Dumb question to those that saw Lambert play,

[deljzc]

He was Urlacher before Urlacher.

The first TRUE Tampa-2 middle linebacker. His length and athleticism at the position kind of revolutionized how linebackers play coverage. Before the 1970's, linebackers either were in quarter-coverage within 10 yards of the LOS or turned and ran one-on-one with guys. Lambert could drop back into zone 15-20 yards downfield. His interception in Super Bowl XXIV against the Rams was CLASSIC tampa-2 defense and zone coverage. QB's just had a hard time finding seems against his 6'-4" frame in the deep middle.

I actually do think he could easily play today. Obviously not at 220 lbs. but he would be playing a 235 easy. And teams that use a lot of deep zone coverages with their inside linebackers would love Lambert. He couldn't play as reckless in the box like the good ole days. He probably couldn't have mixed it up with linemen like he used to, but he would be tough enough, that for sure to get his nose dirty. His hands, hips, athleticism, spacing, instincts.... all good enough for today's game.

 

[madinsomniac]

If you listen to madden it is best done for entertainment purposes only... if you are listening to him and not expecting shock value absurd statements to get listeners riled up, then you are not paying attention... its like getting mad because the wrestling moves in WWE aren't realistic...

 

[Steeltime]

Let's see ... Lambert was physical and stuffed the run. Lambert covered ground, and picked off a lot of passes. Lambert's interception basically won Super Bowl XIV. The Rams trailed 24-19 after Bradshaw-to-Stallworth, but were driving deep into Steelers territory when Lambert picked off Ferragamo.

The Steelers drove down and put up another TD - in large part based on the same Bradshaw-to-Stallworth play - but that interception saved the game.

So to summarize - a LB'er who was a physical terror, stuffed the run, covered ground, interrupted the passing game, picked off passes, and basically won a Super Bowl with an interception? Yeah, he could play today.

Right now, he might not dominate like he did in the 1970's ... but that is only because he is 63 years old.

 

[diver]

On Youtube you can find the Raiders-Steelers 1974 AFCC game. The Steelers go up 17-10 in the 4th quarter and Stabler hits Cliff Branch over the middle with a pass. Branch had beaten Mel Blount on the play. He is running free, and Branch was one of the fastest guys of that era. Lambert makes a great open field tackle on Branch at about the 15, saving a TD. Oakland has to settle for a FG. You gotta see it and see how great a play it was. It might not be hyperbole to say that is the play that really started the Steeler dynasty of the '70s. If they score the tying TD there, who knows?

In some ways it reminds you of the tackle Ben made against the Colts in '05. Which should tell you how great that play was being Ben is a QB.

But that was the player Lambert was. To say he wasn't as good as they say is just stupid. Probably Madden or Steigerwald wanted an interview or something, and Lambert, who is known to be prickly to say the least, to them to shove it up their ***.

 

[Coach]

how good was he, I know he is in the HOF and on the Super Bowl team. I know he was known for his nastiness and intimidation, but since the Super Bowl team came out, I've heard Mark Madden on a couple occassions say Lambert isn't even a top 5 MLB, and Steigerwald as well. They didn't keep tackle stats then I don't think, but I saw he had 17 fumble recoveries and 28 career INT's. 28 INT's is pretty damn good for a MLB in a running era.

Lambet had the range and speed of a Saftey at 6'4" tall and with hands to match. A firefly leader type the most understated part of his game was he was also a good technician. A little under sized ( Jack would be 10 pounds heavier today ) he was also a good hitter.

A true 3 down Ilb who played the pass and run. Top 5 Ilb for me.

 

[diver]

To look at it another way, before '74 the Steelers had Greene, Holmes, L.C., Dwight, Blount, Wagner, Ham, Russell, J.T. Thomas, Franco, Rocky and Bradshaw and didn't win a SB. They draft Lambert in '74 and the rip off 4 in 6. I know Swann, Stallworth and Webster were in that draft, but they were part time players in '74. Lambert was a starter. I don't know if it is too much to say that he is the one that pushed them that little bit they needed to get over the hump.

 

[Clete]

Best LB to ever play and he would be even better today with the diet and training regimens. he was NOR small, he was 6'4" with great shoulders. He could cover better than any LB ever, go back to Super Bowl X111 when he intercepts a Ferragomo pass 30 yards downfield to turn the game around, think any Steeler LB has ever done that since, I bet not.

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

Most people don't realize that Big Ben is bigger than Lambert was at his playing weight/size. He wasn't that big. But damn he could play.

Got to meet him once, and kinda sorta irritated him. Made me nearly **** my pants. Then I thought, "That's the way it should have been. I met the real Jack Lambert."

Will never forget that.

 

[maowv]

In the 70's, Lambert could run better than most MLB. The Bill Bergy types may have been bigger and stronger but Lambert could cover more ground, could drop into coverage and hit harder than guys bigger than him.

He was great then and would be great today. The guy scared people on the field.

 

[Coryea]

Coryea - You go way, way back on this board (as do I).

But to ask how good was bert, do you have Message Board CTE?

A related note: How can you have a Rep Power of only 101. Being a member for 15-plus years should net you at least a few hundred points.

Oh, and it should be "those who saw Lambert play."

It's OK, Chris Schenkel used to do the same thing: "He's the guy that likes to..."

Well I was born in 1978, he's obviously good, but when I heard those guys say not even top 5, I was surprised. I know Madden tries to get a stir, but he absolutely hates Franco and still said he should be on the all time super bowl team, then steigerwald said the same thing, just wanted to hear what the people who saw him play though.

 

[Vincent]

Right now, he might not dominate like he did in the 1970's ... but that is only because he is 63 years old.

I don't know. He still looks like he could suit up.

Those guys were cut out of different cloth. None of them were really physical specimens like many are today. They were football players. Yeah, Lambert smoked. So did Greene. A lot.

There are many memories, but a few that come to mind that depict who Lambert was are... That comment he made after they ran out of gas in the 76 AFCCG ... "Give us a 6-pack and we'll play em again". That was a beat up team, but the intensity never diminished. They were down 1-4 to begin the season. They won the last 9 allowing 29 points over that span with 5 shut outs - one 3 game streak and back to back to close out the season. There never was a defense like that and there never will be one again. They were well drilled and had attitudes like none other.

Another one. 78. Home field locked up. Meaningless game against the Colts in the snow. Game in the bag. Bert Jones dumps a pass to McCauley in the right flat. Nobody is within 5 yards of him. Lambert streaks over like a heat seeking missile and blasts him. Just crushes him. Lays him out. He gets up and just walks back to the huddle like nothing happened. McCauley might have died, I don't remember. The announcer says something like "That's Lambert. Meaningless game in the bag and he hits McCauley like the season's on the line". You see flashes of that in some guys but Lambert did it for 10 years. As did the football players he played with.

 

[Coach]

I really wish Mark Madden was covering another team. He's not always wrong, he's just loud and sloppy.

Madden thinks Jack Ham is the best linebacker of all time.

 

[pittbull]

Several years after he retired, he said himself that if he could do it all over again he would lift weights. I think Vincent's picture of Lambert with the HD...Lambert looks like he has more muscles than he did during his playing days.

I probably saw every game Lambert played in, but I was relatively young when he started his career. I can't say I really appreciate the individual talent of each player because back then it was tough to compare players across the league. Even the most diehards could only watch 3 games a week...the early Sunday game, the late Sunday game, and MNF. There weren't all the pre game shows and post game shows. No such thing as fantasy, and if I recall correctly, HBO's Inside the NFL was one of the first non-game football related programs...other than the John Facenda narrated highlight flicks, and that didn't start until the very late 70's or early 80s.

All I knew was, Lambert was great. The whole team was great and we expected them to win every week. I knew nothing else as a young boy.

 

[thumbring]

I was really young, so I didn't know much about evaluating football players. But Lambert was always my favorite Steeler from that era. He was one of the ones who gave the great defense their swagger. He was intimidating and played with heart. He was a great linebacker and that attitude and will means he easily could play in any era. He might get a lot of fines today, though. lol

 

[xjx]

Lambert played with incredible intensity and passion. He was an intimidator. People were scared of him!

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I really wish Mark Madden was covering another team. He's not always wrong, he's just loud and sloppy.

Madden thinks Jack Ham is the best linebacker of all time.

I don't necessarily think that's wrong. Ham was as technical a LB who has ever played. That whole defense was incredible.

 

[obxsteeler]

Ham was the best 4/3 olb we and maybe anyone ever had and Harrison was our best 3/4 olb. Lambert was our best 4/3 mlb and probably would have been the same as a 3/4 ilb. He was as big as Farrior and a bigger hitter. Other than the weather the biggest advantage of retiring as far away from western PA as I did is not being able to hear Madden.

 

[slashsteel]

I really wish Mark Madden was covering another team. He's not always wrong, he's just loud and sloppy.

Madden thinks Jack Ham is the best linebacker of all time.

I hated him early...decades ago..., but when you know what he is about meh.

Thing is he is a bigger baseball and hockey fan, so he tends to focus on them more.

But whatever controversy he can dredge up for ratings....., he does it.

 

[Steelerfreak]

I will compare him to Ray Lewis in the following ways.....

The heart at the center of a very talented defense. The "face" of the defense. The leader of the defense.

but not in the following ways.... Led by play, not mouth. Actually made tackles by not jumping on piles, and wasnt involved in a murder or cover up.

He also didn't do commercials like ray for his deodorant, you cant put commercials for Marlboro on TV.

 

[stillwright]

I will compare him to Ray Lewis in the following ways.....

The heart at the center of a very talented defense. The "face" of the defense. The leader of the defense.

but not in the following ways.... Led by play, not mouth. Actually made tackles by not jumping on piles, and wasnt involved in a murder or cover up.

He also didn't do commercials like ray for his deodorant, you cant put commercials for Marlboro on TV.

So why did you feel the need to compare the two ....I don't know if Lambert was even the face of our defense back then. There was someone named Joe on that team.

 

[blitzburghv5]

Lambert was great for that era. In todays game I don't think he would be effective. These athletes have changed as well as the game itself. He would be a huge liability in the passing game. High football IQ, low athleticism. In todays game if he saw the field it might be special teams but for the era he played in along with the scheme and talent surrounding him, he was quite effective.

 

[stillwright]

Lambert was great for that era. In todays game I don't think he would be effective. These athletes have changed as well as the game itself. He would be a huge liability in the passing game. High football IQ, low athleticism. In todays game if he saw the field it might be special teams but for the era he played in along with the scheme and talent surrounding him, he was quite effective.

Might as well say no player back then would start...That they all would be only special teamer's then.

 

[blitzburghv5]

Might as well say no player back then would start...That they all would be only special teamer's then.

No....you cant say that......Joe Green, LC Greenwood could play in todays NFL....the defensive lineman of that era and of the current era don't have much difference in terms of transitioning. LBs today need to be fast......not just smart or physical. Theres more required of them with TEs that run 4.5 and 4.6 times. Or cover backs that run 4.4.

Mel Blount could play CB in todays NFL because of his size, his long gait to keep up with todays WRs. Yesterdays LBs of the NFL would be exposed in our game today. Especially in pass coverage. Lambert couldn't cover Eifert, Vernon Davis.....hell I don't think Kirkland could. Imagine him having to spy a player like Sproles out of the backfield. Dairy city if youre an OC....youre milkin that matchup all day.

 

[steelhurt]

I sat in Three Rivers for many games during the Lambert years and yes he was a great middle LB'er and is most definite a top 5 of all time. Sure he was light at 220 lbs. but he sure as hell didn't play like it. He was an intimidator who had the heart of a lion and set the tone early that we'll kick your ***** today unless you can do something about it. Most couldn't. Of course he had great players around him both on the line, Lber's and defensive backs but don't et that deter your thinking. Jack Splat made more than his share of big plays. I remember one in particular against Oakland when the Raiders were bad ***** like us when I believe it was Marv Hubbard that planted his helmet right in the midsection of Lambert and knocked the wind out him. You think Jack went to the ground? Think again laddybucks! Jack proceeded to fling Hubbard to the side and make the tackle solo. Yeah he was all that good. Then there was the intimidator when in Cleveland and I was there too when playing in front of their hostile crowd he runs up to and coldcocks I believe it was Doug Deacon a big nasty *** OL for the Browns. Of course Jack is ejected which didn't help but that was Jack Splat. He's what epitomized the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70's. Gave them their identity.

By the way Tom why bother listening to Mark Madden. Anything to beef up his ratings. Big pompous *** that brags about his 166 IQ. Yeah, and that's why you do a local sports show whose been fired how many times over the years?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I'm old and I remember the 70's team.
Jack was one of those guys that had a nose for the ball and he was almost always right where the play ended up. He could play today if he added 20 pounds.