Steelers Blog: A Rivalry No Longer

Some rivalries last, some die fast.  The longer and richer the history of bitterness, the more staying power an NFL rivalry has.  Even a couple decades of dominance (see Steelers and Browns) aren’t enough to kill some.  

However, league realignment and divisional shifts can destroy a young rivalry, and that’s what has happened to what were once ugly matchups between the Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.  In fact, this rivalry has been dead for a while, save for a blip of relevance when the Jaguars put the Steelers out of the playoffs in late 2007, in the few years between Steelers Super Bowl wins, despite the Steelers outgaining the Jags by 100 yards and 10 first downs.  At this point, the rivalry is more nostalgic than anything and the Ravens have taken over as the bitter divisional and conference rival. 

As for the nostalgia…the late 90s were when the Steelers were still smarting from their first Super Bowl loss.  The Team of the 90s’ last hurrah was their win against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX (the one that got away), and the Steelers  were trying to build back up with Jerome Bettis, Kordell “Slash” Stewart, Hines Ward, and get this, a good defense. The Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers were perhaps the most instantly-successful expansion teams in sports history.  Neither won a championship but both were highly competitive early in their existence, both appearing in the 1996 playoffs, only a year after their induction.  The Jaguars went to the postseason four of their first five years, thanks to Hall of Fame coaching by Tom Coughlin, the Mark Brunell to Jimmy Smith combination, and solid defensive play. 

Remarkably, the Jaguars are one of only two teams against which Bill Cowher has a losing record.  Who can forget these Steeler-Jaguars highlights?

--Monday night in 1997 when the Jags blocked a Norm Johnson winning field goal and returned it for the game-clinching touchdown.  Bill Cowher raises an arm on the sideline as Chris Hudson races by, as if he’s going to reach out and tackle Hudson himself

--Steelers overcome Plaxico Burress’ spiking of a live ball and win the game in 2000

--New Steelers kicker Jeff Reed booted six field goals in a 25-23 win in 2002

--Rookie Ben Roethlisberger notches one of his first game-winning drives in 2004

This Sunday, the Jaguars come to Pittsburgh at 1-4 and look to make something out of what is surely coach Jack Del Rio’s final year.  Accomplishing much of anything appears to be nearly impossible with an average defense, a rookie quarterback (I’m not sure he threw a spiral last week) and no playmakers outside of runningback Maurice Jones Drew.  In fact, the aforementioned Bill Cowher is rumored to be the man to replace Del Rio next season.  Then again, The Chin was supposed to be the Browns coach this year…and the Chiefs’… and the Panthers’…

Last week, the Steelers finally played well against a good runner in Chris Johnson.  If they do the same, this one should be a yawner. Most importantly, the offensive line not only gave Big Ben more time, but opened some holes for the running game.  This begs the question: why did Max Starks, recently acquired from his easy chair early last week and started on Sunday, not begin the year as a Pittsburgh Steeler?  I don't care if he was overweight!  That's the LEAST of the O-line's worries! 

Mike’s Picks for Week 4 (a disappointing 7-6  last week against the spread, improving record to 24-18):

St. Louis @ Green Bay (-14): Pack in a route.  The real question is…how many draft picks will the Rams be able to accumulate when they trade next year’s top 3 pick away because they already have a franchise quarterback?
Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh (-12): Steelers are still angry and will cover, barely. 
Philadelphia @ Washington (+3): When will the oddsmakers realize that the Eagles are a team with a lot talent, but not a talented TEAM?  Who else's best week 5 moment was the Eagles getting in their own way by jumping offsides on a hard count on 4th down?  ‘Skins to at least push.
San Francisco @ Detroit (-4): Who thought THIS would be one of the week’s best matchups?  The Rams will stay unbeaten.  I still don’t believe in the Niners.  Like…at all. 
Carolina @ Atlanta (-4): Falcons to cover, even without Julio, but only because they need this game badly.
Indianapolis @ Cincinnati (-7): Bengals win, but Painter does enough to cover. 
Buffalo @ NYGiants (-3): A matchup of cross-state uniforms that used to be virtually identical.  That a team that lost to the Seahawks (did that really happen last week?) is favored against the 4-1 Bills is a travesty.  BILLS, baby!
Houston @ Baltimore (-8): Without Mario Williams and Andre Johnson, the Texans will still annoy the Ravens, but just enough to cover.
Cleveland @ Oakland (-6.5): First home game following the death of legendary owner Al Davis?  The Packers might not even have a chance in that one.  Which number will be higher?  The total of Hillis’ rushing yards or the Raiders’ total points?  I don’t foresee any roid-rage/Predator touchdown poses in #40’s attempts to enter the Black Hole.
Dallas @ New England (-6.5):  Romo gets lesson #68, this one from Tom Brady, that he is not, and never will be, an elite NFL quarterback as the ‘Boys attempt to make this a shootout, but lose by plenty.
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay (+5): For all the Josh Freeman to Mike Williams preseason hype, Tampa bay is suffering from a bad case of Buc-suck lately!  There will be no cannons firing by the Bay, unless they are for the visiting team.
Minnesota @ Chicago (-2.5): Seriously, is McNabb still playing?  He can’t throw indoors, so how is he going to pass in the windy city?  Bears by at least a few.
Miami @ NYJets (-7): The J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets begin to find themselves as Shonn Greene leads my fantasy team (oh yeah, and his Jets) to a big win.