Best Plays Under The Chin - Listmania #4

In no particular order, I decided to list the the most memorable plays and scenes to me from the Bill Cowher years. I am probably going to forget a few since this is off the top of my head, but I thought it would be a fun exercise and a brain break in the middle of my day. Feel free to share your own or add comments if I made you remember something.

I remember the great fake punt call in Cowher's first game as a head coach. I was at my grandmother's house watching that game. I remember it like it was yesterday. Hard to believe it's 15 years later.

I remember watching a Monday Night Football game against the Bills in the early 90's with two friends from my hometown - even though we were 300 miles away in a crappy 1 bedroom apartment. I remember Don Beebe catching a pass near the sideline and almost being killed by one Gary Jones. I remember the three of us "Ooooh'ing" and "Aaaaah'ing" so loudly that the single spinster that lived below me started beating on her ceiling. Man, that was the best hit I remember watching as it happened.

From last year, I remember Jerome Bettis running over Brian Urlacher in a must win game in the snow to help cement the deal of leading the Steelers back to the playoffs and their 5th Super Bowl Championship.

I remember Greg Lloyd taunting Dan Marino in the media before another big Monday Night Football game - saying he was going to knock him out of the game. Almost true to his word, Lloyd came after him extra hard on one play and took him out after the pass had been thrown. Marino grabbed Lloyd's jersey and pulled him in and pushed him away in disgust.

I remember the surprise onside kick in Super Bowl 30 when Deion Figures snared the ball out of mid-air and continued to run even though you can't move it forward once possession is gained. What I really loved about this play was what NFL Films captured while Bill Cowher was miked-up. The exchange between Cowher and Special Teams coach Bobby April to call the play was superb and then Cowher gushing and asking the refs to congratulate and validate the call were priceless.

I remember Willie Williams making a shoestring tackle on 3rd and 1 against the Colts in the 1995 AFC Championship Game that gave us the chance to go to the Super Bowl. If not for that tackle - we're history.

Much like the Ben Roethlisberger tackle of the idiot Colt who got stabbed by his wife in the week leading up to Super Bowl XL. Bettis fumbling going in for the insurance TD gave the Colts new life but Big Ben's backpedalling tackle was something to see.

I remember Hines Ward hurdling two Eagles to get into the endzone at the best game I ever attended. The Steelers were 6-1 and the Eagles I think were 8-0 when they locked up horns in 2004. The Steelers romped as Bettis went wild.

I remember Kordell Stewart's first TD pass against the Browns when he zigzagged around for what seemed like an eternity before finally finding a target to throw to. I also remember Korky hitting Bobby Shaw down the seam in a playoff victory against the Ravens in 2001 to help seal the win.

I remember Rod Woodson pointing to his knee and taunting Michael Irvin after he defended a pass against him in Super Bowl XXX. Irvin earlier said he hoped Rod Woodson would have to cover him on his bad knee. If you remember, Woodson was out since game 1 against Detroit when Barry Sanders made him lose his jock.

I remember "The Chin" acting like he was going to tackle the Jaguar who picked up a blocked FG and was returning it for a TD against the Steelers back in the Jaguars early days. I also remember Cowher stuffing a photo into the shirt pocket of the official that called a penalty for 12 men on the field against them when they only had 11.

I guess that's enough, but I think I could do this all day. Tomorrow - the worst plays I remember.