(My Sportsbook) - Though every team begins the season 0-0, not everyone starts on a level playing field.
Also factor in that one of the toughest things to do in the NFL is overcome a slow start, and one can see the kind of adversity the Pittsburgh Steelers were facing come Week 1.
If a franchise has visions of division titles and playoff byes, getting out of the gate strong is a must. Now, imagine beginning the season without your franchise quarterback. That was the obstacle that laid down broken glass, rusty nails and treacherous potholes during the early part of Pittsburgh's road to the Super Bowl, but Mike Tomlin's team navigated it brilliantly en route to its third AFC North title in four seasons.
Pittsburgh began the 2010 season hungry. Following its victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII -- the sixth title in franchise history -- a 9-7 mark the following campaign wasn't even good enough to make the postseason. Then think how the Steelers felt when they learned that Ben Roethlisberger was to miss the first four games of this season due to an offseason violation of the league's personal conduct policy.
Scary thing is, it could have been worse. After Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault last March, he was originally given a six-game ban that was reduced two contests by commissioner Roger Goodell. Not only that, but the Steelers began the season with third-stringer Dennis Dixon under center after backup Byron Leftwich was hurt prior to the season opener.
Needless to say, the odds of Pittsburgh winning the AFC North took a hit before the season even started, but pending doom turned to triumph for the Black and Gold.
Tomlin smartly rode the legs of running back Rashard Mendenhall in a Week 1 overtime victory over visiting Atlanta, getting the game-winning 50-yard touchdown from his back in the deciding quarter.
Seven days later, a defensive unit that would go on to allow the fewest points in football while ranking first against the run and second in total defense set the tone in a 19-11 win at Tennessee. The Steelers forced seven turnovers and had four sacks, winning despite losing Dixon in-game due to injury.
Pittsburgh's winning streak minus Roethlisberger would reach three straight following a 38-13 win at Tampa Bay on Sept. 26, one that Charlie Batch started at quarterback. However, the defense turned in another strong performance to show the league that the Steelers could win no matter who was -- or wasn't -- on the field.
"Just because Ben isn't there, he is not the whole team," linebacker James Harrison said after the victory. "He is a big part of this team, no question, but he is not the whole team. He is not going to determine if we win or lose the game. It may be something that is a contributing factor, but like I said, the next guy in line is just a starter in waiting and that's how we look at everybody."
Having successfully kept their heads above water without Big Ben, the Steelers were now just three weeks away from having their star back on the field. Unfortunately, the magic ran out in a 17-14 home setback to Baltimore, the team that would go on to challenge Pittsburgh for AFC North supremacy.
Following a bye, Roethlisberger returned to throw three touchdown passes in a 28-10 victory over Cleveland. The defense didn't take its foot off the pedal despite the quarterback's return, however, with Harrison laying out two Browns players with head injuries. One hit would cost him $75,000, one of many deductions from his bank account this season.
After a narrow 23-22 victory in Miami on Oct. 24, the Steelers hit a rough patch in their schedule with upcoming games against the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints and the always-tough New England Patriots. Pittsburgh would lose both games sandwiched around a 27-21 win at Cincinnati, struggling against star quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tom Brady to fall to 6-3.
Following the loss to the Pats, the Steelers got nasty again in a 35-3 triumph over Oakland in Week 11. Harrison recorded two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in the rout, as well as one of six personal foul calls on Pittsburgh.
Close wins in Buffalo (19-16 in overtime) and Baltimore (13-10) followed, and each game featured tense moments. The Bills nearly bested the Steelers in overtime, but wide receiver Steve Johnson dropped a possible 40-yard touchdown catch, while Roethlisberger suffered a broken nose early versus the Ravens. That didn't stop him from completing a go-ahead scoring pass to Isaac Redman with 2:51 left on a drive set up by safety Troy Polamalu's sack and forced fumble of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco.
An easier meeting followed in a 23-7 home victory over the Bengals on Dec. 12, and Pittsburgh would go on to clinch a playoff spot the next weekend despite a 22-17 loss to the New York Jets.
Though assured a return to the postseason, the Steelers needed to win out over it final two regular-season contests to claim the AFC North title over the Ravens thanks to owning the tiebreaker. Pittsburgh didn't make its fans sweat, blowing out Carolina and Cleveland by a combined 68-12 margin to earn the top seed and first-round bye with a 12-4 mark.
While Pittsburgh deserves credit for surviving without Roethlisberger, a friendly schedule helped too. The Steelers earned the top seed despite going 2-4 against playoff teams in the regular season.
After an extra week off, the Steelers prepared for their rubber match with the Ravens in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. In what figured to be a hard-fought and heavy-hitting affair, Roethlisberger refused to let his team down like he had done in the offseason. The former Pro Bowl selection hit Antonio Brown with a big 58-yard pass with less than two minutes to go in the game, leading to Mendenhall's game-winning two-yard run as the Steelers rallied after being down by two touchdowns at halftime.
Pittsburgh had avenged one regular-season loss, but needed one more to return to the Super Bowl for the third time in six seasons. The Jets were coming back to town.
After Roethlisberger keyed the previous week's victory, it was the defense's turn to shine. Pittsburgh raced out to a 24-0 lead in the AFC Championship, with the last seven points coming on a 19-yard fumble return by William Gay. The offense then went cold and the Jets climbed to within five points, but the defense put forth a huge goal-line stand in the fourth quarter and Pittsburgh escaped with a 24-19 triumph.
"All these journeys are adversity-filled," said Tomlin. "That's why I'm happy and appreciative of our effort."
