As a part of the NFL's 100th season the league recently highlighted the NFL 100 Greatest Plays, with Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception taking top honors, and the NFL 100 Greatest Games, where the Steelers were once again featured, and the NFL 100 Greatest Characters, highlighting Steelers players and coaches, and NFL 100 Game Changers, with late Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney one of them.
Last week four of the six Steelers Super Bowl teams were part of the NFL 100 Greatest Teams, the final installment of the features. And this week the other two Super Bowl teams (X and XIII) are in the Top 30.
No. 10 - 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl X Champions
The Steelers won back-to-back Super Bowls when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 21-17, in Super Bowl X.
The Steelers found success thanks to a dominating defense, dubbed the Steel Curtain, and an offense that could beat you in the air or on the ground. In eight games opponents were held to 10 points or less as they cruised to a 12-2 record and the defense was ranked No. 2 in the NFL. Mel Blount led the defense and was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year.
Not to be outdone, the Steelers ground game behind Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier was also ranked No. 2 in the NFL. Emerging stars Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, both in their second season, also put on quite a show.
The Steelers hosted the Baltimore Colts in the AFC Divisional Round, coming back from behind for a 28-10 win with an amazing 211 yards rushing. The next week they hosted the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship game, defeating them, 10-16. The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl X.
No. 3 - 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl XIII Champions
It was another Super Bowl season for the Steelers, who defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII.
The Steelers finished the season 14-2, the first year the NFL expanded to a 16-game season. They outscored their opponents 356-195, the points allowed ranking first in the NFL.
The defense continued to dominate, forcing an NFL high 48 turnovers on the year, and the offense was led again by All-Pro and future Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
In the postseason the Steelers defeated the Denver Broncos, the team that had knocked them out of the playoffs the year before, and then downed the Houston Oilers, 34-5, in a game where the defense caused nine turnovers. They went on to defeat the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII, the second win over the Cowboys in a Super Bowl.
