In Super Bowl XLIII, the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first team in the Super Bowl era to win 6 championships, quite a remarkable feat. In 2009, the Steelers are looking to add to the franchise’s trophy case with a 7th Lombardi Trophy, but this might prove more difficult then ever for a repeat championship.
The offense in Pittsburgh looks as good as it ever has. Backing up Willie Parker are two strong running backs in Mewelde Moore and second year player Rashard Mendenhall. They return a strong group of players out wide as well.
While the Steelers are basically the same team from a year ago, things haven’t clicked just yet. It’s still early and things can easily change, but they don’t look like a championship team yet.
During a nice week 1 victory at home, the Steelers edged by the Tennessee Titans, one of the AFC’s best in 2008. This was a defensive game, and in typical Steelers fashion, the team essentially out-defended the Titans, starting off the season on a great note with a 1-0 start.
During this game, veteran and Pro Bowl defender Troy Polamalu went down with an injury that will leave him sidelined for an estimated 3-6 weeks. This is a blow to the Steelers, and perhaps more of a blow than anyone was anticipating.
The Steelers had a mediocre performance against the Chicago Bears in a loss – not championship-like. Despite the questions in the Steel City, there is still optimism.
Does the absence of Troy Polamalu hurt the team this much? We’ll have to wait and see. Anytime a pro bowl player is missing, it’s usually a major blow.
If the Steelers offense can maintain some consistency – letting the defense make plays and create turnovers, the Steelers will be back in the driver’s seat in the AFC North.
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