When Troy doesn't play they lose a lot more than when Ben doesn't play. What does that make Roethlisberger?

Originally Posted by: Dexter_Sinister 

I think Pittsburgh's defense is extremely overated. Remember, they get to play Cleveland, Cincinatti, and Baltimore for six of their games. When they do play high caliber offenses, they normally get torched often. Brady and Manning both can light them up just like Rodgers did in the SB. What Pittsburgh does excel at is being bullies to mediocre teams.

I still say what the Packers D did to the Jets last year in NY was something that was not talk about nearly enough. Our defense isn't perfect but it is getting closer.

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 

Well, it's not like the NFC North is full of world beating offenses either. Here are the rankings and points per game for the teams in the Steelers' and Packers' divisions:

15. Detroit 22.6 ppg
16. Baltimore 22.3 ppg
21. Chicago 20.9
22. Cincinnati 20.1
29. Minnesota 17.6
31. Cleveland 16.9

The differences average out to about half a point more in favor of the NFC North. That's not much.

Maybe I'm alone in this, but I think the Packers beat a damn good team in the Super Bowl.

Originally Posted by: Greg C. 

That means Pittsburgh's #3 safety is not as good as their #2 QB.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

Or it means that Ben is very replaceable and Troy isn't. The Steelers need Troy to win a lot more than they need Big Ben.

Originally Posted by: Dexter_Sinister 

Going back to 05, the Steelers are 6-4 in games Roethlisberger doesn't start. I did not include a week 17 07 game against Baltimore, which was meaningless in the standings, so the Steelers treated the game differently.

The Steelers are 12-9 in games Troy Polamalu doesn't start.

That is a 60% winning percentage without Ben and a 57% winning percentage without Troy.

My main point is that the Steelers are a first class organization. They simply find ways to win. I think it says more about the quality of football in Pittsburgh than it does the quality of the player.

Originally Posted by: porky88 

I would say that the Steelers are a pretty damn lucky team to have won those 2 super bowls in 5 years. There were two plays in the Seattle super bowl that turned that tied and both plays, the call went for the Steelers. The first was the slight push off by the receiver in the end zone that NEVER gets called, and the other was horse caller by Joey Porter that would have gone for a touchdown and there was no laundry.,

The Arizona game was the play that Harrison made for a fourteen point swing at halftime. That was a great play by Harrison, but I thought the play call was horrible. The last three super bowls they've played, I don't think they were the best team on the field in any of them. But you guys are right that they are a quality team that finds ways to win. We're just a little better that's all.

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 

When Troy doesn't play they lose a lot more than when Ben doesn't play. What does that make Roethlisberger?

Originally Posted by: Dexter_Sinister