Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The Steelers, going into this final week, are being reminiscent of their '89 installment! Two teams - Dolphins & Patriots - have to lose or tie while the Steelers, of course, have to win at home vs Cleveland. Not at all an easy task being that a scrappy, respectable team like the Browns who, mind you, just knocked off the Commanders on the road can easily play spoiler again and do so against their very rival.

Of course that very campaign a third-of-a-century ago, the 'Burgh had to win with three teams needing to lose which, of course, ended up miraculously all falling into place! However, back to 2022, there's even more to it than a simple two teams having to lose or tie. It realistically is actually four other games having to go a certain way! And it all starts tonight on MNF in Cincy! Both the Bills tonight and KC on Saturday have to win their games vs the Bengals and Raiders respectively. If only one of the two wins, then Buffalo will not have the need to play their starters against the Pats who would need to win in order to get in! Yes, these current Bills have been noticeably better than these post-Brady Pats, but would you actually bet on them in this situation - and vs a Belichick team, mind you? Had this Chiefs@Vegas match-up been kept in that late-Sunday lineup as originally scheduled (following Pats@Rich at 1PM EST), then no bother even writing these last few sentences. This makes the final-week miracle of '89 being mimicked an even steeper possibility! Considering that the Chiefs extremely likely will best the Raiders, the Bills all-but have to win tonight in the eyes of Steeler-fans!

Playoffs-or-not, though, Steelers rallying to a winning record in 'Year One' after Big Ben (Pickett not coming on until just now along with TJ Watt being out for a bit) would have to make 2022 Mike Tomlin's best coaching performance with Pittsburgh just as very many say that 1989 was Chuck Noll's best (the only year he ever won 'Coach of the Year'). No, this '22 team didn't lose their first two games by a combined 92-10, but '89 was at least 4-4 after eight games whereas this year's very installment, now 2-6, were left-for-dead after getting drubbed at the Linc in front of my naked eyes up in section 239!

Both were big comebacks just the same! Either '22 will turn out just like '89 with a playoff-berth, or it'll be close-but-no-cigar like the final weeks of 2000 & 2009! You can also add 2013, but getting in at 8-8 would have been nothing for me to get too excited over.


Side question - what would BIll Cowher's best-coached season be? No real standout. Numerous seasons involving he losing assistants or key-players in the off-season whilst not having a real QB. But I think my pick would be 2002. Guiding Tommy Maddox, a nothing-special run-game and a relatively weaker defense than normal (giving up points, at least) to another division title as well as playoff win, and almost winning again at Tenn the following week.

The Wicked Pickett has his chance to win ROTY(Though Purdy and others will get votes) but we will see about the playoffs depending on what the Bills do next week.

I think Cowhers best coaching job was 1995. With the Steelers starting out 3-4, they made changes that allowed them to win 11 straight games before O'Donnell choked in the SB. Opening up the offense, utilizing Stewart as a receiver and more importantly, putting the criminally underrated Carnell Lake at cornerback solidified their team enough to challenge for the SB. Had they not had a nervous start to the game it would have been even closer and they had their chances in the second half but the Cowboys pass rush forced too many mistakes ...

Brian wolf wrote:The Wicked Pickett has his chance to win ROTY(Though Purdy and others will get votes) but we will see about the playoffs depending on what the Bills do next week.

I think Cowhers best coaching job was 1995. With the Steelers starting out 3-4, they made changes that allowed them to win 11 straight games before O'Donnell choked in the SB. Opening up the offense, utilizing Stewart as a receiver and more importantly, putting the criminally underrated Carnell Lake at cornerback solidified their team enough to challenge for the SB. Had they not had a nervous start to the game it would have been even closer and they had their chances in the second half but the Cowboys pass rush forced too many mistakes ...

You know what? I did think of '95 at first, and reading this thus being further reminded of it all, I'd have to agree. And also Rod Woodson's absence practically the entire campaign yet they still make it all the way to the desert. No more Foster either. I remember after they lost that Thursday Nighter at home to Cincy (dropping them to, yes, 3-4), Cowher not allowing the players to bring cell phones to practice. Their only loss until SBXXX was the finale in which, despite their playoff spot already being set-in-stone, almost beat a Green Bay team on the road who had to win in order to win their division (Yancey drop).

Haha --- thats why I didnt mention that loss. Thigpen should have won it but helped the Packers get in as well. Had Thigpen caught that pass, maybe the Packers never beat the Niners and maybe the Steelers play the Niners in the SB instead ?

Brian wolf wrote:Haha --- thats why I didnt mention that loss. Thigpen should have won it but helped the Packers get in as well. Had Thigpen caught that pass, maybe the Packers never beat the Niners and maybe the Steelers play the Niners in the SB instead ?

There's no 'definite' that the Forty Niners top Big D in a hypo-'95-NFCC, but it always sure, very much, felt that way. Whereas Jimmy, once his team got good (yes, not counting '89 & '90), always beat Seifert, Seifert going into those '95 playoffs was thus far 3-0 vs Switzer. I don't see Steelers beating SF in the desert either, unfortunately.

Back to 2022/1989 topic...the Bills/Bengals game being cancelled instead of Bills losing, if anything, can assist Pittsburgh's chances today a little. Yes, the Pats need this win far more, but the Bills in front of their home-crowd will be playing for #3 along with potentially avoiding having to play at Arrowhead 1/28.

Like the Raiders@G-men '89 finale, the home-team was already in but, of course, had extra to play for and that being the division title over Philly. The Raiders had to win-period (but needing one other game to go their way). And LT & Co blew-out Bo & Co.

And then you got Dolphins simply needing to win-period vs already-out Jets (control their own destiny) as Ron Meyer's Colts simply needed to win vs Mora's Saints who were already out as well. But NO played spoiler; and in convincing fashion! Good thing it's just two other games instead of three that have to go Burgh's way!

As for who the Steelers got to take care of their own biz against? A far tougher task than a bad Bucs teams led by 39-year-old Joe Ferguson. Browns got real respectable grit! They're a rival and their playoff win at Heinz two years ago is still very fresh!


Steeler-fans simply need to put on an #87 Weegie Thompson jersey and hope that the 'Ghosts of 1989' do their thing today.


EDIT - My mistake. It was the Pats who were in control of their destiny going into this week thus playing the role of the '89 Colts going into their finale, then Miami being the next in line (as case with '89 Raiders).

Close but no cigar, it turned out for the 'Burgh today. Final week of 2022 turned out to mimic the final weeks of '00 & '09 instead. But a fine 7-2 finish! And though Tomlin could care less (his goal is Lombardi-or-bust every year), 16-for-16 non-losing seasons thus far nothing at all to possibly sneeze at! Even with no playoff berth after all, 2022 is his finest effort thus far. Much promise for '23 as the case with Detroit cross-conference!

The Bills better be ready to play today because the Pats will be coming hard and Belichick is inching closer to breaking Don Shula's record for regular season wins and the Bills dont want to fall to the #3 seed ...

It would be nice to see the Browns play spoiler today but like Rodgers and Brady, I feel the league wants to see Tomlin and the Steelers make the playoffs, especially with a future star in rookie Pickett.
Here is the question though ... If Purdy and Pickett win today, who is Rookie Of The Year? Both teams are talented squads. Does a #1 draft pick that everyone expects to play reasonably well, get favor over a #7th round pick that was Mr. Irrelevant ?

Going back to the 1995/96 postseason, like I have stated before, I feel the Steelers would or could have beaten the Niners with Young. I felt their defense matched up better against the Niners than Dallas, though they would have had to stop Jerry Rice somehow ...

Here is the question though ... If Purdy and Pickett win today, who is Rookie Of The Year?

Garrett Wilson

ChrisBabcock wrote:

Here is the question though ... If Purdy and Pickett win today, who is Rookie Of The Year?

Garrett Wilson

I'd maybe go Chris Olave #1 and Wilson 2nd. Decent arguments to be made either way.

If Purdy is actually being considered, then I'd argue Breece Hall should win it. Hall was the arguably the best offensive rookie of the year since the media is apparently considering 5 or 6 games to be enough. Giving votes to Purdy would be the equivalent of a rookie shortstop being named rookie of the year with 50 games played (in a regular 162-game season).

Purdy's been excellent but is it enough games for a season award as opposed to a month and a half award?

JWL wrote:
Purdy's been excellent but is it enough games for a season award as opposed to a month and a half award?

Agree--it's like giving Aaron Donald All-Pro by PFWA but played 11 games--Purdy lack of playing time
is a concern

You guys are right about Purdy and if it was really about rookie impact, the award would probably go to Sauce Gardner. Purdy is a very unique case though, who still hasnt lost a start and is about to start in the divisional round, not to mention a 114.00 QB rating. Yes, only six starting wins but he also won the Miami game while it was in doubt.
If he were a #1 draft pick, people wouldnt make as big a deal out of it but Mr Irrelevant? Hell, Shanahan couldnt even win a game unless his QB was Garoppolo. If Purdy was to lead his team to victory next week--though I feel Dallas will win-- he will accomplish a feat that YA Tittle, Steve Spurrier, Jim Plunkett, Steve DeBerg and Jeff Garcia couldnt accomplish as Niner QBs.