis and the crew for the 2000's Ravens
Anything involving Mike Singeltary

I think I am missing some Raiders and Broncos teams as well as maybe Cowboys and early Packers as well? Maybe the early SB era Chiefs were also led by linebackers? What about the glory years of the Dolphins? I can't remember...

Come to think about it. Sustained success in the Super Bowl era on defense (so not one good year) appears to be highly correlated with multiple really freaking good linebackers.

Late 60s/early 70s Chiefs had Willie Lanier (HOF), Bobby Bell (HOF with 21st century physical skills playing in the late 60s) and Jim Lynch. That Chiefs defense was loaded with great players having the size and speed to play in later eras.

Mid-60s Packers had Ray Nitschke (HOF), Dave Robinson ( HOF), and Lee Roy Caffey

Mid-90s Steelers LBs were great but so were other units that won Lombardis

[Mojouw]

Late 60s/early 70s Chiefs had Willie Lanier (HOF), Bobby Bell (HOF with 21st century physical skills playing in the late 60s) and Jim Lynch. That Chiefs defense was loaded with great players having the size and speed to play in later eras.

Mid-60s Packers had Ray Nitschke (HOF), Dave Robinson ( HOF), and Lee Roy Caffey

Mid-90s Steelers LBs were great but so were other units that won Lombardis

Thanks for the information! Before my time and each year memories of NFL history I've read gets cloudier and cloudier.

[Mojouw]

This is the correct answer.


(Vaughn Johnson was the fourth member of The Dome Patrol.)

Nice! I knew someone on here would remember.

Also, solid unit nickname. Even if it does sound like a gay porn movie.

[teegre]

Even if it does sound like a gay porn movie.

Since the Steelers have yellow in their uniform, and since their defense leaves a sour taste in QBs mouths, I propose a new nickname for this defense:

The Lemon Party!!!

[Mojouw]

Since the Steelers have yellow in their uniform, and since their defense leaves a sour taste in QBs mouths, I propose a new nickname for this defense:

The Lemon Party!!!

Oh no! That could get sticky.

[teegre]

Oh no! That could get sticky.

Especially when they cover a tight end.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Especially when they cover a tight end.

who then turns into a wide receiver

[teegre]

who then turns into a wide receiver

That’s when the defense chants: “Plug that hole!!!... plug that hole!!!”

[Mojouw]

That’s when the defense chants: “Plug that hole!!!... plug that hole!!!”

Stop letting em leak through! You're leaking!

[teegre]

Stop letting em leak through! You're leaking!

When we play Entendre, we obviously need to double him.

[EzraTank]

Not better than the HoFers in the Steel curtain, but with that said, it takes that squad to top Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Levon Kirkland, and Chad Brown

How many Superbowl rings do those guys have compared to Ham & Lambert?

[GoSlash27]

Also, solid unit nickname. Even if it does sound like a gay porn movie.

Wait... Are we talking about the Steelers v Ravens or Oilers v Packers?

[Fire Goodell]

How many Superbowl rings do those guys have compared to Ham & Lambert?

Not a fair comparison, Ham & Lambert got rings but not only on the defense's back. The offense also had Bradshaw, Stallworth, Swann, Franco, etc. The 90s Steelers had Bubby Brister, Charles Johnson, and Dwight Hands of Stone lol. Of course some good RBs came through, but you can't say any of them (Barry Foster, Bam Borris, Erric Pegram) were nearly as good as Franco. I mean FFS, Neil O'Donnell was the best QB the Steelers have had in the 90s, or any era outside of Bradshaw and Ben. How sad is that really? Not saying O'Donnell was terrible, but he was probably at most the equivalent of Andy Dalton. A decent QB who's just better than middle of the road, will put up decent stats but will most likely choke in a big game.

The 70s Steelers were hands down the best Steelers team overall, I don't think anyone will argue that. But the Blitzburgh era linebackers would have been among the best in any era. If LeVon Kirkland played in the 70s heck that guy might be on some HoF videos as some beast of a linebacker who was bigger than most nose tackles

Do you think the 70s Steelers wouldn't have won championships if you replaced Lambert with Kirkland, and Ham with say, Greg Lloyd? I think they still would, their entire roster from top to bottom was just ridiculously good. The Blitzburgh teams were known to have an all-pro defense with an anemic offense. The 70s Steelers were stacked with HoFers on offense, that was the main difference.

[polamalubeast]

[hawaiiansteeler]

Wait... Are we talking about the Steelers v Ravens or Oilers v Packers?

[AtlantaDan]

Do you think the 70s Steelers wouldn't have won championships if you replaced Lambert with Kirkland, and Ham with say, Greg Lloyd? I think they still would, their entire roster from top to bottom was just ridiculously good. The Blitzburgh teams were known to have an all-pro defense with an anemic offense. The 70s Steelers were stacked with HoFers on offense, that was the main difference.

Leaving aside the different skill sets for a LB in the 70s Steelers 4-3 defense as opposed to the mid-90s Steelers 3-4, doubtful Lloyd would have been able to handle pass coverage responsibilities assigned to Ham (who was insanely great) and no question Kirkland could not have covered the ground Lambert was required to cover in pass defense.

Kirkland and Lloyd subbing in for Lambert and Ham might have resulted in the last 2 Lombardis in the 70s when the offense peaked but for the first two in 74 and 75 I am not so sure given the greater importance of the defense to the first two championships

[Craic]

of course, for the writer to say "I feel it is beyond debate that the linebacker quartet on those Blitzburgh defenses was the most talented group in league history" is downright ignorant.

What other quartet is there? Steelers defense of the seventies wasn't a quartet. They played a 4-3. Thus, they were a triplet. There's a reason the writer said "quartet" rather than "greatest single group of starters" or "greatest linebacker corp" in league history.

[hawaiiansteeler]

What other quartet is there? Steelers defense of the seventies wasn't a quartet. They played a 4-3. Thus, they were a triplet. There's a reason the writer said "quartet" rather than "greatest single group of starters" or "greatest linebacker corp" in league history.

how about James Harrison, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, and La'Marr Woodley?

[Craic]

how about Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior, James Harrison, and La'Marr Woodley?

Good question. Let's go step by step with them.
LOLB: Greene - Woodley
LILB: Kirkland - Farrior
RILB: Brown - Timmons
ROLB: Lloyd - Harrison

Hmm. I'd take Green over Woodley. I'd say Green could make make more plays and cause more disruption regardless of the help he was getting on the other side (and he proved it when he played on other teams).
Kirkland vs. Farrior. I'd take Kirkland. Farrior was very good and the heart of the LB core, but Kirkland, I feel, brought just a little more. That's not a snub for Farrior. I just think Kirkland would make the plays that were a hair outside of Farrior's ability.
Brown vs. Timmons. I'd take Timmons in a heart beat. Brown was great (until he went to Seattle and blew up to over three hundred pounds). But Timmons was the anchor of his defense and shut down the run game. The minute he left us to go to Miami, our run defense grew pitiful (and it wasn't the best before hand).
Lloyd - Harrison. Um. Tie? Honestly, how do you distinguish between the two? Maybe Harrison wasn't quite as good in coverage, but then I think he had a tad more in getting around the edge and to the QB. I think this is a coin flip.

So, that's two for the 90s team, 1 for the 00s team, and a coin flip.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Good question. Let's go step by step with them.
LOLB: Greene - Woodley
LILB: Kirkland - Farrior
RILB: Brown - Timmons
ROLB: Lloyd - Harrison

Hmm. I'd take Green over Woodley. I'd say Green could make make more plays and cause more disruption regardless of the help he was getting on the other side (and he proved it when he played on other teams).
Kirkland vs. Farrior. I'd take Kirkland. Farrior was very good and the heart of the LB core, but Kirkland, I feel, brought just a little more. That's not a snub for Farrior. I just think Kirkland would make the plays that were a hair outside of Farrior's ability.
Brown vs. Timmons. I'd take Timmons in a heart beat. Brown was great (until he went to Seattle and blew up to over three hundred pounds). But Timmons was the anchor of his defense and shut down the run game. The minute he left us to go to Miami, our run defense grew pitiful (and it wasn't the best before hand).
Lloyd - Harrison. Um. Tie? Honestly, how do you distinguish between the two? Maybe Harrison wasn't quite as good in coverage, but then I think he had a tad more in getting around the edge and to the QB. I think this is a coin flip.

So, that's two for the 90s team, 1 for the 00s team, and a coin flip.

my point is it's certainly debatable, for the author of the article to say it isn't is just plain wrong imo.

[hawaiiansteeler]

and Bill Parcell's NY Giants LB unit of Lawrence Taylor, Henry Carson, Gary Reasons, and Carl Banks should also be in the debate...