The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers were all about defense, with coordinator Dick Lebeau overseeing an aggressive 3-4 scheme led by linebackers James Harrison and James Farrior, and strong safety Troy Polamulu. These three players were just the focal point of a unit that included linebacker Lamarr Woodley and would end the season as the best in the NFL.
The 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers were already the greatest dynasty of the still-new Super Bowl era that began thirteen years earlier. The Steelers were the only team with three Super Bowl victories to their credit, and in ’79 they added another.
The 1992 Pittsburgh Steelers came into the year ready for a fresh start. Chuck Noll, the head coach who had led the franchise to four Super Bowls in a six-year period from 1974-79 had stepped aside and was replaced by Bill Cowher, a young coach hungry to prove myself. The franchise needed just such a shot in the arm
The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered through their first non-winning season since 2006 in going 8-8 last season and seeing a late-season drive for the playoffs come up short in disappointing fashion. In spite of some high-profile free-agent departures, the Steelers have been priced as a slight favorite to win a competitive AFC North. TheSportsNotebook’s NFL analysis looks to see whether that’s justified.