The 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers were a dominant force, winning four Super Bowls during a six-season span. While those teams had great offensive players, the Steelers were defined by their defense, which has five members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s arguably the best defense in NFL history. However, former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho doesn’t think so, as seen when he was asked to start, bench, and cut the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks’ Legion of Boom, and Steel Curtain defenses.
“I’m starting the Ravens,” Acho said recently on his Speakeasy podcast. “I’m cutting the Steel Curtain, just because the game has evolved. And I’m benching [the Legion of Boom].”
Acho isn’t the only one who thinks that, either.
“I’d probably go same thing,” former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said on the same podcast. “Steel Curtain, it’s just a different time.”
Yes, the NFL is vastly different today compared to the 1970s. Even Terry Bradshaw said that he doesn’t think many of the 70s Steelers would succeed today because of how the game has changed.
However, similar things could be said about the 2000 Ravens. The NFL hasn’t been stagnant over the last 25 years. Specifically, the pass game has hit another level compared to the 2000 season. The league only had three quarterbacks throw for over 4,000 yards that season. Compare that to last year when six quarterbacks topped that mark.
That isn’t to disparage the 2000 Ravens defense. However, it goes to show that it might not be fair to judge the 70s Steelers defenses based on today’s standards. It was a top-five defense in points allowed for six years that decade. That includes being first twice and second three times.
The 2000 Ravens and the Legion of Boom were both legendary defenses. However, they didn’t dominate as long as the Steel Curtain did. That’s also a product of the times, with free agency not what it is today. Still, that shouldn’t take away from what the Steel Curtain did.
There are valid reasons to pick the 2000 Ravens and the Legion of Boom over the Steel Curtain. However, it’s not necessarily fair to judge them based on today’s NFL. The Steel Curtain crushed opposing offenses for most of a decade, winning four championships. That kind of success is rarely seen in the NFL.
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