I've been a Saints fan for quite some time now. Let me tell you, many of those years were very disappointing to say the least. However there was a time as a young man that I remember a group of guys who played for New Orleans, that in my honest opinion were the best group to this day to ever play inthe NFL.
This group of LB's were better known as "The Dome Patrol" and believe me when I say that's exactly what they did. Ricky Jackson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills and Vaughn Johnson, if there was or is at this time a better group, I've never seen nor heard of them.
Rickey Jackson: Arguably, the most prolific Saint of his time frame. The 6-time Pro-Bowler was acquired via the Chuck Muncie trade of 1980, Jackson was a second round pick. He played 13 seasons as a Saint and still holds the team career record of 123 sacks. He started 195 games in a Saint uniform. In his entire career, he missed only 2 games due to injury. And those were due to an auto accident he suffered in 1989. He played the greater part of that season with a wired jaw- and still recorded 7 1/2 sacks.
As a rookie in 1981, he led the team in sacks with 8. He also recorded 125 tackles and 10 passes defensed. He either led, or shared the team lead in sacks 6 times as a Saint. A seven time Pro-Bowler, he had 2 different games with 4 sacks during his career. Against Atlanta in 1986, and Detroit in 1988. In 1987, he chalked up three sacks against Cincinnati.
During his first Pro-Bowl year, in 1983, he had 11 sacks on the year, with three different games with at least two sacks. In 1984, his second Pro-Bowl year, he led all NFL linebackers with 12 sacks, had at least 1 sack in 10 different games, 16 passes defensed on the year and 4 fumble recoveries. Against the Rams,he had 11 solo tackles.
In 1985, the year of his third Pro-Bowl, Jackson had 3 games with 2 sacks and 11 on the year, 107 tackles and 15 passes defensed. In 1986, he had 114 stops (11 in the same Atlanta game where he had 4 sacks), and 6 forced fumbles on the year. In 1989, following the accident, he was supposed to miss 4-6 weeks. He was out only 2. In the third game after his return, against the Jets, he recorded 7 tackles and 2 sacks. Against Detroit, in game 13, he had another 2 sacks.
Following the 1993 season, Rickey's contract expired in 1993 and he opted to sign on with the San Francisco 49ers. He became the starter for their 1994 Super Bowl Championship team.
Pat Swilling: A 3rd round draft pick in 1986 from Georgia Tech, Pat Swilling had 15 sacks his senior season playing defensive end. His rookie season was uneventful as he played mostly on special teams.
By his second season, he earned the starting right outside linebacker spot, leading the team with 10.5 sacks. In 1988, he had a three-sack day and forced 2 fumbles against the Giants. In 1989 he made the Pro Bowl while setting a new team record of 16.5 sacks on the season. That year he had 2 consecutive 3 sack games, against the Rams and Falcons. In 1991 he led the league with 17 sacks and was named NFL Defensive player of the year.
After the 1992 season, Swilling was traded to Detroit. It was with that pick that Willie Roaf was drafted. After 2 seasons in Detroit, Swilling played 3 in Oakland before retiring in 1999 after 12 years in the NFL.
Sam Mills: Mills had been an All-American at Division II sized Montclair State when he tried out with the Cleveland Browns in 1981. After being cut by the Browns, he then tried to find a spot with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts and failed to make the team with them. He was teaching high school in 1982 when he made the roster of Jim Mora's Philadelphia Stars of the USFL. The Stars made it to the league title game three times while winning the championship twice. Mills was the leading tackler in each of those three years. When Mora took over the Saints, Mills was immediately brought on board in 1986. By week 4, Mills was the starting linebacker and would hold that position until 1994.
At 5 foot, 9inches, Sam Mills was one of the smallest men to play linebacker in the NFL. Proving that big things can come in small packages, Mills was named to 5 Pro Bowls with the Saints. He led the team in tackles in 1989.
In 1995, Mills joined the expansion Carolina Panthers and intercepted the pass that set up the Panthers' first-ever win against the Jets. The teams leading tackler in 1995 and 1996, he made the Pro-Bowl in 1996.
After retiring after the 1996 season, he continued as a coach with the Panthers' organization and is currently the only member of the Panthers Hall of Fame.
In 2003, Sam was diagnosed with intestinal cancer and continued to coach for the Panthers until he passed away in April of 2005. R.I.P. and we will always love you in the "Big Easy."
Vaughn Johnson: Johnson played college ball at North Carolina state. Like teammate Sam Mills, Vaughn Johnson had a sensational career in the USFL, tallying 154 tackles in 1984 with the Jacksonville Bulls. Johnson was chosen number 1 by the Saints in the 1985 Supplemental Draft. By 1987 he had become one of the starting inside linebackers, leading the team with 87 tackles. In 1988 he had an 18-tackle game against the Redskins in route to leading the team in tackles again with 114, along with 2 sacks and an interception for the season, and he was named to the Sports Illustrated All-Pro team.
He was named All-Pro every year from 1989 to 1992, but he left the Saints after the 1993 season and had a brief stay with the Philadelphia Eagles.
There simply was none better as a unit than these men were. Rickey Jackson continues to be on the official ballot for the NFL hall of fame. Why he hasn't been elected yet is beyond me. This unit was so good that they all played in the 1992 Pro Bowl. They will forever live on in Saints lore. Though they had limited success during their time here, other than the 2006 Saints I can't think of a better time to be a Saints fan. They are the epitome of the "Who dat Nation" and I'm proud to be part of that myself.
moseby,
I respect your opinion on that and I'm sure a lot of fans will agree with you.
However the NFL network agrees with me as well. They were ranked as the best ever. Just like the video states, nobody takes into consideration the D-line that the Steelers had. These guys basicly did things by themselves.
Last edited by gambitxxx on July 15th at 10:09 AM.
Those guys were fun to watch play. Being a Bucs fan I am glad we didn't have to play you guys twice a year back then. I did not know about Sam, my condolences.
I respect your opinion on the Saints LB unit... I also have to respect moseby on that great Steelers unit, but...
I've gotta go with the New York Giants unit of Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson and Brad Van Pelt. It's darn tough to name anyone else on that defense. I think you know I'm certainly not a Giant fan. Back in the day I hated it when the Niners had to face those Giants. They completely changed the game...
Another top unit was Mike Singletary and the '85 Bears...
aero,
Yeah they were very fun and great to watch. To bad we didn't have an offense then. Which always seems to be the Saints problem. We always have one but not the other.
Dwindy,
LT and Carson were very good. LT being arguably the single best at the LB position. Pelt however was average and nothing special in my opinion anyway. However there wree a few good players on defense for those Giants. As I said to moseby the Saints Unit of LB's done things on their own. They willed the Saints to a division title without an offense or another high profile player on defense.
Watch the video and it clearly shows and states why they were considerd the best by many. Even the players of other teams and coaches agreed they were the best unit.
However your opinion is respected as well. Singletary was da Man!
gambit, I do happen to know that the NFL Network did a top 10 linebacking units show, and they picked the Saints unit over the Steelers (#2). So even they agree with you. I will say that unit made the Saints a playoff team during the 80s and early 90s. They just didn't have Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, and that Steelers' O to win come playoff time. But that unit has to rank among the best of all time.
Btw, I'll Foxmail you after I write my post today.
Well wrote man! If we would have had that defense with todays offense there would be no stopping the black and gold. I remember that 88 squad going 12-4 and the streets were empty on Sundays and the Barooms were to capacity. Those were some fun times to be a Saints fan. Thanks for the trip down memory lane man!
Downs,
I placed that video in this post. Not sure if you seen it or not but it's there. As you said they didn't have the complete team that some others like the steelers had. thx for stopping by and commenting.
h8t3D1,
thx I appreciate that and also for your loyalty. In the video Roger Craig says that if they had an offense they could have easily one 3-4 Super bowls. Those were some great times even though they always ended in heart break. You are very welcome. Thx for reading and commenting.
Great post! I remember some of those great defensive battles. I used to live for those 3rd and long situations, wondering which would get to the QB first, #56 or #57. There was one game in either '91 or '92 where the Saints held their opponent to no offensive snaps on the Saints' side of the field. They were such a dominant force. I'm not sure we'll ever see a group as good as those guys were.
The perfect breakfast as I see it.
You’re sitting at the table and your son is on the cover of Wheaties, your mistress is on the cover of Playboy, and your wife is on the back of the milk carton.
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