Repeat For the Pittsburgh Steelers?

By Eddie McDonnell

In Super Bowl XLIII, the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first team in the Super Bowl era to win 6 championships, quite a remarkable feat. In 2009, the Steelers are looking to add to the franchise's trophy case with a 7th Lombardi Trophy, but this might prove more difficult then ever for a repeat championship.

With Ben Roethlisberger back for another year, a strong group of wide receivers, and a running back trio that was continuing to develop (especially in the cases of Mewelde Moore and Rashard Mendenhall), things looked great for the Steelers.

For this reason, many football fans pegged the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team to beat in 2009, making them the odds-on favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

The Steelers looked strong during their season opener, with a solid win over the Tennessee Titans. Both defensive units excelled during this game, but Pittsburgh was just a little bit stronger, winning the game by a few points and starting off its season on a great note.

During this game, veteran and Pro Bowl defender Troy Polamalu went down with an injury that will leave him sidelined for an estimated 3-6 weeks. This is a blow to the Steelers, and perhaps more of a blow than anyone was anticipating.

The Steelers had a mediocre performance against the Chicago Bears in a loss - not championship-like. Despite the questions in the Steel City, there is still optimism.

During a disappointing week two loss to the Chicago Bears, the Pittsburgh Steelers looked the weakest that it's looked in years. Without any forced fumbles, sacks, or INTs, the team was stepped on by the Bears.

Fortunately for the Steelers, Troy will be back for the second half of the season. His leadership out there will be missed, but once he returns, he's the type of player to change the team. - 29967

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