2009 Pittsburgh Steelers: The Road to Super Bowl XLIV, with Results

Coming off their sixth Super Bowl Championship, and the second in the last four years, it is time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to start preparation for the road to Super Bowl XLIV.

Everyone knows that the top seed in each conference has the greatest advantage. Not only do they get an additional bye week at the end of the regular season, but they know the only "away" game (like there ever is one for the Steelers), would be the Super Bowl.

Here is the Steelers 2009 schedule, with the outcome.

Week One - Tennessee Titans.  After defeating the Steelers in Week 15 last year, the Titans secured home field advantage by locking up the number one seed.

They also secured a guaranteed brawl the next time these two teams face each other.

By disrespecting the Terrible Towl at the end of the game, Pittsburgh will be playing this game with playoff intensity.

Add to that, it is the first game of the regular season, at home, it is not looking like a promising start for last years top seed.

Pittsburgh 1-0

Week Two - @ Chicago Bears.  With the acquisition of Jay Cutler, Chicago is a much improved team.

Still tough on D, with someone that can now throw the ball.

This game should have been played in December.

Pittsburgh still shows they are the measuring stick when it comes to Defense, show Da Bears exactly what tough is.

Pittsburgh 2-0

Week Three - @ Cincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh does not lose in Ohio. They haven't since drafting Big Ben, and that streak will continue!

Pittsburgh 3-0

Week Four - San Diego Chargers.  Last season when we played them in the playoffs, the announcers continually reminded us how San Diego can not win in Pittsburgh in the regular season.

That streak will also continue.

Pittsburgh 4-0

Week Five - @ Detroit Lions.  By winning the Super Bowl there four years ago, Pittsburgh has won almost as many games in Detroit as the Lions have in that span.

IF the Lions decide to draft Matthew Stafford, I hope his first start is after this game, or it may be his last.

Pittsburgh 5-0

Week Six - Cleveland Browns.  New GM, New Coach, same results.

The Browns have too many issues surrounding their team for anyone to seriously think they are going to be competitive this season.

Especially against the reigning Super Bowl Champs.

Pittsburgh 6-0

Week Seven - Minnesota Vikings. With all due respect to Adrian Peterson, NO ONE rushes against the Steelers.

Having only allowed two 100-yard rushing games in the last three years, if the Vikings are going to win, it is going to have to be on the Quarterback.

Who is the Vikings QB again?  That's right.

Pittsburgh 7-0

Week Eight - Bye Week.  A team could not ask for a better placement of the bye week.

Week Nine - @ Denver Broncos.  The Broncos had a high-powered offense last year, but the D had a lot of work to do.

The O has gotten worse, while the D stays the same.

I look for the Broncos, with Kyle Orton, to go 5-11.

One of those five ARE NOT going to be against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh 8-0

Week 10 - Cincinnati Bengals. I expect the Bengals to be eliminated from playoff contention by this point.

Is Carson Palmer really healed?  If not, he certainly will not be playing by this point.  And without a healthy Palmer, Cincinnati is picking in the top five next years draft as well.

Pittsburgh 9-0

Week 11 - @ Kansas City Chiefs. I have said before, and will say again, the Chiefs are a team on the rise.

I just don't think they are going to rise enough this season to compete with the Black and Gold.

Pittsburgh 10-0

Week 12 - @ Baltimore Ravens.  All of the whiny, cry baby Ravens fans that thought it was so unfair to have to play in Pittsburgh in prime time, can now shut their collective pie holes.

Pittsburgh will travel to Baltimore to take on a team that pushed us to the AFC Championship last year, only to lose to us for the third time that season.

I think this game will pit the two best records in the AFC battling it out.

Since I can not say Pittsburgh is going to be undefeated, I am going to give this one to the Ravens.

Pittsburgh 10-1

Week 13 - Oakland Raiders. The Raiders have done absolutely nothing to improve their team this off season.

I want to go to Vegas and bet on if Tom Cable is still going to be coach when the Raiders come to Pittsburgh.

If the line is six games before he gets fired, I'm taking the under.

Pittsburgh 11-1

Week 14 - @ Cleveland Browns. As I said with the Bungles, Pittsburgh does not lose in Ohio.

Pittsburgh 12-1

Week 15 - Green Bay Packers. Green Bay is trying to transform into a variation of the Steelers.

They are switching to a 3-4.  Kevin Green is now the LB coach, and they have tried to sign everyone from the secondary of the Steelers of last year. (McFadden was smart enough to leave with out a contract.)

The Pack still has a long way to go!

Pittsburgh 13-1

Week 16 - Baltimore Ravens. After this victory, Pittsburgh will secure not only the division title, but also the top seed in the AFC.

Baltimore will not beat Pittsburgh twice.

I look for this game to be "flexed" into a prime-time game, much to the chagrin of the Ravens front office.

Pittsburgh 14-1

Week 17 - @ Miami Dolphins. I live about three hours from the stadium. You can bet I am going to be at this game. I just hope I get to see some of the starters play.

Having already locked up the top seed in the division, all of the studs will be resting this week.

Miami will be fighting for a playoff spot, and possibly the division. At home, against the back ups, Miami pulls this one off.

Pittsburgh 14-2.

Pittsburgh will then host the Dolphins in the AFC Divisional game, beating them by the score of 27-3.

The AFC Championship game will again be played in Pittsburgh. This time it will be against the New England Patriots.

Pittsburgh will pound the elderly secondary of the Pats, en rout to a 33-17 victory!

The Super Bowl will then be the "turnpike" bowl. As the Steelers play the Philadelphia Eagles.

This game will go down to the wire. The score will be tied at 17 with less than two minutes to play. Troy Polamalu will intercept the ball and return it to midfield.

Ben will then hook up with Limas Sweed with :18 seconds left for the game-winning touchdown.

Ben will finally win his Super Bowl MVP, and his third ring. Eliminating all of this "is he or isn't he elite" argument.