2015 Season Coincidentally Shaping Into 2005 Season

Via http://www.steelcityunderground.com/2016/01/15/2015-season-coincidentally-shaping-into-2005-season/

Who could forget the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers? A team who somehow found a way into the playoffs as the 6th seed, and became the first such team to win it all.

The same could be said about this year’s Steelers squad, one who has time and time again found ways to survive.

In 2005, it was a unfortunate fumble by Jerome Bettis which nearly hurt the Steelers chances of progressing through the touranment. It was an even more unfortunate missed field goal by Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt, which helped that team survive.

The 2005 Super Bowl run started with a controversial win against the Cincinnati Bengals; this year’s playoff run started with the a controversial win over the same, with an unfortunate fumble (by the opponent this time) and surviving by the fate of a field goal.

It’s that 2005 game against the Colts, in which the Steelers also defeated Peyton Manning, who they will face this Sunday. Except this time, Manning is the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, the team the 2005 Steelers beat for the AFC Championship.

Another coincidence, the Steelers took the ball away 7 times in the redzone: the most since the 2005 Super Bowl team.

While facing a number of injuries, this year’s incarnation may be hard-pressed to duplicate the 2005 team’s success. However, if they can only find a way to continue surviving, the 2015 team may heal up to fight another day.

2005 team was healthy, young, in their prime and determined as hell to get Jerome Bettis to Detroit. This years team does not have their star running back, their star back up running back. Missing the #1 receiver, soft secondary, and their franchise QB has a bad wing.

I would have said they had a very good chance to go all the way, but Big Ben not being able to throw deep is what may have killed the Steelers in the end.

It feels that way a little. We're not as healthy as we were that year though but any given Sunday.

This team is more like the 2010 packers, beat up to hell but the young players are stepping up and playing good ball. Defense was soft early-mid season but started to gel in the late season -> playoffs.

The secondary is a mixed bag. They're labeled soft, but have 2 highly rated corners according to PFF (Cockrell and Boykin) and Gay didn't give up a TD in the regular season, the ONLY starting corner to have done so.

I don't think Manning can throw 40-50 times necessary to beat this secondary. And I don't think Denver will have much success running. Their OL is bad and if we can exploit that to get to Manning, we might be able to pull this out.

Fire Arians wrote:

This team is more like the 2010 packers, beat up to hell but the young players are stepping up and playing good ball. Defense was soft early-mid season but started to gel in the late season -> playoffs.

That works too. Honestly I'd be happy given the endings that both teams had. It feels a little like 2005 to me since the Pats* were the defending champs that year too. It's also got the feeling of a revenge tour. I really want to beat Denver so I don't have to hear about Tebow anymore. I mean I get it that was an upset but it's never brought up how beat up that team was too and the fact that a key member of our secondary Clark couldn't play in Denver which I think impacted the last play.

If Manning plays like he did most of the year, we could easily win, just need him to keep throwing INTs instead of being Manning of old

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

Fire Arians wrote:

This team is more like the 2010 packers, beat up to hell but the young players are stepping up and playing good ball. Defense was soft early-mid season but started to gel in the late season -> playoffs.

That works too. Honestly I'd be happy with the endings that both teams had.

Yup, with Ben finally getting a super bowl MVP. Honestly I think we still got a good shot this game, even without brown, if Ben can go.

Steelers Depot has a good article about Ben suffering the same AC joint injury in 2008, and coming back to play the next week (also after missing practice wednesday, limited thursday, and full practice friday) and throwing 45 yards down the field against a strong (then) cleveland D. If he's in similar shape we will be good to go.

Manning was a playoff choke artist before he went into the crapper this season. Food for thought.

OX1947 wrote:

2005 team was healthy, young, in their prime and determined as hell to get Jerome Bettis to Detroit. This years team does not have their star running back, their star back up running back. Missing the #1 receiver, soft secondary, and their franchise QB has a bad wing.

I would have said they had a very good chance to go all the way, but Big Ben not being able to throw deep is what may have killed the Steelers in the end.

He WILL throw deep. I guarantee it.

Fire Arians wrote:

This team is more like the 2010 packers, beat up to hell but the young players are stepping up and playing good ball. Defense was soft early-mid season but started to gel in the late season -> playoffs.

I was thinking the exact same thing many times this season, and the comparisons don't stop there. To add to the points you gave, the 2010 Pack was also a favorite pick early on to make it to the Super Bowl, and even then they were on the verge of elimination several times during the regular season, and needed help from other teams to get into the playoffs as we were. I don't think we've quite caught fire offensively as much as they did, seeing as our offense has gradually scored less and less as the season has gotten later.