The Steelers Super Bowl XL team wasn't just a Cinderella story

[stillers4me]

The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers may have overcome long odds to win Super Bowl XL. But they were far from the Cinderella story (and inferior champions) people often make them out to be.

Believe it or not, the 2015 season will mark the 10-year anniversary of the Steelers (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/pittsburgh-steelers) magical 2005 championship run that included just barely getting into the playoffs and becoming the first sixth seed to win three road games to advance to the Super Bowl (http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl).


And, Pittsburgh made even more history by becoming the first team to not only win three road games to advance to the Super Bowl (the Patriots (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/new-england-patriots) were the first to accomplish this feat in 1985 as a fifth seed), but actually complete the journey with a 21-10 victory over the Seahawks (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/seattle-seahawks) in Super Bowl XL.


Most people look back on the '05 Steelers as an underdog team that won the title in a Rocky-like fashion.........

read more @ http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pittsburgh-steelers-opinions-reactions-news-updates/2015/7/2/8878737/the-steelers-super-bowl-xl-team-wasnt-just-a-cinderella-story

[polamalubeast]

This is not a Cinderella story....In my opinion,this team was better than the 2008 team


If Ben would not have been hurt during the mid-season, the Steelers likely would have finished with a 13-3 record.It was the same team that finished the season at 15-1 in 2004, but the difference is that in 2005, the Steelers were hot at the right time, which was not the case in 2004, when they played the best football in mid-season by beating the Patriots who had 21 straight wins and the eagles that were 7-0 at that time.


2005 was a very complete team with very few weakness...Only weakness was the WR(It was Ward,after it was very average.)In 2008, the defense was better, but the o-line and running game were awful

[salamander]

DA STEALERS PAYED DA REFS IN THAT GAME!!!!1!!1

Pittsburgh made a great run to the Super Bowl that year. They got hot at the right time and it worked out pretty damn well.

I'm sure Seattle fans have this year's Steelers/Seahawks game circled on their calendar and are seeking "revenge". Funny thing is, the two times we've faced them since SB40, we've won by a combined score of 45-0. The game is in Seattle this time though, so we'll see.

[hawaiiansteeler]

DA STEALERS PAYED DA REFS IN THAT GAME!!!!1!!1



https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.19I%2fyF2GjTYOUjtkvYZXmQ&pid=15.1&P=0http://www.beckys-place.com/superbowl/referee.jpg

[polamalubeast]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tjLg91S_H8

[Edman]

The 2005 Steelers was the same Steelers team that went 15-1 a year earlier.

If it weren't for Ben's injury, they win 13-14 games.

We really underestimate just how good and balanced that team was. They could throw the ball well and pass it too.

Yes, I agree that the 2005 Steelers were better than the 2008 team. The 2005 Defense would shut down the 2008 offense, but the 2005 offense would get points on the 2008 Defense.

[steelreserve]

The 2005 Steelers was the same Steelers team that went 15-1 a year earlier.

If it weren't for Ben's injury, they win 13-14 games.

We really underestimate just how good and balanced that team was. They could throw the ball well and pass it too.

Yes, I agree that the 2005 Steelers were better than the 2008 team. The 2005 Defense would shut down the 2008 offense, but the 2005 offense would get points on the 2008 Defense.

I agree with everything else, but don't know about that last one. The defense in 2008, especially over the second half of the season, was probably the best I'd seen any defense play in a decade. You knew they were going to hold the other team down to about 10 points no matter who they were playing. They only gave up 300 yards of TOTAL offense in one game the whole year. The only question was whether the sub-par offense could grind out enough points to cross the finish line.

What was even more impressive was that you could give up a 70-yard kickoff return, or give up a bad fumble at your own 30, and the opponent still wouldn't score. You pretty much had to throw a pick-six or have some other crazy situation that gave them a cakewalk TD. I think the offense gave up more points than the defense the second half of that season.

The 2008 offense was a real stick of poo, though. Probably our worst offensive line out of several years of bad ones. The running game was so erratic that you could hardly string together two first downs, and if you did, there would be a sack. They had just enough talent to ride the defense to the title. I think the 2005 team would've won that matchup, but mainly because the 2008 team struggled so much offensively that it would get zero points unless the defense scored them itself.

[polamalubeast]

A underrated aspect on the 2005 team was the special team(Probably the last year that the Steelers were good/great)

On punt return...Randle El had at least 2-3 TD on punt return and the had also other big return in 2005


In 2008, the punter were just dreadful

[steelreserve]

Yeah, in 2008 we won in spite of several glaring problems. In 2005 I can't point at any one thing that we weren't good at - as mentioned already, it was the same team that went 15-1, minus Plaxico Burress and with Ben injured for a few games.

[7SteelGal43]

Just months after this SuperBowl, I met several of the players. My SB XL football is signed by the MVP of said game :tt02:

#DontBeHatin

[Craic]

I agree with everything else, but don't know about that last one. The defense in 2008, especially over the second half of the season, was probably the best I'd seen any defense play in a decade. You knew they were going to hold the other team down to about 10 points no matter who they were playing. They only gave up 300 yards of TOTAL offense in one game the whole year. The only question was whether the sub-par offense could grind out enough points to cross the finish line.

What was even more impressive was that you could give up a 70-yard kickoff return, or give up a bad fumble at your own 30, and the opponent still wouldn't score. You pretty much had to throw a pick-six or have some other crazy situation that gave them a cakewalk TD. I think the offense gave up more points than the defense the second half of that season.

The 2008 offense was a real stick of poo, though. Probably our worst offensive line out of several years of bad ones. The running game was so erratic that you could hardly string together two first downs, and if you did, there would be a sack. They had just enough talent to ride the defense to the title. I think the 2005 team would've won that matchup, but mainly because the 2008 team struggled so much offensively that it would get zero points unless the defense scored them itself.

I think there's a little bit of revision there. Yes, the 2008 offense was pretty horrid through the middle of the game. But that same offense managed to put points on the board pretty much every time their backs were against the wall. Game three, ravens, won in OT.
Game four, Jax. TD with 1:59 left. Win by 5 ponts
Game eleven, SD. FG with :15 seconds left (96 yard drive including 30 yards of penalties, one on the kick off return).
Game fourteen, Dallas. Tied. Ben to Miller for TD with 2:10 left. Game Tied (Defensive INT gets another TD ,but offense put 10 points on board in fourth quarter)
Game fifteen, Ravens. Long drive for TD with :50 seconds left.
Superbowl. Nothing more needs to be said.

Six fourth-quarter or OT drives for wins (one tie that turned into a win), all of which were long drives. There's few if any teams in the NFL that can do that consistently through a season, including the Superbowl. Absolutely, the defense led the way. But when necessary, the offense showed up to put the game away way more often than not. The fact of the matter is, I don't think the 2005 team could put up many points against the 2008 defense. It'd stay close, and between the two, I'd trust the 2008 offense to score in the fourth quarter over the 2005 offense, especially because the 2005 offense lost the same type of games the 2008 offense won...

Jax, OT. Steelers have ball twice in OT. Fails at first, second drive, ball intercepted, Returned for TD and Steeler Loss.
Ravens, OT. Steelers have ball, two chances to drive for win, fails at both.
Bengals. Tied at 8:45 of third quarter, Two INTs and two cinci TDs later, the Steelers finally score, but lose the game.

As far as playoffs are concerned. Steelers went up by 11, and then watched the Colts come within a Ben Roethlisberger tackle of turning the tables and winning the game. Matter of fact, the 05 Steelers offense went cold in the fourth quarter whether they were winning or losing. SO, put those two teams up against each other. I'd take the 08 team over the 05 team every time. The defense was much better, and the offense wasn't pretty, but they knew how to step up to the plate when the game was on the line.

[polamalubeast]

Jax, OT. Steelers have ball twice in OT. Fails at first, second drive, ball intercepted, Returned for TD and Steeler Loss.
Ravens, OT. Steelers have ball, two chances to drive for win, fails at both.
Bengals. Tied at 8:45 of third quarter, Two INTs and two cinci TDs later, the Steelers finally score, but lose the game.


2 of its games, it was with Tommy Maddox as QB.


In 2005, the first game against the Ravens and the game against the chargers, the Steelers needed a FG to win and they did it......Against the Patriots, they needed a TD to tie the game and they did, but unfortunately they lost after

In the last 8 games in 2005(regular season and playoffs), the Steelers scored 222 points, so the offense was very good.


The 2008 team could win against the 2005 team, but I chose the 2005 team

[tube517]

2 of its games, it was with Tommy Maddox as QB.


In 2005, the first game against the Ravens and the game against the chargers, the Steelers needed a FG to win and they did it......Against the Patriots, they needed a TD to tie the game and they did, but unfortunately they lost after

In the last 8 games in 2005(regular season and playoffs), the Steelers scored 222 points, so the offense was very good.


The 2008 team could win against the 2005 team, but I chose the 2005 team


The 2005 team should have beaten the **Cheats but Randle EL made a bonehead play going for a TD. I think he tried to lateral and fumbled near the goal line. They had that game in hand.

[Craic]

2 of its games, it was with Tommy Maddox as QB.


In 2005, the first game against the Ravens and the game against the chargers, the Steelers needed a FG to win and they did it......Against the Patriots, they needed a TD to tie the game and they did, but unfortunately they lost after

In the last 8 games in 2005(regular season and playoffs), the Steelers scored 222 points, so the offense was very good.


The 2008 team could win against the 2005 team, but I chose the 2005 team

There's always something, and I mean that literally. In the game against the Giants in 2008, we found out what Harrison couldn't do, long snap. Because our LS blew out his knee. We lost our punter earlier on (Sepulveda) and had to go with scrubs all season. Willie P. messed up his knee in week two, missing five games and not being real healthy almost until the playoffs. My point concerning the '05 Steelers was that they were good up until the fourth quarter. They were a typical Cowher team. I would not, for the life of me, trust the '05 offense to be able to come from behind to win games in the fourth quarter. I remember watching the '08 team and thinking, with this team, it's not over until the clock hits 00:00.

But all in all, they were both good teams with a big weakness. '05 was the inability to be a quick-strike, come from behind team if and when they needed it. '08, was their O line.

(EDIT: Also don't forget, the '08 team had the toughest schedule in the NFL that year, and played against so many dominant defenses it wasn't even funny.)

[polamalubeast]

'05 was the inability to be a quick-strike, come from behind team if and when they needed it.


I do not know, because in the games that Ben was healthy and that he was not rusty, the Steelers rarely trailed,because the Steelers had one of the best offense in the first half in 2005

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/1st-half-points-per-game?date=2006-02-06

In the 3 losses with Ben, it was against the pats, against the Colts, when Ben was rusty and against the Bengals when the defense had his worst game of the year.

True that the schedule was very tough in 2008, but in the playoffs in 2005, the Steelers have played against three teams with at least 13 wins

[Craic]

I do not know, because in the games that Ben was healthy and that he was not rusty, the Steelers rarely trailed,because the Steelers had one of the best offense in the first half in 2005

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/1st-half-points-per-game?date=2006-02-06

In the 3 losses with Ben, it was against the pats, against the Colts, when Ben was rusty and against the Bengals when the defense had his worst game of the year.

True that the schedule was very tough in 2008, but in the playoffs in 2005, the Steelers have played against three teams with at least 13 wins

Also true.

My take on the 05 team was that they were a typical Cowher team that got very hot at the right time. In the end, we were blessed to have both teams and to win 2 SBs with them.

[Mamaduck43]

The 2005 season was a great reinforcement of my 'never giving up hope that we could pull out a victory no matter what' way of thinking.... That was further bolstered by the 2008 season, and is a big reason that our loss to the Packers was such a disappointment... I still have problems with that game - - perhaps living 15 miles from Lambeau colors that loss with some green and gold, and cheese curds no longer appeal to me....

Our schedule this season looks tough - - but tough games make our guys play harder, I think.... I have high hopes for February!!!!