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A serious question for long time fans.....

In Ben We Trust

In Ben We Trust

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When comparing the current Steelers offense to the amazing Steelers of the 70's offense, which one is better? Hard to give the nod to this years group given the number of HOF players on the 70's offense but the current Steelers arguably have 3 of the top 10 offensive players in the entire league. I know it is a totally different era and hard to gauge but what are your thoughts?
 
This year's team has not won anything.....so...........
 
Agree Coolie but the other side of the ball is not quite as good currently as the ridiculous group from the 70's. Hard to win Lombardi's when you are 30th in the league in yards allowed per play.
 
so with the rules of today....just how tough would Swann and Stallworth be to cover? and Franco would still be running the ball.....
 
The 70s were more physical and could dominate you with the run game, but still had finesse aspects to go deep and beat you with the pass. Probably the most balanced attack we've had.

This team lacks physicality. The O-line does not have maulers, and even the RBs are built for finesse. I think at each skill position, the players are comparable, but this team needs a couple lombardis to compare with the 70s group.

The only players I take over the 70s team from this team would be Miller at TE, and Brown at WR. Ben and Bradshaw are a push, everyone else on the 70s squad, I'd rather have.
 
I think a case could be made for Bell on that 70s team. Especially with the amount of carries Rocky recieved.
 
Its all about trophy's, but our defense isn't anywhere near equal to what we had in the 70s or last decade. I believe they have started putting together a group on defense that will be very good and hopefully even dominant but couldn't even begin to guess where the defense will be.

The offense is who we though they were, probably the best in the entire league.
 
Cope said:
The 70s were more physical and could dominate you with the run game, but still had finesse aspects to go deep and beat you with the pass. Probably the most balanced attack we've had.

This team lacks physicality. The O-line does not have maulers, and even the RBs are built for finesse. I think at each skill position, the players are comparable, but this team needs a couple lombardis to compare with the 70s group.

The only players I take over the 70s team from this team would be Miller at TE, and Brown at WR. Ben and Bradshaw are a push, everyone else on the 70s squad, I'd rather have.
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Skill positions are a wash except that the 70's team had one great RB (Franco) and two pretty good ones (Bleier and Fuqua/Pearson depending) while right now we just have one really good RB (Bell).
On balance the 70's OL was better.
 
CoolieMan said:
so with the rules of today....just how tough would Swann and Stallworth be to cover? and Franco would still be running the ball.....
Click to expand...

Heck they were virtually unstoppable in the 70's already . . .by todays rules? FAHGEHTAHBOUHTIT
 
In Ben We Trust said:
When comparing the current Steelers offense to the amazing Steelers of the 70's offense, which one is better? Hard to give the nod to this years group given the number of HOF players on the 70's offense but the current Steelers arguably have 3 of the top 10 offensive players in the entire league. I know it is a totally different era and hard to gauge but what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

The rules were very different back then. My thoughts are thus. Modern has the edge at QB, TE, and K. 70's has the edge in OL and RB. The WR's are even.
 
70's line much better. Current offense is more dynamic. If they win a it all this year I'd give the overall edge to the current offense.
 
The game is different now and there is no way to compare them. The 70's will never be duplicated - we were spoiled for life. Not that I'm complaining...
 
I'm really excited about our current WR talent/depth/explosiveness/etc. But I wouldn't take any pair of current receivers over Swann and Stallworth. Jim Smith and Theo Bell were also talented backups back then.
 
The only guys who I think could have competed in the 70s rules from the current steelers would be Ben due to his size and toughness. Bell I think would play and be successful,, but dont think it would be as long a career as I hope he has in todays day and age. Love AB, but not sure he would be nearly as effective against those passing rules. Though he is not on any roster, the retired Hines Ward couldve played in ANY era of NFL football, which is why he should be a first ballot HOFer, despite statistical comparisons to others.
 
Have to agree on Hines. Will add this about AB, Swann was not a big physical player but quick and sure handed, and I think AB could play the same role.
 
Ben has been to three won 2
Terry has been to 4 won 4 (played with a better D)
Ben plays in a pass happy league

for now slight advantage

Terry

Bell VS Franco = push

Stallworth & Swann VS Antonio & Bryant

two HOF vs one probable and one unknown

advantage

Lynn and Stallworth

Oline VS Oline of here and now

advantage

Oline of here and now


3 -1 Steelers O of the 70s

winner
 
70's Steelers best ever....there is no comparison. HOF QB, RB, WRs, OL......enough said. Current group has had ONE year with league leading stats, and no SB to show for it! They can be good, but my opinion, still much to work on and accomplish.
 
The only thing I will say to refute those saying the 70's offense was far and away better (I think it's better but not by much) need to remember that the talent pool across the entire league is better in my opinion. The talent depth in today's NFL is just ridiculous.
 
Ben is way better than Terry. Terry was the best big game QB of all time but he hardly could keep the starting job for years.

That said you can't compare the caliber of athletes of today to back then. Swann and Stallworth were great but AB is working on a hall of fame career.
It was the defense in the 70s that was the greatest of all time. They were the cause of a dynasty not the offense. This Steeler offense could be one of the greatest of all time if things go our way.
 
I know you are asking to compare JUST the offenses. Different rules / era. Ben would make it. Bell would make it because of his in action thin king ability. Antonio would make it, would just need a very little adjustment time. Heath would make it. I don't think Pouncy would fair very well. In their era, I definately would keep the 70's team. In this era, 50 / 50 70's team.




Salute the nation


Salute the nation
 
Today I watched very closely a replay of the 1973 Super Bowl, when the Dolphins capped their 17-0 season by beating the Redskins.

I was struck by how different the game was then. Much more finesse and craftiness - except the DBs could whack the WRs. And it was nice to see linemen who were nimble and not all pumped up.

I think the '70s version was more interesting. My nod goes to the that offense.
 
Ben is not better than Terry and of course the myth that the Steelers defense carried them to the 4 Super Bowls continues. The 78 and 79 defenses were old and it was up.to Terry to put up 35 and 31 points in the 2 Super Bowls to carry the declining defense. Ben has never been good in any of his Super Bowls much less thrown for 4 YRs in a game like Terry did or have a 100 QB rating in any of them, Terry had a rating of at least 100 in ALL of them. On the biggest stage Terry was the best QB all four times, on the same stage Ben has been horrible to mediocre and played the worst of all the QBs in each game.

Terry led the league in TD passes in 78, something Ben has never close to doing and his stats kept getting better and better as the rules changed. He would dominate the easy NFL if he played today, not even close when comparing the 2.
 
In Ben We Trust said:
The only thing I will say to refute those saying the 70's offense was far and away better (I think it's better but not by much) need to remember that the talent pool across the entire league is better in my opinion. The talent depth in today's NFL is just ridiculous.
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In 1976 the NFL added 2 teams plus 4 more teams since 1995. Each new team effectively adds 53 players to the league who weren't good enough to be in it the year before, so that's 318 more players since 1975. Also it was easier to keep a team together in the 70's without free agency and the salary cap.
 
Steelbar said:
Ben is not better than Terry and of course the myth that the Steelers defense carried them to the 4 Super Bowls continues. The 78 and 79 defenses were old and it was up.to Terry to put up 35 and 31 points in the 2 Super Bowls to carry the declining defense. Ben has never been good in any of his Super Bowls much less thrown for 4 YRs in a game like Terry did or have a 100 QB rating in any of them, Terry had a rating of at least 100 in ALL of them. On the biggest stage Terry was the best QB all four times, on the same stage Ben has been horrible to mediocre and played the worst of all the QBs in each game.

Terry led the league in TD passes in 78, something Ben has never close to doing and his stats kept getting better and better as the rules changed. He would dominate the easy NFL if he played today, not even close when comparing the 2.
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Ben wasn't any good in SB43? He should've been the MVP of that game!
 
In the early 70's particularly the first two SB's offense was so,so but the defense was mind boggling. Most likely the best defense ever assembled. Now the later half of the 70's last two SB wins the offense became dominant as the defense was aging. I would say though that the 76 team that didn't qaulify for the SB that lost to the Raiders in the AFCC game in Oakland minus Franco and Rocky do to injuries, may have been their best team ever. The defense was still playing at a high level and the offense had caught up with the emergence of Swanny and Stallworth,Benny Cunningham at TE, Franco and Rocky at RB. Bradshaw finally had the full and firm grasp on the offense that Chuck had always hoped he would and was playing at a high level. That team was great but losing two RB's for a playoff game was just too much to overcome. But to try and compare that era teams to this team is just not something that can be done I don't believe. The rules were so much different then. You didn't have the protection of the players especially the QB protection that you have today. Those players then were out to hurt the other team and QB was the prime target. The better question would be could these guys have played back then? Could you imaging Tom Bwady playing in the 70's? Or some of these diva receivers? Those kind of players would have had bulls eyes all over them for the bad ***** you had playing back then.
 
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