Providence SteamRollers
Coaching Staff:
1 HC Chuck Noll
1 OC Mike Shanahan
1 DC Wade Phillips
Offence:
QB Steve Young
RB Earl Campbell
FB Marion Motley
WR Reggie Wayne
WR Rod Smith
WR Harold Carmichael
TE Shannon Sharpe
LT Jim Tyrer
LG Conrad Dobler
C Tom Nalen
RG Larry Little
RT Forrest Gregg
3RB Roger Craig
2TE Riley Odoms
Defence:
F7 Too Tall Jones
F7 Ndamukong Suh
F7 Mean Joe Greene
F7 Chris Doleman
F7 Chris Hanburger
F7 Mike Singletary
F7 Lawrence Taylor
CB Champ Bailey
CB Ken Riley
FS Larry Wilson
SS Steve Atwater
5B Louis Wright
Special Teams:
K Mark Moseley
P Sean Landetta
KR Devin Hester
ST Steve Tasker
I've got a power running offense with a hard-hitting attacking defense and almost every player is an old school rough and tumble type if not down right dirty. The Steamrollers will live up to their name.
Coaching: Chuck Noll created a defense that terrorize the league to an extent sweeping rule changes were necessary then adapted by winning two more titles in the pass happy era.
Offense: Mike Shannahan's run blocking scheme could get a cadaver (AKA Tatum Bell) over 1,000 yards in a 16 game season. All the receivers were also accomplished down field blockers. Put the pure power of Earl Campbell and Marion Motley you will have something akin to Terrell Davis' MVP season. Odoms also make for a terrifying Double TE set like Gronk/Hernandez without the gang banging… either kind.
This opens up play action and roll outs for Young who has big guys to target with his trade mark efficiency and an accomplished receiver back in Craig. Probably have enough talent to run a wishbone set.
LT Tyrer ---- LG Dobler ---- C Nalen ----RG Little ---- RT Gregg --- TE Sharpe
WR Wayne QB Young WR Smith
FB Motley RB Campbell
3WR Carmichael 3RB Craig 2TE Odoms 4WR Hester 5WR Tasker
Defense:
Wade Phillips runs an attacking defense that will be all over the opposition and hitting hard. With the exception of Champ all the guy on D were terrors on opposing offenses. With Champ I have one of the best cover men ever to get the rest of the guys time to kill the ball carrier.
LE Jones ---- LT Suh ---- RT Greene ---- RE Doleman
LLB Hanburger ---- MLB Singletary ---- RLB Taylor
CB Bailey---- S Wilson ---- S Atwater ---- CB Riley
NB Wright
Special Teams: I get a bit of field position edge here with est return man ever in Hester and a gunner in Tasker to pin the ball deep.
Roster:
Lawrence Taylor: Possibly greatest defender ever, certainly the best rusher. Broke Joe Theismann. Beat on Ron Jaworski like a dog.
Mean Joe Greene: What does it say that on a legendary defense full of Hall of Famers, Mean Joe is the undoubted best? Using him to stunt with LT and Doleman charging in after him will burst any oline
Chris Doleman: 7th all time in Sacks. Practicing opposite of Gary Zimmerman honed his kills. Also has some ballhawk skills with 8 ints and 24 fumble recoveries.
Ndamukong Suh: He’s roll into someone’s knees or step on someone.
Too Tall Jones: Best pure Right End ever? Managed 106 career sacks despite playing in the QBs face and taking a year off his prime to box. I think if stat whackers would take a deep dive into his career he would get more credit. His nonsack ability to disrupt with Swats, Hurries and QB hits would make his impact better known.
Mike Singletary:
I rest my case
Chris Hanburger: The Hangman. Another dirty player I collected. The name that begat a playing style, he wasn’t just neck tackles. John Hannah called him the smartest player in football. Somebody I can see blowing up a screen or covering a TE.
Champ Bailey: the lockdown corner I can put on the stud WR while my front line gets to the QB
Ken Riley: The Rattler finally getting his due with a posthumous induction to the Hall. 5th in career ints.
Louis Wright: Like the rest of the Orange Crush, overlooked by history. In the Mel Blount bump-n-run mold. Member of the All 70’s team.
Larry Wilson: First do everything safety. Originator of the safety blitz. 52 ints, 21 sacks, 7 returns for a TDs. Tough as hell too, caught an int with two broken arms. Hadd all his teeth pulled.
Steve Atwater: The Pixies to Ed Reed’s Nirvana. The ultimate molar rattler. Ask Christian Okoye about him, he hates that!
Forest Gregg: One of the best run blocking tackles ever. Synonymous with the power sweep. As Lombardi said “We’re going to make a seam here! And a seam here!”
Larry Little: Doorman for Csonka and Mercury Morris. 6th on PFRs HOF meter for guards.
Tom Nalen: 6 different RBs rushed for 1K yards in a season behind him. Complaints were that Denver’s zone blocking scheme was dirty, but it was certainly effective.
Conrad Dobler: Possibly the dirtiest player in the history of the game. Punched, bit and leg whipped himself to three pro bowls. “I’ll do anything I can get away with”.
Jim Tyrer: Remembered mainly for his murder-suicide, was a great tackle.
Steve Young: For my purposes here, I envision using his scrambling ability and ball control to keep the opposing D tired and on the field. Being a southpaw always added a bit of confusion. To the proceedings. Good mix of short and long ball ability.
Earl Campbell: Only two things could stop the Tyler Rose: The Steel Curtain and Astroturf. Most powerful runner ever.
Marion Motley: Another great power runner. Also could block. Lynch pin of Paul Brown’s AAFC dynasty.
Roger Craig: Will function as a long back here. Had good speed and one of the best receiving RBS ever. First guy to go 1000-1000.
Reggie Wayne: All around stud receiver who will serve as my long ball threat. Also for purposes of the Steamrollers was a good down field blocker.
Rod Smith: Lightning Rod. Clutch possession receiver who took pride in the thankless job of down field blocking. I’m not sure who said it but they pointed out about possession receivers being iffy hall candidates that it was absurd that it was widely recognized to be a tougher job than being a speedster, but somehow less worth of recommendation.
Harrold Carmichael: 6’8” target that allowed for just chucking the ball high because who was going to get up there with him? Would probably be a TE in todays game.
Shannon Sharpe: Revitalized the TE position was a huge match up problem. A part of Denver’s zone blocking dominance. Also will get opponents steaming mad with his mouth. He can recite Derrick Thomas’ girlfriends phone number to him.
Riley Odoms: Kind of a forgotten player. He is of the Hybrid tackle/receiver class of the 70’s. He was an absolute wrecking ball during the day. Came back from the 82 strike out of shape and that was pretty much it for him. Never had great QB play to feed him (Craig Morton). 16th on the TE HOF monitor.
Devin Hester: Greatest returner ever. Ran back 19 kicks. Also a decent receiver so if I have to run an empty back field. Should get me some short fields
Steve Tasker: Best special teams gunner ever. Helps field position by suppressing returners deep. Also a an emergency WR.
Mark Mosely: Only Kicker to win MVP
Sean Landetta: Reliable punting mainstay and the last USFLer to retire. Can still hear Pat Summerall calling out his name
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Duluth Eskimos:
Coaching Staff:
1 HC Bill Walsh
1 OC Blanton Collier
1 DC Bud Grant
Offence:
QB Sammy Baugh or Fran Tarkenton
RB Walter Payton
WR Steve Largent
WR Julio Jones
WR Del Shofner
TE Tony Gonzalez
LT Joe Stydahar
LG John Hannah
C Mel Hein
RG Dick Stanfel
RT Jim Parker
Util Fran Tarkenton or Sammy Baugh
Util Cookie Gilchrist (RB/LB)
Util John Riggins (FB)
Util Bob St. Clair (OL)
Defence:
RE Julius Peppers
DT Art Donovan
DT Randy White
LE Calais Campbell
OLB Sam Huff
MLB: Ray Lewis
OLB Khalil Mack
CB Lemar Parrish
CB: Ronde Barber
FS John Lynch
SS Jack Christiansen
Util Shaquille Leonard (LB)
Util Jerry Mays (DE/DT)
Util Deron Cherry (DB)
ST:
K Mike Vanderjagt
P (Sammy Baugh)
##
With pioneers in the coaching staff - Bill Walsh and Blanton Collier - one in the passing game, one in the running game and in the preparation game, backing the most versatile roster in the game, there are a lot of options for this team.
Relative to peers the Eskimos feature a player that is the best of all time or in the discussion for best of all time at:
QB - Sammy Baugh
RB - Walter Payton
TE - Tony Gonzalez
G - John Hannah
C - Mel Hein (the league's first ever MVP -as a center!)
DT - Randy White
LB - Ray Lewis
P - Sammy Baugh
The entire offensive line spent the majority of their respective careers as First-Team All Pros or equivalent.
Two mobile quarterbacks, statistically versus their peers, in the top 5 of all time, and the versatility of Baugh to play virtually any position with excellence. We have the arm talent, the mobility, the speed, the ability to throw on the run that can't be matched.
We have super smart possession receivers that can block in Steve Largent, Julio Jones and Del Shofner. All of which have absurd peaks. Plus Tony Gonzalez, easily, the best TE of all time.
On defense, the ferocious front 7 would be a lot to handle off the edge, but with the run stopping ability in the middle of two of the best in Donovan and White.
The linebacking core is literally a murderer's row. Khalil Mack was a killer, Sam Huff was so violent that CBS made a documentary about his truculence back when air time was quite scarce. And Ray Lewis, the best LB of all time, is literally also a murderer. If anyone gets suspended (or jailed) Shaquille Leonard has their back.
Ronde Barber effectively invented the nickel corner position. His chemistry with John Lynch, the versatile safety, on one of the better defenses in recent memory should contain other clubs' passing attacks.
Vanderjagt has the big leg and was, to date, the best kicker ever when he called it quits. Hit 100% of his kicks at a time where 90% was considered amazing.
Not that this team will need to punt because of its unique ability to pick up short yardage situations, but Sammy Baugh was the 6x best punter in the league at the least. In fact, his punting average in 1940 was the all time record for a season until it was broken last year by a yard and a half by Ryan Stonehouse.
It felt like half of these players were the best returners in the league - Jack Christiansen certainly was - but many of these players were two-way players, they returned kicks, returned punts, kicked, punted, hell, our RB threw 9 TD passes in his career and played QB for a half when one QB got hurt (and the other pulled for Payton).
On top of all of this, we have the discipline of Bud Grant and leadership of players like Ray Lewis to keep our heads on straight.
I don't think we're going to get an official count, but looking around, I'd be really, really surprised if there's a team with more first-team all pro selections than this one.
