Why Steelers Are Among Elite

The following are five reasons the Steelers improved to 13-3, the best regular-season record in the AFC in the 2001-2002 season:

1. They weren't that bad to begin with. The Steelers finished 9-7 last season, winning nine of their final 13 games. Quarterback Kordell Stewart's resurrection was well underway when the 2000 season ended.

2. Steelers' coach Bill Cowher rebuilt his offensive coaching staff withguys who played the game. Offensive line coach Russ Grimm, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements, wide receivers coach Kenny Jackson and tight ends coach Ken Whisenhunt know how to relate to the players. In addition, the promotion of Mike Mularkey from tight ends coach of offensive coordinator.

Mularkey was a nine-year NFL player. His promotion was the best move Cowher made all year, even if it was three years late.

3. Running back Jerome Bettis arrived at training camp with an almost totally healthy body. Without a nagging knee injury to hold him back like in previous seasons, Bettis carried the Steelers' offense through the early weeks. He averaged 97.4 yards rushing per game before suffering serious groin and hip injuries that kept him out of the final five games. He still finished eighth in the AFC with 1,072 yards.

4. Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis was not only a shrewd tactician, but also a master motivator. Lewis knew when to blitz and when to back off, and he knew when to lean on his multi-million dollar cornerbacks. Lewis isn't afraid to put Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott on an island so he can overload in other areas, and he challenged those two players by putting heavy burdens on their shoulders. They responded, and the Steelers had a flexible defense that wasn't easy to attack.

5. The Steelers went on a spending spree in the off-season that netted key free agents and assured that Bettis and Cowher would remain with the team for, at least, the next few seasons. President Dan Rooney turned the additional revenue streams from Heinz Field into an avenue for re-signing Bettis and extending several contracts of players whom could have turned to free agency next month, including wide receiver Hines Ward (the team's leading receiver), free safety Brent Alexander, cornerbacks Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott and punter Josh Miller. Center Jeff Hartings and key backups on defense, linebacker Mike Jones and safety Mike Logan, also were signed. Plus, the Steelers signed up Cowher through 2005 at $3 million per season, guaranteeing a total of nearly $40 million for everyone fortunate enough to sign on the dotted line. The stability that those signings brought did not go unnoticed in the Steelers' locker room where players appreciated Rooney's level of commitment.