Updated Nov. 7
The Pittsburgh Steelers have something in common with Saddam Hussein -- they both got death sentences Sunday; Hussein by hanging, the Steelers by Super Bowl hangover.
After losing to the Denver Broncos, the Steelers are now 2-6 and would need to rip off seven consecutive victories just to have a chance to make the playoffs. That's not happening.
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| Ben Roethlisberger has been making too many mistakes for the Steelers. (AP) |
The Terrible Towels have new meaning: The Steelers are simply terrible.
Watching the Steelers lose to the Broncos was as bad as it can get for a Super Bowl champ. They turned the ball over six times, at home, in a game they had to have. The special teams are a mess, and there didn't appear to be any urgency.
After the game, running back Willie Parker questioned the hunger of the team, insinuating they got fat and happy.
That is not what we've come to expect from a Bill Cowher-coached team. And now halfway through the season, the questions about his future will intensify. The talk he was looking at retiring started last spring when Cowher and his family purchased a $2.5 million home in Raleigh, N.C., and his family moved there.
Cowher didn't shoot down the talk, which set off speculation that this could be his last season. Wonder now if he wished he had walked away after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy? Maybe in his mind he did.
Steelers insiders say the retirement talk is serious, which might have had a negative impact, although there are plenty of other reasons for the struggles.
- Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident, appendectomy and concussion all have impacted his play. He has had some good games, but he has made too many ill-advised throws.
- The offensive line, which played strong in the playoff run, has not played well, which is surprising since right tackle Max Stark is in his second season as a starter now and guard Kendall Simmons is another year removed from knee surgery. Against Denver, left tackle Marvel Smith struggled badly.
- The pass rush is limited, which has made the secondary look downright average. Joey Porter has battled injuries and been mostly a non-factor and safety Troy Polamalu isn't having the same kind of season he had in 2005.
- The special teams have been abysmal. On Sunday, rookie Santonio Holmes fumbled a punt and a kickoff, losing the kickoff, and he was replaced for both duties. Jeff Reed also missed a 40-yard field goal.
- They have turned the ball over 24 times and have 11 takeaways. Their minus-11 is the worst in the NFL.
Add it all up, and it's understandable how this team is 2-6. Even through the struggles, you always seemed to have an idea that maybe they would turn it on like they did in 2005. This, aside from a player or two, is essentially the same team. Instead, they've lost three consecutive games and, barring a miracle, will be spending the postseason at home.
"I can't explain it," Steelers receiver Hines Ward said. "It's not like we became sorry overnight."
Last January, the Steelers beat the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on their way to winning the Super Bowl. But as the players strolled from the field to the locker room Sunday, that seemed like years ago. The dancing they did that day was replaced by sullen, what-the-heck-happened looks.
Death by Super Bowl hangover can be a cruel, cruel way to go.
The Power Rankings after Week 9:
| Power Rankings | ||||||||||
| Current | Team | Previous | ||||||||
 | 1 | Colts · Trends | 1 | |||||||
| They're finding ways to win, but they aren't playing great. The offense is moving the ball, but not scoring touchdowns. That can't happen this week against New England. | ||||||||||
 | 2 | Saints · Trends | 2 | |||||||
| The schedule gets tissue soft the rest of the way, except for a game or two. They might really start talking undefeated season. | ||||||||||
 | 3 | Vikings · Trends | 3 | |||||||
| The concern coming out of the bye is Brett Favre's injured groin. Or at least he says he's injured. | ||||||||||
 | 4 | Patriots · Trends | 5 | |||||||
| They have a firm grip on the division heading to the second half, but to have a chance at the top seed in the conference they need to win at Indy. The way their offense is getting cranked up, it's definitely possible. | ||||||||||
 | 5 | Bengals · Trends | 6 | |||||||
| The way their defense is playing, they will be around come January. They can run, throw and play defense. Yes, they're good. | ||||||||||
 | 6 | Steelers · Trends | 7 | |||||||
| Don't look now, but here come the champs. They have a huge rematch with the Bengals this week in Pittsburgh. They had better win, or risk going the wild-card route. | ||||||||||
 | 7 | Cowboys · Trends | 9 | |||||||
| Dallas is suddenly a hot team in first place. Where did all those problems go? The defense is really coming on. How do you contain Miles Austin? | ||||||||||
 | 8 | Broncos · Trends | 4 | |||||||
| Still raving about the way Kyle Orton manages the game? Didn't think so. You need more than that. They are limited offensively. | ||||||||||
 | 9 | Eagles · Trends | 8 | |||||||
| Hard to believe their offense wend dead against Dallas. Now they have to go to the West Coast and face a surging San Diego team. The last time they went west, they lost at Oakland. | ||||||||||
 | 10 | Cardinals · Trends | 11 | |||||||
| Weird team. Can't win at home, but they dominate on the road. They are easily the class of the NFC West. | ||||||||||
 | 11 | Falcons · Trends | 15 | |||||||
| They have to be thrilled with how their coach took up for them on the sideline last week. Mike Smith doesn't back down, and neither do his players. They have to be careful at Carolina this week. | ||||||||||
 | 12 | Chargers · Trends | 14 | |||||||
| At 5-3, they are now just one game behind the Broncos in the division. So much for being buried. The Eagles will be a tough game this week. | ||||||||||
 | 13 | Giants · Trends | 12 | |||||||
| They limp to the bye with four consecutive losses. No team has won a Super Bowl after losing four consecutive games during the season. | ||||||||||
 | 14 | Texans · Trends | 13 | |||||||
| They showed well at Indy, but at some point they have to win a game like that. It's the wild-card route at best for the Texans now. | ||||||||||
 | 15 | Ravens · Trends | 10 | |||||||
| At 4-4, they have to get it going or they could be playoff-less. Their passing game went dead at Cincinnati. | ||||||||||
 | 16 | Jets · Trends | 19 | |||||||
| They come out of their bye at .500 and face another .500 team in Jacksonville. They can't afford another loss, not with New England the following week. | ||||||||||
 | 17 | Jaguars · Trends | 20 | |||||||
| They go to the second half at 4-4, which is a good sign for this young team. At some point, though, they have to win a game on the road like the one they have this week at the Jets. | ||||||||||
 | 18 | Packers · Trends | 16 | |||||||
| Maybe they're just not as good as we thought they were going to be. They have issues on their offensive line that show up every week. | ||||||||||
 | 19 | Bears · Trends | 17 | |||||||
| Remember when the Chicago Bears meant defense and nasty football? Now they can't stop anybody. There is nothing black and blue about the way they play now. It's just blue. | ||||||||||
 | 20 | Dolphins · Trends | 18 | |||||||
| The good news is that Chad Henne is improving. That bodes well for next season, even if the playoffs this season look unlikely. | ||||||||||
 | 21 | Panthers · Trends | 21 | |||||||
| They are playing better, but to have any playoff shot they have to win at home against Atlanta on Sunday. That won't be easy. | ||||||||||
 | 22 | Seahawks · Trends | 24 | |||||||
| They actually looked good in the second half against Detroit, but that's nothing to get overly excited about. There is still a lot of work to do. | ||||||||||
 | 23 | Bills · Trends | 23 | |||||||
| They had a bye, which they badly needed. It could mean Trent Edwards is back. Watching Ryan Fitzpatrick play, you know how much they need Edwards taking snaps. | ||||||||||
 | 24 | Titans · Trends | 29 | |||||||
| Vince Young is 2-0 as a starter. Really? It helps that Chris Johnson is running wild. | ||||||||||
 | 25 | 49ers · Trends | 22 | |||||||
| Has the hype about this team subsided? They've lost four consecutive games, one at home to the Titans. Ouch. | ||||||||||
 | 26 | Raiders · Trends | 25 | |||||||
| Hard to believe they're this high, but it says a lot about the bottom of the league. It isn't good. | ||||||||||
 | 27 | Chiefs · Trends | 26 | |||||||
| Larry Johnson is gone, but does it matter? This isn't a good team right now, with or without him. So why keep him? | ||||||||||
 | 28 | Redskins · Trends | 27 | |||||||
| How low can they go? You want to point a finger? Blame the men at the top. They didn't do a thing about the offensive line this spring. | ||||||||||
 | 29 | Rams · Trends | 28 | |||||||
| Here's a hunch: They will be improved in the second half. There are a lot of young players who are starting, and the improvement will show. | ||||||||||
 | 30 | Buccaneers · Trends | 32 | |||||||
| Josh Freeman showed that he might be their franchise passer of the future. He made some plays in the victory over Green Bay. Maybe they should keep the throwback jerseys they wore that day. | ||||||||||
 | 31 | Lions · Trends | 30 | |||||||
| There will be calls to pull Matthew Stafford, but that makes no sense. This team isn't going anywhere, so let him learn on the job. | ||||||||||
 | 32 | Browns · Trends | 31 | |||||||
| Wonder who's getting fired this week? Expect Brady Quinn in as the starter, and that's the way it should be. | ||||||||||
