Both won the AFC Central. Both won a ton of games. Both were 1 seeds.
But which Steeler team was better? Kordell's last hurrah and the Hines/Plaxico 1,000 yard tandem of '01? Or Big Ben winning game after game in '04?
2001 Steelers vs. 2004 Steelers
Re: 2001 Steelers vs. 2004 Steelers
Going by amount of Pro Bowlers, I would have to say that the 2004 Steeler team was better. And, they had the better QB.
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74_75_78_79_
- Posts: 2489
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 1:25 pm
Re: 2001 Steelers vs. 2004 Steelers
2001.
Yes, Kordell instead of Big Ben along with that Achilles-heel special-teams of theirs, which would be their reason for losing AFCC, but Ben was a rookie and Kordell did have a real good regular-season. '04 no paper tiger but not too far away from one. After popping Pats' bound-to-be-burst 21-win-streak bubble and crushing Philly, they were pretty much on cruise-control rest of the year. When watching an ESPN interview with Bryan Cox I believe was that November, down the stretch, he was asked pretty much who the team-to-beat was; #1 in league. Instead of answering his defending-Champ team, he answered Pittsburgh because they had the better record and they beat them on Halloween (modesty). I knew we were in trouble! We really should have lost to Herm's Jets and had we played Indy, we lose. A great beginning to an Era '04 was, but the following year, once December/January arrived that is, it all truly came together bad game in SBXL notwithstanding (Hawks and refs weren't at their best either).
Yes, Kordell instead of Big Ben along with that Achilles-heel special-teams of theirs, which would be their reason for losing AFCC, but Ben was a rookie and Kordell did have a real good regular-season. '04 no paper tiger but not too far away from one. After popping Pats' bound-to-be-burst 21-win-streak bubble and crushing Philly, they were pretty much on cruise-control rest of the year. When watching an ESPN interview with Bryan Cox I believe was that November, down the stretch, he was asked pretty much who the team-to-beat was; #1 in league. Instead of answering his defending-Champ team, he answered Pittsburgh because they had the better record and they beat them on Halloween (modesty). I knew we were in trouble! We really should have lost to Herm's Jets and had we played Indy, we lose. A great beginning to an Era '04 was, but the following year, once December/January arrived that is, it all truly came together bad game in SBXL notwithstanding (Hawks and refs weren't at their best either).
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MatthewToy
- Posts: 242
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- Location: Pittsburgh
Re: 2001 Steelers vs. 2004 Steelers
2001. I really believed they were gonna win it all after they beat the Ravens in Baltimore on a Sunday night. Still baffled they lost that AFC Championship game. That's the one game I'd love to have back. Going into the 2004 Championship game I was just hoping they'd keep it close. That team peaked midseason.