The Pittsburgh Steelers were the undisputed NFL team of the 1970s. With eight straight trips to the playoffs and four Super Bowl wins, no other team comes close.

But team founder and former owner Art Rooney Sr. went on record as saying the 1976 team, which lost in the AFC Championship game, was the best Steelers team of all time.

Few agree with that. Most people would side with the 1975 or 1978 teams, which went 12-2 and 14-2, respectively, before going on to win the Super Bowl.

But if you go strictly by the numbers, one thing is undeniable — the 1976 team had the best defense in the history of the franchise.

That carries a lot of weight, considering Pittsburgh's defense was feared over most of the decade. You don't acquire a nickname like “Steel Curtain” by chance.

The Steelers entered the 1976 season as two-time defending Super Bowl champs. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw had turned in his best season by far in 1975 and Franco Harris rushed for 1,246 yards and a 4.8-yard average.

And the defense dominated, giving up fewer than 10 points in seven games during the regular season and allowing a total of just 37 points in three postseason games.

But the outlook soon turned dark when the Steelers began 1976 with a 1-4 record. Thoughts of another trip to the playoffs were thought to be dashed when Bradshaw was lost to a neck injury in the fifth game at Cleveland.

This was when the NFL took just eight teams to the postseason — three division winners and a wildcard from both conferences.

Bradshaw ended up missing six games that year and with a raw rookie in Mike Kruczek filling in for him, Pittsburgh needed its defense more than ever.

Over the final nine games that season, the Steelers allowed a total of just 28 points. The run included shutouts over the Giants, Chargers, Chiefs, Buccaneers and Oilers.

In the first meeting with Houston that season, the Oilers managed 16 points in a loss to Pittsburgh. In the other eight games during their nine-game winning streak, the Steelers gave up an astounding 12 points in eight games.

Twelve points in eight games. Let that sink in.

Other great all-time defenses — the Bears in 1985, the Ravens in 2000, the Buccaneers in 2002 — never came close to a run like that.

Of course, each of those teams went on to win the Super Bowl. The '76 Steelers fell short, falling to eventual champ Oakland in the playoffs.

What that year's defense did will never be duplicated. The NFL wants more points on the scoreboard and the rules in place promote that.

Four defensive players from that team are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount. Their supporting cast was a very good one, too.

The effort was the product of talent and desperation coming together and a seemingly lost season turned into one of the most memorable in franchise history.

Derek Pyda is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle