Greatest Play in Steelers History

[RuthlessBurgher]

starting something... winning something... something on the line... those are the determining factors for me... Swannies catch may be one of the the coolest plays, but, it wasn't a game winner, etc.

Immaculate reception was sort of the "getting over the hump, starting of a dynasty" play. And well, Holmes's play won the freaking super bowl. Those two plays are in the debate and any other play is an "also ran". There are a lot of very good plays, but, i can't think of another play that I would throw in there.

The Harrison INT was a 14 point swing in the biggest of big games at a crucial time, though. First of all, he prevented a Cardinal TD at the end of the half (or at the very least, a PAT-length FG) and then Deebo and his convoy of blockers were able to just squeak into the end zone for a TD of our own (which was huge, since there wasn't any time left to attempt a FG if he were tackled in the red zone instead of the end zone). The fact that it was a "feel" play in which he had a hunch to drop instead of rush like the playcall called for, and that an urge to practice INT return blocking woke Mike Tomlin up at night during that week makes it go down in all time NFL lore. Santonio dropped an easier catch the play before his TD, and was given another chance to make up for it...Harrison didn't have a second chance...he made the most of his one chance the first time.

[Slapstick]

The Harrison INT was the difference in that game. Period.

[Discipline of Steel]

Harris had a gift TD drop in his hands....could have happened for any of the downfield receivers on the field at the time.
Harrison manufactured every inch of his TD from beginning to end out of his will to persevere.

[feltdizz]

Harris had a gift TD drop in his hands....could have happened for any of the downfield receivers on the field at the time.
Harrison manufactured every inch of his TD from beginning to end out of his will to persevere.

Gift TD? Franco wasnt in the end zone when he caught it and no other WR had a chance to catch it.

Harrison definitely made in an impressive play but he had help along the way.

[feltdizz]

The Harrison INT was the difference in that game. Period.

and so was the TD by Franco. If JH doesnt score or if he drops rhe INT and they kick a FG, who knows if its really the difference in the game.

[Ghost]

The sheer improbability of the imaculate reception makes it the greatest. The others plays were fantastic football plays made by talented players. But 4th down, less than 25 seconds, Bradshaw scrambling and throws the ball to Fuqua, it rebounds and gets scooped inches from the ground and the Franco carries it in for the winning TD. Come on, if it was a movie it would not be believable.

NFL Films named it the greatest play in the history of the NFL. Easily the greatest in Steelers History.

[hawaiiansteel]

The sheer improbability of the imaculate reception makes it the greatest. The others plays were fantastic football plays made by talented players. But 4th down, less than 25 seconds, Bradshaw scrambling and throws the ball to Fuqua, it rebounds and gets scooped inches from the ground and the Franco carries it in for the winning TD. Come on, if it was a movie it would not be believable.

NFL Films named it the greatest play in the history of the NFL. Easily the greatest in Steelers History.

$$$$$

[Northern_Blitz]

The sheer improbability of the imaculate reception makes it the greatest. The others plays were fantastic football plays made by talented players. But 4th down, less than 25 seconds, Bradshaw scrambling and throws the ball to Fuqua, it rebounds and gets scooped inches from the ground and the Franco carries it in for the winning TD. Come on, if it was a movie it would not be believable.

NFL Films named it the greatest play in the history of the NFL. Easily the greatest in Steelers History.

And, while I absolutely love the Harrison interception, it might not even be the most important play of that game.

[Slapstick]

Not the most important play of the game? Now you are just talking crazy....

[papillon]

People tend to forget the Steelers lost the following week after the Immaculate Reception to the Miami Dolphins.

I was at both games. The madness that ensued after Franco's improbable catch and run was scary. My friend and I were in the 5th deck (yellow seats at Three Rivers) and in the first row and in the corner of the end zone into which Franco ran. When he scored we thought we were going to die, fans were pushing forward to try and see, I thought for sure that two young teenagers were going to get pushed over the rail and fall into the lower deck. Once the pandemonium died down we finally started our walk down the ramps, but the place was still buzzing and people were just running around yelling and screaming. I certainly won't ever forget that play.

The following week against Miami, the Steelers were in control of the game until some point in the 2nd quarter and Larry Seiple ran a fake punt for something like 30 yards, it turned the game around completely, even though the Steelers took the lead 10-7 in the third quarter. The defense was winning battles against the Dolphins offense until that fake punt.

A few other things happened to the Steelers that day that people forget.

1) Bradshaw was injured in the first quarter and didn't return until the 4th and threw 2 interceptions with the score 21-17.
2) Ham had an interception negated by a penalty, ultimately the drive ended in points for Miami

The Steelers were clearly a young team and made too many mistakes to beat the Dolphins. I believe the Steelers were the better team, but the Dolphins more experienced and very good in their own right, obviously, they ended up 17-0.

Pappy

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I was at both games. The madness that ensued after Franco's improbable catch and run was scary. My friend and I were in the 5th deck (yellow seats at Three Rivers) and in the first row and in the corner of the end zone into which Franco ran. When he scored we thought we were going to die, fans were pushing forward to try and see, I thought for sure that two young teenagers were going to get pushed over the rail and fall into the lower deck. Once the pandemonium died down we finally started our walk down the ramps, but the place was still buzzing and people were just running around yelling and screaming. I certainly won't ever forget that play.

The following week against Miami, the Steelers were in control of the game until some point in the 2nd quarter and Larry Seiple ran a fake punt for something like 30 yards, it turned the game around completely, even though the Steelers took the lead 10-7 in the third quarter. The defense was winning battles against the Dolphins offense until that fake punt.

A few other things happened to the Steelers that day that people forget.

1) Bradshaw was injured in the first quarter and didn't return until the 4th and threw 2 interceptions with the score 21-17.
2) Ham had an interception negated by a penalty, ultimately the drive ended in points for Miami

The Steelers were clearly a young team and made too many mistakes to beat the Dolphins. I believe the Steelers were the better team, but the Dolphins more experienced and very good in their own right, obviously, they ended up 17-0.

Pappy

Good memories. That was an exciting time for Steelers fans!

[RuthlessBurgher]

Since Pappy is recounting his experiences at the Immaculate Reception game, I guess I'll rehash some memories from my experience at SBXLIII. I was seated in the end zone where Harrison scored on his INT (but in the other corner). When he picked off the pass 100+ yards away from me at the other end of the field diagnonally away from me, pandemonium broke out. I saw that it was Harrison who picked it off, but it looked like he handed the ball off to the speedier Deshea Townsend as he started to sprint down the sidelines. It wasn't until he reached about midfield that I realized that Harrison still had the ball himself. When he somersaulted into the end zone it was pandemonium once again. You had the original roar when the pick happened, then everyone screaming "go, go, go" all the way down, and finally another roar when he reached the end zone. At that moment, the Super Bowl wasn't some corporate gig populated by mostly business bigwigs rather than diehard football fans...it was an absolute madhouse...as crazy as anything I've experienced in huge playoff games back at Heinz full of our fans and only our fans.

The Santonio catch was also in the opposite end zone from me. I had a clear view straight down the Steeler sideline for it, though. His previous drop the play before was in the opposite corner diagonal from where I was sitting. When he caught it, it certainly looked like two feet were down from my vantage point (an unblocked perspective, albeit from quite far away), so we were jumping up and down, high fiving, hugging those around us, the whole thing. However, then we had to wait for the replay confirmation from the ref to be 100% sure, which made the result somewhat anticlimactic by comparison. When the ref raised his arms, we celebrated again. But then there was still time on the clock. When Woodley ultimately stripsacked Warner a few plays later and we recovered the fumble, we celebrated yet again. When the ref confirmed that it was Steeler ball, we celebrated one more time. When we came out in victory formation, more celebration still. Although the Santonio catch may seem more vital to the victory because we needed to regain the lead with less than a minute to go, all of those other supplementary things (needed replay review, still time on the clock, need a defensive stop to clinch, etc.) made the Harrison play (which ended with the clock at 0:00) more satisfying overall. Plus, so much had to happen just right for it to occur, making it that much more remarkable.

[Slapstick]

Since Pappy is recounting his experiences at the Immaculate Reception game, I guess I'll rehash some memories from my experience at SBXLIII. I was seated in the end zone where Harrison scored on his INT (but in the other corner). When he picked off the pass 100+ yards away from me at the other end of the field diagnonally away from me, pandemonium broke out. I saw that it was Harrison who picked it off, but it looked like he handed the ball off to the speedier Deshea Townsend as he started to sprint down the sidelines. It wasn't until he reached about midfield that I realized that Harrison still had the ball himself. When he somersaulted into the end zone it was pandemonium once again. You had the original roar when the pick happened, then everyone screaming "go, go, go" all the way down, and finally another roar when he reached the end zone. At that moment, the Super Bowl wasn't some corporate gig populated by mostly business bigwigs rather than diehard football fans...it was an absolute madhouse...as crazy as anything I've experienced in huge playoff games back at Heinz full of our fans and only our fans.

The Santonio catch was also in the opposite end zone from me. I had a clear view straight down the Steeler sideline for it, though. His previous drop the play before was in the opposite corner diagonal from where I was sitting. When he caught it, it certainly looked like two feet were down from my vantage point (an unblocked perspective, albeit from quite far away), so we were jumping up and down, high fiving, hugging those around us, the whole thing. However, then we had to wait for the replay confirmation from the ref to be 100% sure, which made the result somewhat anticlimactic by comparison. When the ref raised his arms, we celebrated again. But then there was still time on the clock. When Woodley ultimately stripsacked Warner a few plays later and we recovered the fumble, we celebrated yet again. When the ref confirmed that it was Steeler ball, we celebrated one more time. When we came out in victory formation, more celebration still. Although the Santonio catch may seem more vital to the victory because we needed to regain the lead with less than a minute to go, all of those other supplementary things (needed replay review, still time on the clock, need a defensive stop to clinch, etc.) made the Harrison play (which ended with the clock at 0:00) more satisfying overall. Plus, so much had to happen just right for it to occur, making it that much more remarkable.

If Harrison doesn't make the INT AND score the TD, it's entirely possible that the Santonio TD takes place in garbage time...

[feltdizz]

Not the most important play of the game? Now you are just talking crazy....

Who was the MVP?

[feltdizz]

If Harrison doesn't make the INT AND score the TD, it's entirely possible that the Santonio TD takes place in garbage time...

true.. but I think that is part of the problem. The play didn't end the game so it's hard for it to top the IR in my opinion.

I won't lie, I screamed go, go, gO, GO, GO, GOOOO! it was an awesome play but by the end of the game i almost forgot it happened because the last 5 minutes were epic.