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What Happened To The Steelers?

Super Bowl Hangover
By Paul Alexander
FSN Pittsburgh

Where should we begin? How does a team that just registered a Super Bowl run for the ages become a postseason casualty?

Running back Willie Parker was probably the most astute observer. The Steelers were playing like a team that already had what it wanted. While I don't believe this was a lack of effort, I do believe it is impossible to invent motivation. After so many near-misses in AFC Championship Games, the collective sigh of relief from ownership on down after finally getting that one for the thumb was absolutely unavoidable.

To the rich come the spoils. There's nothing quite like the opportunities awaiting a Super Bowl champion. The shelf life of an NFL player is scary short, and the list of players that have never played in-let alone won-a Super Bowl dwarfs the number of players with rings. That means you absolutely have to cash in when the opportunity presents itself. That indulgence is what prolongs the Super Bowl party and leaves in its wake the inevitable Super Bowl hangover.

Is that too simple? To a degree, yes, but when you sprinkle in additional adversities, you have a recipe for disaster. Ben Roethlisberger was physically ready to play after his infamous motorcycle crash, but when you add an emergency appendectomy, you have more adversity than any one quarterback can overcome.

Jerome Bettis and his ability to command attention and respect also was sorely missed. Without Bettis, and with nothing left in the tank of Duce Staley, the Steelers lost their identity as a team that could pound the football. Willie Parker is just fine as Willie Parker, but the Steelers have to provide a compliment in the form of a big, pile-moving running back. Najeh Davenport was simply too little, too late.

Repeating as a Super Bowl Champion in this era of free agency is next to impossible, but when you return the nucleus of a special team like the Steelers did, you should at least make a run. Several factors contributed to this team's demise, and the ones I touched on certainly proved to be too much to overcome.

Paul Alexander is an anchor and reporter for Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh.

The Clock Struck Midnight
By Stan Savran
FSN Pittsburgh

One from column A, one from column B, maybe one from C and D as well. The reasons for the Steelers unanticipated decline in the year following their ascent to the mountain top reads like a menu at a Chinese restaurant.

Super Bowl hangover, Ben Roethlisberger's physical problems, and the loss of key personnel are all plausible reasons for the sad state of Steelers affairs. But I am going to add one more selection from yet another column: The clock struck midnight for this group about midnight February 5th, in Detroit, Michigan.

Isn't it possible that the window of opportunity has slowly closed on the nucleus of this team, and they won Super Bowl XL just before it slammed shut?

Hines Ward, Alan Faneca, Joey Porter, Jeff Hartings Dan Kreider, Jerame Tuman, Marvel Smith, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Clark Haggans, Chukky Okobi, Deshea Townsend, and Mike Logan all joined the team in between the AFC Championship Games of 1997 and 2001. James Farrior, Larry Foote, Chris Hoke, Brett Keisel, and Jeff Reed all joined in 2002. This group won many more than it lost, appeared in three title games and won a Super Bowl. That's a pretty good run.

Now no one, not even Brian Billick, expected this to happen to the Steelers this soon. With the nucleus mentioned above, and the influx of young talent in the form of Big Ben, Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Bryant McFadden and Troy Polamalu, the inevitable cycle of erosion certainly wasn't scheduled to be visible this year.

But teams are not able to punch their playoff dance cards annually like they once did. After winning back to back Super Bowls in 1997-98, Denver didn't return to the AFC title game until 2005. After winning three of four Super Bowls in the early 90's, Dallas hasn't won a playoff game since 1996. Green Bay made consecutive Super Bowl appearances in 96-97; their record in the playoffs since is 2-5.

There are a lot of factors at play, and most all apply. But maybe the factor most ignored, but most responsible, is that the time has come for the core of this team. The grim reaper, NFL style, has come a callin'.

Stan Savran hosts "Savran on Sports Beat" on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh.