Two-a-Days: Pittsburgh Steelers

TheSportsWatchers.com wants to get you in shape for the upcoming 2010 NFL season. And in the spirit of training camp season, we are doing two-a-days to get you in gear for each and every NFL team.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had one heck of an up and down regular season, but their offseason woes were so crazy that it forced the team to make some risky moves.

2009 NFL Football Recap
The Steelers 9-7 finish was more than disappointing for a team that entered the 2009 NFL season as the reigning Super Bowl champions. It was even more discouraging when you consider that the Steelers lost several games that they probably should have won, and just one more win would have put them in the 2009 NFL playoffs. After starting the season 6-2, the Steelers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oakland Raiders and the Cleveland Browns. They also lost to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime, because Ben Roethlisberger was out with an injury. Once again, a win in any of those games and the Super Bowl Champions would have been in the playoffs, but when you go 0-3 against the Chiefs, Raiders and Browns, you don’t deserve to make the playoffs.

2010 Offseason Transactions
With all of the controversy surrounding Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Santonio Holmes, the Steelers felt compelled to change the perception of their football team and make an example of one of their deviant football players. Obviously, getting rid of the $100 million quarterback is extremely hard to do in the salary cap area, thus it was Holmes who was traded for a bag of nickels to the New York Jets. The Steelers brought in wideouts Arnaz Battle and Antwaan Randle El and signed Larry Foote to a three-year deal. They also brought Byron Leftwich back into the fold, and drafted center Maurkice Pouncey with their first round draft pick. In May, WR Limas Sweed was placed on the injured reserve list, and in late July, the Steelers signed OT Flozell Adams, who will fight for a starting job.

2010 NFL Prediction
Even with the losses of Santonio Holmes and Limas Sweed, the Steelers are well equipped in the passing game. With Hines Ward and Randle El, the Steelers have the same two wideouts that won them a Super Bowl in 2006. However, it is Mike Wallace, and not Randle El, who will be among the Steelers starting wide receivers and rightfully so. After the season Mike Wallace put up in 2009, he could become an even better wideout than Santonio Holmes was by season’s end. Sure, he caught just 39 passes, but it’s what he did with those passes that was so impressive. Of course, the big caveat to the passing game is Roethlisberger’s suspension, which is likely to last four games. The way the schedule looks, the Steelers would be fortunate to come out of those four games with a 2-2 record. Unfortunately, even with Big Ben comes back, the Steelers schedule looks mighty rough, and we can’t predict the Steelers doing a whole lot better than 8-8 this season.

What is your prediction for the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers?

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