It would seem that to write an article here, one would have to be gung-ho, the Steelers are the best team ever type writer. I will be honest. I am a Steelers fan. In fact, I am a rabid Steelers fan. Even more, I am a rabid Steeler fan in Cleveland, Ohio. So one may say that I am crazy. I watched them win the first 4 Super Bowls and I watched them win number 5. However, I think that there are more objective reasons why the Steelers will succeed this year.
First, I think that there has been too much attention paid to the coaching change this year. The players and their abilities have not changed and sometimes, it takes some new leadership in order to help those players to give their best. Anyone who watched the Steelers in 2006 could see that Bill Cowher had had enough of coaching and Pittsburgh. He was not the Bill Cowher that led the team to the Super Bowl in 2005-2006. Thus, the coaching change will be a positive step in the direction of success in my opinion. When a stable franchise makes a change, it does not necessarily create instability.
Second, this team saw a lot of adversity in 2006, especially at the quarterback position. Ben Rothlisberger should not have played a down last year. Instead, he should have taken the entire year to heal his body and his mind. To come that close to death and then to try to lead a football team is difficult, if not impossible task. That being said, I think that last year was good for Ben. First, it took him off the radar. Other teams and players are not going to recognize his talent and his intelligence on the field. Instead, they will be expecting less of him. Big Ben is a very good football player, and he could indeed have an MVP type year this year with the opening of the offense under Aryans.
Finally, the Steelers team has a history of playing better when they are not being noticed. They fly very well “under the radar”. They are the kind of team that can sneak up on the league and before the season is over, others will realize what a powerhouse they really are. The core of this team is very dedicated and self-less. This makes for a good combination when you add the tremendous amount of talent that is present.
Look for the Steelers to have a very successful year and win the AFC Central. I do not predict any further than that because after the playoffs start, anything can happen.
