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 | Patriots · Trends | 11 | |||||||
| They get Tom Brady back. They have the deepest team in the league. Oh, and they have the best coach. Add it up, and it's no wonder they are Super favorites. | ||||||||||
 | 2 | Steelers · Trends | 1 | |||||||
| The champions are loaded again and will be in the thick of it come playoff time. They didn't do much to improve their offensive line, though, which has to be a concern. | ||||||||||
 | 3 | Colts · Trends | 7 | |||||||
| Peyton Manning is back healthy again, so they are a real contender again. The addition of Donald Brown to the running game will give it more explosiveness. The key will be the return to health of major defensive players. | ||||||||||
 | 4 | Cardinals · Trends | 2 | |||||||
| They've done some nice things in the offseason, including adding corner Bryant McFadden and drafting Beanie Wells to carry the football. They will be a playoff team again and maybe they'll finish in Miami. | ||||||||||
 | 5 | Eagles · Trends | 4 | |||||||
| They've had a wonderful offseason, adding key players like tackles Jason Peters and Stacey Andrews and loading up in the draft with speed and quickness. They will be tough to stop on offense. | ||||||||||
 | 6 | Giants · Trends | 5 | |||||||
| They fortified the defense with some key free agents and added a speed receiver in Hakeem Nicks to the passing game. Tom Coughlin will have this team in the playoffs again. | ||||||||||
 | 7 | Titans · Trends | 6 | |||||||
| They haven't done a lot, and losing Albert Haynesworth will hurt. The other thing is their division is tough. They also have to get more big plays from their passing game. | ||||||||||
 | 8 | Ravens · Trends | 3 | |||||||
| Joe Flacco will be better in his second season as a starter and that defense will once again be among the best. They do have to take their passing game up a notch. | ||||||||||
 | 9 | Falcons · Trends | 9 | |||||||
| It's all about the defense for the Falcons. Adding Tony Gonzalez makes the offense complete and the draft was loaded with defensive picks to help the other side. They aren't going away. | ||||||||||
 | 10 | Saints · Trends | 19 | |||||||
| This is another team that has improved its defense in the past four months in terms of talent. Now new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has to bring it all together. | ||||||||||
 | 11 | Chargers · Trends | 10 | |||||||
| This is still a deep, talented team. If Philip Rivers continues to develop, the Chargers will easily be the class of the AFC West. | ||||||||||
 | 12 | Texans · Trends | 17 | |||||||
| The Texans have a lot of important pieces in place. As long as Matt Schaub can stay healthy, they might be ready to make a real playoff push. | ||||||||||
 | 13 | Panthers · Trends | 8 | |||||||
| They will be the same team: Run heavy and play tough defense. Is that enough? Jake Delhomme has to play better. | ||||||||||
 | 14 | Bears · Trends | 18 | |||||||
| Getting Jay Cutler is the steal of the offseason. He makes them a real playoff threat. Yes, I do believe that. | ||||||||||
 | 15 | Cowboys · Trends | 14 | |||||||
| They have talent, but something just seems to be off. I don't think they're as good as the Eagles or Giants in their own division, which is why they are down this low. | ||||||||||
 | 16 | Bengals · Trends | 24 | |||||||
| Getting Palmer back makes them dangerous and the defense will be better around him. I like the Bengals as a sleeper team. I really do. | ||||||||||
 | 17 | Vikings · Trends | 13 | |||||||
| Quarterback. It's all about the quarterback. Whether it's Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson, that position has to be better. Words of advice: Stay away from that guy named Favre. | ||||||||||
 | 18 | Packers · Trends | 23 | |||||||
| The move to a 3-4 under new coordinator Dom Capers will be one to watch closely. If that side of the ball plays better, Aaron Rodgers might get them to a playoff game. | ||||||||||
 | 19 | Bills · Trends | 22 | |||||||
| Can Terrell Owens make them a playoff team? That might be stretching it, but they will be better on offense. | ||||||||||
 | 20 | Seahawks · Trends | 28 | |||||||
| New coach Jim Mora takes over a veteran team that was hurt by injuries last season. They need to keep Matt Hasselbeck healthy. If they do, they will push the Cardinals. | ||||||||||
 | 21 | Jets · Trends | 16 | |||||||
| How long does it take to get Mark Sanchez ready? If he's what they think he is, they will be better than expected. If not, it's a redshirt season and they will win six games. | ||||||||||
 | 22 | Buccaneers · Trends | 15 | |||||||
| Who plays quarterback? Whoever it is has to be better than what they had last season. There are also some age concerns on defense. New coach Raheem Morris faces a challenging first season. | ||||||||||
 | 23 | Redskins · Trends | 25 | |||||||
| They're the fourth team in a four-team division. That will make it tough to win eight games. | ||||||||||
 | 24 | Jaguars · Trends | 26 | |||||||
| They've made some nice moves to fix the offensive line, and now it's time for the offense to do more. The defense also needs young players to step up, especially end Derrick Harvey. | ||||||||||
 | 25 | Broncos · Trends | 20 | |||||||
| They're excited about Kyle Orton. I'm not. I think he's OK. They better hope the defense plays better than a year ago or it won't matter who quarterbacks the Broncos. I do like Knowshon Moreno. | ||||||||||
 | 26 | Dolphins · Trends | 12 | |||||||
| They are the step-back team this season. But in 2010, look out. I think Chad Henne will take over at some time this season. | ||||||||||
 | 27 | 49ers · Trends | 21 | |||||||
| It's all quarterback with the 49ers. Can Shaun Hill or Alex Smith get the job done? If not, they'll stay down here all year long. | ||||||||||
 | 28 | Raiders · Trends | 27 | |||||||
| It's all about JaMarcus Russell. If he plays an entire season to the level of expectations, the Raiders will be better. I think he can. But they have other issues. | ||||||||||
 | 29 | Chiefs · Trends | 29 | |||||||
| They landed their quarterback in Matt Cassel and have added a few players to help, but new coach Todd Haley faces a big task in getting this offense to play like his Arizona unit did. | ||||||||||
 | 30 | Browns · Trends | 30 | |||||||
| New coach Eric Mangini will build this team the way he wants it. But one has to wonder if that's a good thing considering his Jets history. | ||||||||||
 | 31 | Rams · Trends | 31 | |||||||
| The Rams were a disaster last year. New coach Steve Spagnuolo has a lot of work to do. They're at least a year away. | ||||||||||
 | 32 | Lions · Trends | 32 | |||||||
| They have their franchise quarterback to build around, and Jim Schwartz will do a good job, but there's a lot of work still to be done. | ||||||||||
