Are the Pittsburgh Steelers a team of destiny? We'll just have to wait and see.
For now, though, it sure seems that way. The Steelers managed to side-step another bullet in taking a 24-19 win over the mouthy New York Jets in the AFC Championship final on Sunday. And sure, Ben Roethlisberger did his thing as he always does. He finds a way to win and that's the one telling stat by which all elite quarterbacks are measured. By the way, Big Ben's career playoff record is 10-2, which includes two Super Bowl rings.
But even with Roethlisberger delivering in the clutch as only he can, there are questions. For one, the offensive line is banged up, and there's not much depth. Prize rookie center Maurkice Pouncey swears that he'll be ready for Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, but he suffered a high-ankle sprain against the Jets. Those type of sprains usually don't heal that quickly. Will Pouncey be an exception to the rule? Nobody knows. That's key because all QBs -- even Roethlisberger -- need protection. Pittsburgh's O-line faltered in the second half against the Jets. That's why the Steelers were held scoreless after exploding to a 24-zip lead in the first half.
Can the Steelers offensive front line hold up for one more game? Can Pittsburgh's intimidating defense avoid its tendency ease its foot off the accelerator in the second half of games? True enough, it was the defense that stuffed LaDainian Tomlinson at the goal line on fourth down to end a Jets scoring threat. But let's not forget that on that same drive, tight end Dustin Keller dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone that would have made it a one-possession game with plenty of time left to play.
That's not the only time that Pittsburgh has benefitted from an opposing receiver acting as if he was afflicted with frost bite of the fingers. Rewind the tape a few weeks ago in the second round of the playoffs. With the game tied at 21 in the fourth quarter, the Baltimore Ravens were driving for a score. The Ravens, however, didn't fully capitalize. All-pro receiver Anquan Boldin dropped a sure touchdown pass in the end zone that would have given the Ravens the lead and changed the complexion of the game. Instead, Baltimore settled for a field goal and a tie. You know the rest of the story. Steelers won it in the end, 31-24.
Yeah, it's all speculation as to what might have happened if the Jets and Ravens had come through at the decisive moment. Kudos to the Steelers, they are resilient. But there's more to it than that.
I can't help but wonder what if.
Getting beat by a great defensive play (like James Harrison's interception vs. the Cardinals in the Super Bowl two seasons ago) is one thing. But to lose because of a dropped pass is quite another. And yes, Roethlisberger did connect on a desperately-needed third down pass play to seal the victory. Still, you'd think that Pittsburgh's offense would be proficient enough to prevent being shut-out in the third and fourth quarters.
The Steelers are game-tested and have a championship pedigree. But they are not invincible. Can the Green Bay Packers handle the pressure and distractions that come with playing on pro football's biggest stage? When scoring opportunities present themselves will they take full advantage?
We'll find out soon enough.
GO FIGURE: You won't see me waving any terrible towels, or sporting any style of Cheesehead headwear. But I'm really at a loss as to how the Packers rate as a 2 1/2-point favorite over the Steelers, who have a decisive advantage in experience. Pittsburgh has a dozen starters who will be playing in their third Super Bowl in six years. What I've learned is that Las Vegas odds-making is based on the team popularity among the folks who like to place bets. The sentiment of fans and bettors is all well and good, but it won't mean beans on the playing field come Super Sunday.
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