So how good were the 2008 Steelers? (1 Viewer)

[The Jerk]

But two facts remain: the '07 Pats were better than any Browns team of the Super Bowl era (and it's not even close), and with a gun to their children's heads, no Steelers fan is going to take the '08 Steelers versus the '07 Patriots.

This is an argument that neither of us can win but after seeing Brady's performance under pressure in last year's Super Bowl I think the 2008 Steelers defense would do just fine.

If it's the September 2007 Patriots vs. the September 2008 Steelers, it's clearly tilted toward NE, but as I showed in my earlier post, the 2008 Steelers slowly but steadily improved during the season and in the final nine games and slightly outperformed the 2007 Patriots in the second half of the season. The exact reasons as to why this occurred statistically can be argued, but the numbers are there. Whether or not anyone likes it, the NFL holds the Super Bowl on the first Sunday in February, not a given weekend in September or October, and I'll take the 2008 Steelers over the 2007 Patriots in terms of their respective Super Bowl performances, or even the playoffs as a whole.

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

But two facts remain: the '07 Pats were better than any Browns team of the Super Bowl era (and it's not even close), and with a gun to their children's heads, no Steelers fan is going to take the '08 Steelers versus the '07 Patriots.

This is an argument that neither of us can win but after seeing Brady's performance under pressure in last year's Super Bowl I think the 2008 Steelers defense would do just fine.

If it's the September 2007 Patriots vs. the September 2008 Steelers, it's clearly tilted toward NE, but as I showed in my earlier post, the 2008 Steelers slowly but steadily improved during the season and in the final nine games and slightly outperformed the 2007 Patriots in the second half of the season. The exact reasons as to why this occurred statistically can be argued, but the numbers are there. Whether or not anyone likes it, the NFL holds the Super Bowl on the first Sunday in February, not a given weekend in September or October, and I'll take the 2008 Steelers over the 2007 Patriots in terms of their respective Super Bowl performances, or even the playoffs as a whole.

The Steelers were 16-1 before they lost to NE in 2004, great season but hard to compare them with a Super Bowl winner.

 

[The Jerk]

The parallels between the 2007 Patriots and 2008 Steelers in the playoffs are interesting. Both teams won their divisional game by 11 points and their conference championship game by 9 points. Although the Patriots never opened up a two score lead like the Steelers did, eventually both teams found themselves late in the fourth quarter needing their less heralded unit to perform in the clutch to win the Super Bowl. As we all know, the Patriots needed their defense to protect a late lead, while the Steelers needed to gain at least 50 yards for a field goal attempt or a TD to win.

The Patriots scored with 2:42 left.

The Cardinals scored with 2:47 left.

Of course, both the Giants and Steelers scored the winning TD with 0:35 left.

It can be argued that the Giants offense was a better unit than the Cardinals defense, and the memorable catches as well as QB escapes in each game can be factored into the analysis. What most people fail to remember is that if Tyree doesn't make the catch, it's 4th and 5 -- not easy but hardly insurmountable -- and also that two plays later the Giants had a 3rd and 11 at the NE 25. For that matter, three plays before the Tyree catch the Giants converted a 4th and 1. The catch was huge but it did not have to be decisive.

When all is said and done, it always comes back to the fact that the Steelers offense got it done and the Patriots defense did not.

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

As a Steelers fan myself, I'm sorry to say that I can't agree that the 2008 Steelers (or almost any other SuperBowl winning team) were better than the 2007 Patriots. They only lost because of a fluke catch that could never be repeated, and an interception going right through a guy's (I think Samuel's?) hands.

That's complete and utter BS. Belichick and his coordinators were outcoached as no one touched Brady all season and the Giants were all over him all game. The Giants deserved that game, made the big plays when it counted, and the 2007 Giants ARE better than the 2007 Patriots as they BEAT THEM HEAD TO HEAD! What other argument is there??? It's not like the BCS where there are what ifs...The fact that the Patriots steamrolled through the league and then couldn't see it through immediately takes them out of the best team of all-time running.

And using your fluke argument logic, the Cardinals only lost because of a fluke 100 yard interception return for a TD that could never be repeated, so they are better than the Steelers. Doesn't work, the proof was on the scoreboard.

Says the bitter Browns fan who goes to bed every night wishing to Christ his team had held onto Belichick.The Pats and Giants played twice during the 2007 season, each team winning once. By your logic, the '08 Browns were better than the '08 Giants, just because they beat them head to head. But we both know that's not true; few are the teams that the Browns are better than, and the Giants surely are not one of them.

So was Belichick outcoached or not? I'm not bitter. I wouldn't piss on Belichick if he was on fire for running my team out of town in the five losing years he was here, but thanks, you can have him.

Ok, so let's dethrone all Super Bowl champs now and look for teams during the season who were better that DIDN'T GET IT DONE IN THE PLAYOFFS, and particularly the Super Bowl. Head to head during the regular season means nothing. It's the big ones that count.

Oh, what could have been for the 2007 Patriots... Have fun pretending though.

First, Belichick didn't run your team out of town. We can have him? Thanks. We'll certainly take him.Second, "Have fun pretending?" Okay... And you have fun pretending that the Browns have been relevant in the past... oh, I've lost track. However long it's been, I guess.

:X Guess I'm not going to get an answer to my question. Great punt there Chris Hanson, what hang time!

But keep going on the Browns though if it helps the healing process to take your mind off of the Bust Team Ever. It's okay.

Was Belichick outcoached? Of course he was.

But two facts remain: the '07 Pats were better than any Browns team of the Super Bowl era (and it's not even close), and with a gun to their children's heads, no Steelers fan is going to take the '08 Steelers versus the '07 Patriots.

As for the healing process, I'm getting along just fine. I have three recent Super Bowl DVDs (plus a whole hell of a lot to look forward to in the future) to help get me past it.

I would take the teams that won 100 out of 100 times. Even if they are the best team to not win the SB, tehy are the 44th best team of the SB era. Deal with it.