You can only turn one of these 4 AFC Championship Game losses into a win and a shot at another Super Bowl win. Which one are you choosing?

[polamalubeast]

Among his 4 choices, it is 2004 .... I also think that the steelers would have had a good chance to beat the eagles ... I do not think the 1997 and 2001 steelers would have beaten Brett Favre and Kurt Warner at their peak with Kordell Stewart as QB .... For 2016, they would have had a chance against the falcons, but the steelers would probably have needed to score at least 30 points in this game, which would not have been easy to do with Cody Hamilton and Eli Rogers as our best weapons after Bell and Brown.

[teegre]

PB, as far as 2016-17 goes, AB probably would have been back by the Super Bowl. But, basically : I agree. It’s our least-likely win.

I picked 2004-05, because that team was special. Ben went “rookie” at the wrong time. Argh!!! We had trounced BOTH of the Super Bowl representatives, and given a “best of seven” scenario, we beat either of them 4-1.

That said, I would have LOVED to have seen our 2001 defense face up against the Rams.

1996-97 was much like 2004-05: we beat the Broncos in the regular season (only to have Kordell go “full Kordell” in the AFCCG).

But... living in San Diego... I could be easily convinced to have reversed the 1994-95 AFCCG against the Chargers. I still hear about that game. That said, no one was likely going to stop San Fran that season (although, with that Steelers defense... I would have loved a shot).

[polamalubeast]

PB, as far as 2016-17 goes, AB probably would have been back by the Super Bowl. But, basically : I agree. It’s our least-likely win.

I picked 2004-05, because that team was special. Ben went “rookie” at the wrong time. Argh!!! We had trounced BOTH of the Super Bowl representatives, and given a “best of seven” scenario, we beat either of them 4-1.

That said, I would have LOVED to have seen our 2001 defense face up against the Rams.

1996-97 was much like 2004-05: we beat the Broncos in the regular season (only to have Kordell go “full Kordell” in the AFCCG).

But... living in San Diego... I could be easily convinced to have reversed the 1994-95 AFCCG against the Chargers. I still hear about that game. That said, no one was likely going to stop San Fran that season (although, with that Steelers defense... I would have loved a shot).

Brown was healthy in 2016 ... It was in 2015 that Brown was injured against the Bengals


2004 was indeed a special season ... Their peak was in the middle of the season unfortunately but they had their peak at the right time the year after! .... Also it did not help that the 2004 Pats were probably their best team in their 6 super bowl they won under Belichick and Brady ... They had only allowed 3 points the week before against Peyton Manning and the colts ..... Manning had a historic season.

For 2016 .... the steelers probably had their worst passing offense between 2014 to 2018 since Cody Hamilton and Eli Rogers were our 2nd and 3rd best WR and our TE were also poor ... But although I do not think they would have beaten the Falcons because of the Falcons offense, I think the steelers would have had a shot.Maybe the falcons would have choked against us too!

1997 and 2001 would have been very improbable ... I do not think our defenses would have been able to contain Brett Favre in 1997 and the greatest show on turf in 2001 ... The Packers and the Rams Defense were also very good ... It would have been been a miracle if they would have won.

1994 were probably their best teams in the 1990s, especially in defense ... I do not think the steelers would have won this game since the 49ers were loaded, but they would have given a good fight as the year after against the Cowboys ... I do not think Steve Young would have had 6 TD pass against us!

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I would prefer the 95 AFCCG win over the Chargers myself. But from this list it would be the 2002 game vs NE. The Troy Brown punt return for TD, the blocked FG for a TD and Joey Porter having a INT gifted to him by Bledsoe that he couldnt catch and walk into the end zone with. That game should have been a Steelers win if they just eliminate the Special Teams mistakes.

[fansince'76]

97-98 Broncos. The Packers had no answer for Terrell Davis in SB XXXII and they wouldn't have had an answer for a still-in-his-prime Bus either.

Hell, they would've beaten the Broncos (who also had no answer for him) in the AFCCG that year if Cowher would have just kept feeding the Bus the ball instead of putting it in Kordell's hands with 2nd-and-goal at the 5-yard line (where he promptly threw a back-breaking INT into triple coverage in the EZ ).

[Butch]

The one I want is not on the list either it would clearly be the '76 team against the Raiders. Anyone who lived through that painful defeat without Rocky and Franco knows what I mean. The Vikings were no match for either team. It would have been such a crowning moment for that Defense. What coulda been.

of the ones on the list 2004 Ben's rookie year and oh btw the year the cheats 1st got called out by the NFL for illegally taping games. Things that make you go "hmmm".

[st33lersguy]

I went 2004. It presents the most favorable matchup against Andy Reid and Donovan McPuke, even with Ben hitting the rookie wall that postseason. The other ones don't present favorable matchups

1997: A team that went 11-5 with numerous last seconds wins against a better Packers team. Not to mention Kordell Stewart vs Brett Favre

2001: In his prime Kurt Warner vs Kordell Stewart

2016: Matt Ryan in his prime going against a Keith Butler led defense. Plus with Le'Veon's health in question, it would have limited the offense

[tube517]

04-05 team. I think they beat the Iggles and a vomiting McNabb.

[fansince'76]

1997: A team that went 11-5 with numerous last seconds wins against a better Packers team. Not to mention Kordell Stewart vs Brett Favre

Elway was 12-22 for 123 yds, 0 TDs and 1 INT in SB XXXII. That game was all Terrell Davis. The Bus (who was in his prime at the time) would have run all over the Packers as well, IMO.

Prime Bettis vs. 20th-ranked run defense? I take that matchup anytime.

I still remember a sound bite from Reggie White right after the game - (puff-puff) "We weren't getting tired out there!" (puff-puff)

Sure guy - now go wash TD's cleat marks off the back of your jersey.

[polamalubeast]

Elway was 12-22 for 123 yds, 0 TDs and 1 INT in SB XXXII. That game was all Terrell Davis. The Bus (who was in his prime at the time) would have run all over the Packers as well, IMO.

Prime Bettis vs. 20th-ranked run defense? I take that matchup anytime.

I still remember a sound bite from Reggie White right after the game - (puff-puff) "We weren't getting tired out there!" (puff-puff)

Sure guy - now go wash TD's cleat marks off the back of your jersey.

Even if Elway had not had a good game against the packers, you still had to respect Elway's arm ... It was not the case when you played against the steelers in 1997 .... The packers would have put 8- 9 man in the box to stop Bettis and Stewart would not have been able to do the big play when we needed .... That would have been unlikely

[Edman]

2001 changed history. I’ll take a potential loss to the Rams than have the Patriots become a dynasty.

The Pats became a dynasty at the Steelers’ expense far too many times. Three of NE’s six Super Bowl titles came against a Steelers team in the AFC Title game.

[st33lersguy]

Elway was 12-22 for 123 yds, 0 TDs and 1 INT in SB XXXII. That game was all Terrell Davis. The Bus (who was in his prime at the time) would have run all over the Packers as well, IMO.

Prime Bettis vs. 20th-ranked run defense? I take that matchup anytime.

I still remember a sound bite from Reggie White right after the game - (puff-puff) "We weren't getting tired out there!" (puff-puff)

Sure guy - now go wash TD's cleat marks off the back of your jersey.

Kordell would have thrown 2 or 3 backbreaking interceptions to cost them the game

[fansince'76]

Kordell would have thrown 2 or 3 backbreaking interceptions to cost them the game

Yeah, good point...

[steelreserve]

2001. Drew Bledsoe re-assumes the Patriots' starting job the next year. In a shrewd move by Belichick, Tom Brady is traded for a second-round pick and becomes a crappy backup for the Chiefs or something. With no media-fellated golden boy to pump up and protect at all costs, you can still touch the quarterback, every rule does not become biased toward the offense, and the game of football stays somewhat intact. Then we win in 2004 and 2016 anyway and have nine championships.

- - - Updated - - -

I picked 2004-05, because that team was special. Ben went “rookie” at the wrong time. Argh!!! We had trounced BOTH of the Super Bowl representatives, and given a “best of seven” scenario, we beat either of them 4-1.

He didn't go rookie, listen to what Hines Ward and some of the other players on that team said about that game. The Patriots were calling out our plays at the line of scrimmage. This was three years before they got caught the first time, so the cheating was in full swing.

[86WARD]

97-98 Broncos. The Packers had no answer for Terrell Davis in SB XXXII and they wouldn't have had an answer for a still-in-his-prime Bus either.

Hell, they would've beaten the Broncos (who also had no answer for him) in the AFCCG that year if Cowher would have just kept feeding the Bus the ball instead of putting it in Kordell's hands with 2nd-and-goal at the 5-yard line (where he promptly threw a back-breaking INT into triple coverage in the EZ ).

Agree. I also think they would’ve beaten the Falcons. As far as the 94-95 Chargers game. I’ll keep that where it is. The Niners were strong. I’m not sure the Steelers would’ve been able to handle Young in that game.

[teegre]

He didn't go rookie, listen to what Hines Ward and some of the other players on that team said about that game. The Patriots were calling out our plays at the line of scrimmage. This was three years before they got caught the first time, so the cheating was in full swing.

Do not get me wrong. The Taperiots were cheating. 100%.

That said, Ben threw a pick-six to Rodney Harrison that he had thrown the week prior against the Jets. Same throw, same awful result. It was a mistake the first time, and a veteran (Harrison) taking advantage of a rookie (Ben) mistake the second time. The Taperiots didn’t even need to cheat on that play.

[EzraTank]

PB, as far as 2016-17 goes, AB probably would have been back by the Super Bowl. But, basically : I agree. It’s our least-likely win.

I picked 2004-05, because that team was special. Ben went “rookie” at the wrong time. Argh!!! We had trounced BOTH of the Super Bowl representatives, and given a “best of seven” scenario, we beat either of them 4-1.

That said, I would have LOVED to have seen our 2001 defense face up against the Rams.

1996-97 was much like 2004-05: we beat the Broncos in the regular season (only to have Kordell go “full Kordell” in the AFCCG).

But... living in San Diego... I could be easily convinced to have reversed the 1994-95 AFCCG against the Chargers. I still hear about that game. That said, no one was likely going to stop San Fran that season (although, with that Steelers defense... I would have loved a shot).

No way the Chargers game. In a way I'm glad they upset us because that 49ers team was simply amazing and would have destroyed us. Maybe not as bad as they did the Chargers but it still would have been an ass kicking.