Through the Crystal Ball: The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers

I was at a going out of business sale yesterday, when I came across a beautiful crystal ball.  (OK, the business was a fortune teller.)

After paying the $9.99, getting the instructions, and heading home, I found out exactly how the Pittsburgh Steelers would finish the 2009 season.

Week One - Tennessee Titans

This is the revenge game everyone has been talking about since last season. 

Tennessee wins the coin toss, and on their second play from scrimmage, Chris Johnson is stuffed by a blitzing Troy Polamalu, causing a fumble that Lawrence Timmons recovers at the Titans' 32.

Steelers line up three-wide, with Ward and Sweed to the right. On the first play of the game, Pittsburgh runs a play action, and Ben hits Limas for a score in the back of the end zone.

Late in the second quarter, Kerry Collins is hit from the blind side by James Harrison, knocking the ball out of his hand, and knocking Collins out of the game.

In the second half, with a 21-3 lead, the Steelers start pounding the ball.  Willie Parker ends the game with 127 yards on 17 carries, and Rashard Mendenhall finishes with 84 yards on 15 carries.

Pittsburgh wins the game 31-6.

Week Two - @ Chicago Bears

The Bears open their home schedule against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

After a fantastic opening season victory against the Packers in Green Bay, everyone on television and radio is claiming that Jay Cutler is going to lead the Bears to the Super Bowl.

From the opening kickoff, Pittsburgh attacks Cutler, sacking him seven times, and forcing him into three interceptions in route to a 24-10 win.

Ben Roethlisberger throws for 247 yards, while Willie Parker rushes for his second 100-yard game in a row.

Frank "The Tank" Summers also gets in on the action, scoring his first NFL TD, with a 3-yard run.

Week Three - @ Cincinnati Bengals

In week Three, Pittsburgh decides to establish the run against divisional foe, Cincinnati.

In the first half, Willie Parker carries the ball 12 times for 86 yards, while Rashard Mendenhall carries eight times for 64.

On the Bengals sideline you can see Chad Ochocinco getting frustrated with Carson Palmer for not getting him the ball. Not realizing that time of possession favors the Steelers 22 minutes to eight.

The second half is more of the same, with Parker finishing the game with 112 yards, and Mendenhall finishing with the first 100 yard game of his career with 123.

Pittsburgh improves to 3-0 while the Bengals fall to 1-2.

Week Four - San Diego Chargers

What many people are saying is a possible preview of the AFC Championship game, the undefeated Chargers come to Pittsburgh to play on Sunday Night Football.

In a slugfest, and for the first time this season for both teams, the game comes down to the wire, tied at 17.

San Diego attempts a field goal from 49 yards out with 1:11 left in the game.

Not knowing that you cannot kick into the open end of the stadium from further than 40, San Diego misses wide left.

Pittsburgh then runs on first down, Willie Parker breaks up the right side to the Steelers 49, running out of bounds to stop the clock.

On the next play, Ben fakes the hand off, even though Hines Ward is wide open at the 25, Roethlisberger throws to Limas Sweed down the sideline who makes an acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone.  TOUCHDOWN!

Pittsburgh wins 24-17.

Week Five - @ Detroit Lions

The Pittsburgh Steelers return to the place where they captured their fifth Lombardi trophy, Detroit, Michigan, to face the Lions.

In the week leading up to the game, rookie QB Matthew Stafford comments that the Bears, who beat the Lions in Week Four, were the best defense he had ever seen.

Taking exception to that remark, Dick LeBeau and the Pittsburgh Steelers send everything at Stafford, making his game against the Bears seem more like a dream than the nightmare it was.

Stafford is sacked eight times, fumbles twice and is intercepted four times in a rout that will eventually be known as the worst game of the young signal-caller's career.

Ben Roethlisberger throws for 289 yards, with four scores, Rashard Mendenhall leads the Steelers in rushing with 138 yards as the Steelers crush the hapless Lions 48-0.

Week Six - Cleveland Browns

After starting the season 1-5, new Browns coach Eric Mangini decides to bench Derek Anderson in favor of Brady Quinn. Pittsburgh decides to use the same game plan they used against the Lions, sending everyone at the young signal caller.

Even though Quinn handles the pressure considerably better than Stafford, the results are very similar.

Five sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions, one returned for a score crushes the Browns on the offensive side of the ball.

Ben Roethlisberger completes 17 of 23 passes for 301 yards and three scores, as Fast Willie Parker rushes for 102 yards on 15 carries and two scores of his own.

Pittsburgh wins 35-0.

Week Seven - Minnesota Vikings

With the top two rushing defenses of the last three years set to meet at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh decides to change the game plan.

Pittsburgh starts out throwing the ball, and never stops. Ben Roethlisberger completes 29 of 37 passes for 346 yards.

Santonio Holmes leads the team with 187 yards on nine catches, and Limas Sweed has 121 yards on seven catches.

Brett Favre is knocked out of the game in the beginning of the fourth quarter with a separated shoulder.

The Vikings try to control the clock to no avail, rushing for only 46 yards on 28 carries.

Pittsburgh goes into the bye week with a 28-14 victory, and a 7-0 record.

Week Eight - Bye Week

Week Nine - @ Denver Broncos

After having a week to rest the team , Pittsburgh starts out rusty, for the first quarter. The game starts out with Kyle Orton throwing like Peyton Manning on the first drive to take a 7-0 lead.

It was all downhill from there.

Ben Roethlisberger, playing in front of boyhood idol John Elway, throws a near-perfect game, completing 22 of 24 passes for 285 yards and four scores, leading the Steelers to a 24-10 Monday night victory.

The defense continued their assault on NFL offenses, holding the Broncos to only 172 total yards, and only 43 on the ground.

Week 10 - Cincinnati Bengals

The surprising Cincinnati Bengals are on a six-game winning streak, only two games behind the Steelers.

Carson Palmer is back to his old form, and is once again being talked about as one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Things are about to change drastically.

The Bengals running game that has averaged 125 yards a game since the Week Three matchup, is not able to get anything going against the top-rated rushing defense of the Steelers.

Carson Palmer is forced to try to win the game with his arm, but with the top-rated secondary in the NFL, Pittsburgh is able to shut him down.

Palmer finishes the game completing 14 of 25 passes for 145 yards, as the Bengals fall into a second-place tie with the Ravens at 7-3.

Where the Bengals could not get the ground game going, Pittsburgh had no problem, having both Willie Parker (128 yards) and Rashard Mendenhall (113 yards) rush for more than 100 yards for the second time this season.

Week 11 - @ Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are off to their best start since 1997, winning five of their nine games.  Pittsburgh puts a halt to that.

On their second possession, the Chiefs are forced to punt from deep in their own territory.

Pittsburgh sends the blitz, blocking the punt and recovering it in the end zone for the score. 

But that would not be the end of the scoring by units other than the offense.

Pittsburgh would return an interception by Ike Taylor 68 yards, and return the second half opening kick for a score.

The Steelers offense would account for 389 yards, with Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 235, and Willie Parker rushing for another 112.

Pittsburgh win 28-9.

Week 12 - @ Baltimore Ravens

In another defensive slugfest, the Steelers and Ravens have another defensive battle for the ages.

Ben Roethlisberger is blindsided at the end of the first quarter, being knocked out of the game on a late hit by Terrell Suggs. 

Although Dennis Dixon comes in playing better than a rookie, it is too much for the young signal-caller to overcome.

On Dixon's first pass attempt, Ed Reed intercepts the ball and returns it for a score, to give Baltimore a 7-0 lead.

Pittsburgh returns the favor at the start of the second half, when LaMarr Woodley hits a scrambling Joe Flacco in the back field, forcing an arrant throw and knocking Flacco out of the game.

On the throw, Troy Polamalu intercepts the ball, returning it to the Baltimore 3 before being knocked out of bounds.

On second and goal from the two, Frank Summers runs over Ray Lewis for the Steelers only TD of the night, tying the game at 10.

It would all come down to the final play in regulation, when new Baltimore kicker Steven Hauschka kicks a 39-yard field goal giving the Ravens a three-point victory and ending the Steelers' bid for a perfect season.

Week 13 - Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders return to Pittsburgh to renew their rivalry with the Steelers.  Pittsburgh will have nothing to do with it, though.

Mike Tomlin decides to not force Big Ben back into action too soon, giving Dennis Dixon his first NFL start, and Dixon does not disappoint.

Dixon throws for 213 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but the running game of the Steelers is dominant.

Willie Parker rushes for 113 yards while Rashard Mendenhall adds another 103. 

Dixon also rushes for 87 yards on 14 carries and two scores.

The Pittsburgh defense , upset over losing to the Ravens, makes a statement, allowing only 93 yards of total offense by JaMarcus Russell and the Raiders, blanking them 35-0.

At the conclusion of the game, Raiders owner Al Davis fires coach Tom Cable.

Week 14 - @ Cleveland Browns

The wheels are coming off in Cleveland as Eric Mangini has switched back to Derek Anderson as the starting QB, hoping that the Browns can salvage something from this season, having won only one game to this point.

With a healthy Ben Roethlisberger now back under center, the Steelers start out fast and furious.

Only playing in the first half, due to the fact the score is 28-7, Ben Roethlisberger completes 10 of 14 passes for 148 yards and two scores. Dennis Dixon plays the second half throwing for 68 yards on five of nine passes.

The running game of the Steelers was again successful, with Willie Parker rushing for 186 yards on 24 carries, and Dennis Dixon finishing with 67 yards on eight carries.

Pittsburgh continues to pound the ball en route to a 42-7 victory against the hapless Browns.

Week 15 - Green Bay Packers

Green Bay enters the game trying to keep pace with division leaders Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears who are tied with eight wins each. They will have the same luck the Vikings and Bears had against the Steelers.

Being the masters of the 3-4 defense, Pittsburgh shows the Packers the difference between a team that has run the defense the last 20 years and one that is just starting to run it this year.

Pittsburgh scores twice on Ben Roethlisberger passes to Hines Ward, and two more rushing scores by Rashard Mendenhall, along with a fumble recovery by William Gay for a score. 

Final score 38-14.

With the win, Pittsburgh wins the AFC North, and secures a first-round playoff bye and eliminates the Packers from the playoffs.

Week 16 - Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens come into the game looking to secure one of the wild-card playoff spots.  Pittsburgh, having lost the previous meeting to the Ravens have revenge in mind.

From the opening kickoff, this looks to be another slugfest. 

Pittsburgh, on the first defensive play, executes an all-out blitz. Joe Flacco is knocked out of the game, and Le'Ron McLain twists his right knee, ending the day for the two best players on the Ravens squad.

Troy Smith replaces Flacco, and plays more like Kordell Stewart than Joe Flacco, throwing for four interceptions.

With Ravens' will broken, the Steelers pound the ball again and again, rushing for over 200 yards total. Rashard Mendenhall rushes for 137 and two scores as Pittsburgh wins 28-7.

Week 17 - @ Miami Dolphins

With the top seed in the AFC already secured, Mike Tomlin decides to rest some of his starters.

Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu and others take the game off, and don't even dress out for the game.

Dennis Dixon gets his second start of his career, and Rashard Mendenhall will carry the bulk of the load.

Playing like they know they cannot further their position, Pittsburgh plays a vanilla D, not blitzing a lot, and allowing Miami to control the clock.

Miami gets the win to finish 10-6, and win the AFC East, securing the number four seed.

Pittsburgh finishes 14-2, and is the top seed entering the playoffs.

Divisional Round

After beating the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round, Miami travels to Pittsburgh for a rematch of the Week 17 game. 

This time, Pittsburgh is not sitting their starters, and are playing with purpose.

After shaking off some first quarter rust, Pittsburgh goes on the attack. Ben Roethlisberger completes 17 of 23 passes for 263 yards and two scores. Willie Parker rushes for 121 yards and a score.

As the defense again shows why they were the top rated defense in both rushing and passing, Pittsburgh allows only 146 yards of offense by the Dolphins.

Pittsburgh wins 24-13.

AFC Championship Game

In the AFC Championship game, Pittsburgh hosts the San Diego Chargers.  Similar to their game in the 2008 playoffs, San Diego starts off by trying to go deep. This time, Troy Polamalu crushes Vincent Jackson as he tries to catch the early score, knocking him out of the game.

All of the pressure is now on LaDainian Tomlinson.

Pittsburgh has not allowed any running back to go over 100 yards in almost three years. The record is broken with LT rushing for 113 yards on 28 carries in a losing effort.

Ben Roethlisberger outduels Phillip Rivers, throwing for 234 yards and two scores, and Rashard Mendenhall adds 114 on the ground as Pittsburgh punches their ticket to Miami, and their second Super Bowl in two years.

Pittsburgh 27, San Diego 21.

Super Bowl XLIV

Many years in the making, the Turnpike Super Bowl has finally arrived. The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Philadelphia Eagles.

This is going to go down as one of the greatest Super Bowls in the history of the game. Pittsburgh starts out on defense, holding the Eagles to a 37-yard field goal.

On the kickoff, Mike Wallace fumbles the ball at the Steelers 22, where it is recovered by the Eagles.

After a pass interference call in the end zone, Philadelphia takes over at the one, punching the ball in on third down, taking a 10-0 lead.

In the second quarter, score the same, Pittsburgh drives the length of the field, having to settle for a short field goal when Frank Summers can not punch it in from the two.  10-3 Eagles.

On the ensuing drive, Philadelphia drives to the Pittsburgh 33. Philadelphia tries to kick a 50-yard field goal before half time, and the kick is blocked by Limas Sweed. 

Troy Polamalu picks up the live ball and returns it for a score as the Steelers tie the game at half time 10-10.

In the second half, Pittsburgh returns the ball to the Steeler 40. On first down, Mike Tomlin calls for a play action fake, Limas Sweed streaks up the side line for a 60 yard score. 

17-10, Pittsburgh.

After the teams trade punts, Philadelphia marches down the field. At the start of the fourth quarter, Phily is forced to kick a field goal, when they can not score inside the 10 yard line on three consecutive plays. 

17-13, Pittsburgh.

As the quarter is winding down, Pittsburgh decides to run the ball. After killing seven minutes of the clock, Pittsburgh is stopped on third down at the 34-yard line. 

Mike Tomlin now has a decision to make. 

Do you try the 51-yard field goal attempt? 

Or do you punt the ball and try to pin the Eagles deep?

Tomlin decides to punt the ball.

Daniel Sepulveda puts the ball out of bounds inside the five yard line.

Donovan McNabb now has 4:12 on the clock to guide his team to the potential game-winning touchdown. 

McNabb orchestrates a drive for the ages. Moving the ball against the Steelers prevent defense.  With 1:12 left on the clock, McNabb hits DeSean Jackson for a 34 yard touchdown, giving the Eagles a 20-17 lead.

On the kickoff, Mike Wallace makes up for his first quarter fumble, returning the ball to the Eagles' 42 yard line.

With two timeouts left, Pittsburgh needs at least a field goal to tie. On first down, Willie Parker is stopped for a three-yard loss. 

TIME OUT!

Now with only 47 seconds remaining, and Pittsburgh at the 45, Ben Roethlisberger drops back to pass, and hits Santonio Holmes for a 40-yard gain to the Eagles 5. 

But wait, there is a flag on the field. 

Holding—Offense. 

The ball is now moved back to the Steelers' 45 with 37 seconds remaining.

On 2nd-and-23, Roethlisberger drops back, scrambles around the pocket, finds Holmes again down to the Eagles 28, as Holmes steps out of bounds, it is first down Steelers with 29 seconds left.

On first down, the Steelers go for the win. 

Roethlisberger drops back, finds Hines Ward at the 10-yard line. While being tackled, Ward is grabbed by the face mask, spun around, and he fumbles the ball. 

The Eagles pick up the loose ball and return it for a score as time runs out. 

But wait—FLAG DOWN!

Personal foul, face mask. 

Pittsburgh gets one, untimed down from the five-yard line. 

Do you go for the win, or OT?

Mike Tomlin lines up for the field goal.  The kick is up: It is good!  We're going to Overtime!

OVERTIME.

Philadelphia wins the toss and select to take the ball.

On the opening kickoff, DeSean Jackson returns the ball to the Eagles 32. 

On second down, the Eagles try a play-action deep throw to DeSean Jackson. Troy Polamalu is not fooled, dropping deep into coverage.

It is a jump ball, and Polamalu comes down with the interception.

Steelers ball at the Steelers 31. On first down, Willie Parker rushes for 22 yards off right tackle.  The next play, Ben Roethlisberger hits Santonio Holmes for another 15 yards. Pittsburgh ball on Eagles 32.

On first down, Ben drops back to pass, as the rush comes, and no one is open, Roethlisberger takes off, rushing for another 8 to the Eagles 24. On second down, Rashard Mendenhall rushes for only one yard, bringing up 3rd and one from the Eagles 23.

Not wanting to take a chance with a bad snap, Tomlin sends in the field goal unit for the win.

Reed is back, with Dennis Dixon holding.  The snap is high, Dixon picks the ball up and rushes to the the left. After breaking a tackle at the 21, Dixon rushes into the end zone for the score.

STEELERS WIN!!!

Final score 26-20 Pittsburgh.

Ben Roethlisberger is named game MVP throwing for 236 yards and a score.