Quote:An interesting subject came up on the Jaguars forum that got me thinking.

 

If a game was played between the 1979 Steelers and the 1999 Broncos (both winners of the Super Bowl in their respective years), which team would win and why?

 

The two teams are very different between two decades.  Compare any 1970's team that won the Super Bowl back then and have them play a Super Bowl winner 20 or 30 years later.

 

Of course, there is the caveat of "which rules to play by".  Football back in the '70's was much different than it is today.

Actually, Denver won their Super Bowls in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. 

 

The tacks went to the Super Bowl in the 1999 season.

 

To the crux of your question:  I think Pittsburgh would win, if you somehow equalized the differences in size the eras had.

 

First, that Steelers team had some 9 Hall of Famers:  Bradshaw, Harris, Swann, Stallworth, Webster, Greene, Greenwood, Ham, Lambert and Blount.  What's more, there has been an argument made (with merit) that a tenth, S Donnie Shell, should be in that group.  He was a 5 time pro bowler and 3 time first team All Pro.   As worthy a team as that 98 Broncos team was, that accumulation of talent does not come close to that 1979 Steelers team.

 

Secondly, that Steelers team won under the same rules liberalizing pass blocking and instituting the one chuck rule that Denver won their Super Bowls.  In fact, that "one chuck" rule is often called the "Mel Blount" rule, because he was so big and so physical with receivers, guys could not get open.  In any event, the Steelers team referenced here won the first two Super Bowls played after that once chuck rule was instituted.

 

I could see whomever Mel Blount covered on a play (Ed McCaffrey or Rod Smith) being severely limited-even under the one chuck rule, because if nothing else, his ability to jam at the LOS would effectively ruin the timing of any pattern his man was running, Elway would have to eliminate him as an option.

 

As to Shannon Sharpe, he was a matchup nightmare for most defenses.  But I think Ham and to a lesser degree Lambert excelled in pass drops, and Shell was no slouch in coverage, either.  Over the years, he had to cover great TEs like Russ Francis, Dave Casper and Mike Barber.

 

Denver's secondary wasn't that great on that 1998 team, either, and I could see Bradshaw, Swann and Stallworth having big games against that defense if given the time.

 

The one matchup edge I could see Denver having in that game would be their defensive line against the Steelers' offensive line in terms of rushing the passer.  I could see Neil Smith having a big game against those Steelers' tackles.

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