Why the Pittsburgh Steelers Won't Return to the Super Bowl in 2012

Can the Pittsburgh Steelers make back-to-back Super Bowl appearances? I find it hard to believe they can.

Do the Steelers have what it takes to win three games in the playoffs? Yes, they do, but the only thing holding them back is the fact that they lost in the Super Bowl last season.

History suggests that making it to back-to-back Super Bowls after losing the first is a feat that most can’t accomplish. Actually, many teams struggle to even make the postseason after losing a Super Bowl.

Since 2000 there have been seven teams that didn’t make the postseason following a Super Bowl loss. No team has even won a divisional game in the playoffs following a Super Bowl loss since the Buffalo Bills in 1994.

So to suggest that the Steelers would make it to an AFC Championship game, let alone a Super Bowl, would be a lot to ask.

Do they have the talent to do that?

Without question.

If any team can do it, Pittsburgh can. They have talent all around the board, and a coach in Mike Tomlin who is still bitter from the Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers.

It does seem that the Steelers should be able to make the playoffs in 2011-12. Other than playing the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals twice, they also play Seattle, Tennessee, Jacksonville and St. Louis at home.

All should be winnable games.

And there lies the problem—should. If NFL teams should win “easier” games then why is the NFL one of the more equal-talented leagues in the world?

That is why they play the game.

Look back to 2009 when the Steelers seemed to have the easiest schedule in the league after having one of the more difficult ones in 2008.

In 2008, Pittsburgh played at Philadelphia, New England, Tennessee—who went 13-3 on the season—and Jacksonville, a place where they tend to struggle.

They played Indianapolis, San Diego, Dallas and the New York Giants at home. This schedule seemed ridiculous, and was for the most part. They persevered and ended up winning a Super Bowl.

2009 was a much different story.

Pittsburgh lost to Cleveland, Kansas City and Oakland in a span of four weeks. Those teams stunk that season.

Cincinnati was 4-11-1 the previous season, yet they came out strong in 2009 and beat Pittsburgh twice en route to the postseason.

You can’t predict seasons like these. That is why I am always hesitant to declare any team, especially a losing team from the Super Bowl, a surefire selection for a spot in the final game.

It rarely happens.

Maybe this will be the year. Maybe things will fall the Steelers' way, possibly playing the “everybody is after us” gig that they seemed to pick up last season. Maybe then they could break through with another appearance and possibly a seventh Lombardi Trophy.

History suggests that it rarely occurs, especially lately.

Pittsburgh is unquestionably a playoff team in 2011-12, but I can’t see them winning a Super Bowl.