The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2008 defense was one of, if not the greatest defense in NFL history. It allowed a league-low 3.9 yards per snap and just 13.9 points per game. All 11 starters were rock-solid players, but the unit was highlighted by ILB James Farrior, S Troy Polamalu, and OLB James Harrison. The Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl, but the performance of one player in particular played a large role in getting them there. OLB LaMarr Woodley tied the NFL record for the most sacks in a single postseason with six and still holds that spot in the record books.
He had a pair of sacks in each game, and each of those drives ended in a punt or a turnover. Considering the Super Bowl was won by just four points, that played a huge role in securing the Steelers’ sixth and most recent Lombardi Trophy.
Our very own Alex Kozora and Dave Bryan had the privilege of interviewing former Steelers defensive coordinator and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau on Tuesday’s episode of The Terrible Podcast about his new book that is centered on the 2008 defense. He was asked what powered LaMarr Woodley’s stellar playoff performance.
“Well, probably if you give me just two words, I’d say James Harrison is what made LaMarr Woodley,” LeBeau said. “Harrison that year won the most valuable defensive player in the National Football League, and going back through that season, it was awesome. The plays that he made game in and game out…But between James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, we had the perfect outside situation that you wanna have when you’re playing 3-4 defense with three down linemen and four linebackers.”
I don’t think this was intended to take anything away from Woodley’s accomplishments, but more so to shower praise on the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. Harrison was an absolute force that season. Teams had to commit a ton of attention to taking him away, which opened up opportunities for the rest of the defense.
Harrison, for comparison, had just one sack during the three postseason games the Steelers played that year. That lone sack came in the Super Bowl itself, the game in which he made arguably the best play in the game’s history with his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Reviewing the sacks from the above video, Harrison wasn’t necessarily given any extra attention by the opposition. Woodley earned those sacks the hard way with brute strength and a good motor to work toward the quarterback.
He entered the league as a defensive end from Michigan, so he was an oversized 3-4 outside linebacker. He had great footwork and athleticism from his basketball background, and the Steelers turned him into one of the better edge rushers in the league over a four-year span from 2008-2011.
“The thing about LaMarr, and it was not only true in that particular season, he played his best statistical games in the playoff games. He was remarkable,” LeBeau said. “He was still a young player then, and the whole team, they fed off one another, and no one cared who got the sack. They just wanted to make it for the defense, and that was their strongest suit, no doubt.”
Nobody wanted to play that Steelers defense in 2008. They were well-coached, had plenty of personality, and the physicality of players like Woodley and Harrison made them a group to be feared.
