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It was February 1st when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23, in one of the most dramatic finishes in Super Bowl history. The victory gave the Steelers their sixth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Now, the confetti has finished falling, and the questions about the 2009 NFL season have begun. The first question that comes to everyone’s mind is, will the Steelers repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2009? Only eight teams in the history of the NFL have won the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons, and there is no reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot be the ninth.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still a relatively young team. The core players like Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Willie Parker, and James Harrison are now in the prime of their careers. The Steelers also have a nice group of young players who will continue to grow and become more successful at their positions. Santonio Holmes, LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, and Limas Sweed are all players who have bright futures with the Steelers. In particular, Santonio Holmes and LaMarr Woodley made tremendous strides last season. Both players have the potential of being great, and are players to keep our eyes on in the seasons to come.
The Steelers are fortunate in the fact that their coaching staff will virtually remain the same for the 2009 season. This means that defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, will be returning next season, so fans can expect the defense of the Steelers to once again be a dominating force for teams to contend with. In 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers had statistically the toughest schedule in the NFL, and posted an impressive 12-4 regular season record. Next season, the Steelers have the easiest schedule in the league, playing the AFC West and the NFC North. This will greatly improve the Steelers’ chances of making the playoffs in 2009.
Then there is Ben Roethlisberger. In his five-year career, Roethlisberger is 56-24 with an 8-2 record in the playoffs. Plain and simple, he wins football games. Sometimes it seems as though he makes plays that no one else on the field can make. With nineteen come-from-behind wins to his credit, Roethlisberger always plays big when he needs to. With already two Super Bowl victories under his belt, Ben is quickly building a Hall of Fame resume, and may find himself in Canton Ohio when it is all said and done. As long as Roethlisberger is the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team will have a realistic chance at a Super Bowl every season.
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