Steelers look to 2005 for inspiration, but should they?
By Matt Shetler
With the Pittsburgh Steelers trying to hold onto the No. 6 playoff spot in the AFC, many comparisons are starting to be made to the 2005 team that went on to win the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy.
That team finished the regular season 11-5, something this team could do if they run the table. That team also made history by becoming the first No. 6 seed to ever reach the Super Bowl.
So if this Steelers team seems to be heading down that same path, it’s natural to think that they will accomplish the same feats that the 2005 team did. Right?
Wrong.
That 2005 team got hot at the end of the season, similar to the way this season could end for the current Steelers. The big difference is that the ’05 team caught several breaks along the way.
They opened up the playoffs in Cincinnati where Carson Palmer suffered a knee injury early in the game. Next they went to Indianapolis where Mike Vanderjagt’s shank job sent the Steelers to the AFC Championship game, where they got lucky and avoided the New England Patriots.
November 12, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Isaac Redman (33) takes a hand-of from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Instead they went to Denver that season and beat the Broncos to advance to Super Bowl XL.
The difference this year is they likely won’t get those breaks.
To advance to the Super Bowl, this Steelers team will more than likely have to win in Denver, in New England and in Houston. You could potentially throw Baltimore in that mix as well.
While the Steelers are playing much better right now than they were earlier in the season, they still haven’t shown anything this season that would lead you to believe that they are capable of running that gauntlet.
However the Steelers have caught some breaks before. We will see if they get them again.