Ah Yes, nothing like throwing out predictions about the 2011 NFL season about two weeks after the 2010 season comes to a close. I have seen more coverage about what teams are going to do what in 8 months than a I care to shake a stick at. Nevertheless, CBS’ Clark Judge (solid writer) has his “Five teams on the Wane,” and the Steelers have made the list.
Now we get to my wild card. The Steelers are one of the most consistent, most stable and most successful ballclubs out there. But they’re also one of the most predictable. Look what happened the last time they went to the Super Bowl. That was 2008. They didn’t reach the playoffs the following season. Now look at the Super Bowl before that. That was 2005. They not only missed the playoffs the following season; they didn’t win more than they lost. I think you see where I’m going here. The Steelers suffer Super Bowl hangovers, and maybe it’s different now because they didn’t win Super Bowl XLV, but I don’t think so. It’s not just the Steelers’ Super Bowl funk that concerns me; it’s that the NFL is cruel to Super Bowl losers in general. Of the past 10 clubs that lost the game, only three made it to the playoffs the following season. Combine that with an aging Steelers defense, and you have a ready-made case for Pittsburgh spending next January at home — and I don’t mean Heinz Field.
What I like: The stability of this organization and the success of its quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger is 10-3 in the playoffs, 2-1 in Super Bowls) and head coach (5-2 in the playoffs). I also like Dick LeBeau returning for a year to coach the defense. Nobody does it better.
What I don’t: An ordinary offensive line, an aging defense and Pittsburgh’s recent post-Super Bowl history. The Steelers play in a tough division, where bottom feeders Cincinnati and Cleveland are bound to improve and Baltimore is always a tough out. But this isn’t about them. It’s about Pittsburgh, and I’ll trust history here.
Verdict: I know it doesn’t make sense to put these guys on the sidelines, but it didn’t make sense to put San Diego or Minnesota there a year ago, either. There are always playoff surprises, and the Steelers were one of them when they sat out the postseason following their past two Super Bowl appearances. I believe in history, and I trust trends — which means I believe Pittsburgh misses the playoffs.
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SB Steelers
February 18, 2011 at 1:31 am
One thing about making predictions after causally observing football predictors since the Jimmy-the-Greek days, is that those who make predictions are almost always wrong.
What I believe is different about the upcoming season versus the previous 2 times the Steelers were in the Super Bowl is that they did not win this year. No matter what anybody says, winning can breed complacency and everyone knows what happens then. So the fact that the Steelers didn’t win this past season, and that they seem to draft well, they sign a UFA or two, then who knows? It’ll be up for grabs. The point is the Steelers know their strengths and weaknesses better than any prognosticator. They know where their holes are and as a fan since the mid 1960’s, I can rest assured they will take care of those holes either via FA signing or draft. I’ve heard it a thousand times, they can’t run, they run too much, they pass too much, their secondary is weak, the LBs aren’t what they used to be, their QB is average, he holds onto the ball too long, he fumbles too much, and so on and so on.
George H
February 18, 2011 at 8:58 am
Even with all of those negatives we all hear, the Steelers still went 12-4 and made it to the Superbowl
Dave B.
February 21, 2011 at 8:51 pm
The Steelers suffered Super Bowl Hangovers after winning them . The 2010 team lost and a couple of Steelers one of which was James Farrior have said they have already started training for the 2011 season .That tells me they are hungry and they know they were a touchdown away from winning they’re third Super Bowl in the last six years . They may not win the big one next year , but to say they are not even a playoff team is LUDICROUS ! By the way ,Mike Tomlin announced today that he expects all of his injured players to be ready to go by the start of training camp .