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Steelers' season in review
Feb. 12, 2008
Overview: In the first half of the 2007 season, the Steelers looked like a contender for the AFC title. But they struggled in the final two months of the season, winning only three of their last eight games and falling to Jacksonville in the wild-card round. An optimist would say the Steelers took a step forward in Mike Tomlin’s first season as head coach, but a pessimist would wonder if Pittsburgh’s play down the stretch was a signal of a tough ’08 campaign to come.
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Date
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Opponent
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Spread
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Result
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09/09/07
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at Cleveland
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-4½
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34-7
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09/16/07
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Buffalo
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-10
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26-3
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09/23/07
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San Francisco
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-10
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37-16
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09/30/07
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at Arizona
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-6
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14-21
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10/07/07
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Seattle
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-5
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21-0
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BYE WEEK
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10/21/07
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at Denver
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-3½
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28-31
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10/28/07
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at Cincinnati
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-4
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24-13
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11/05/07
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Baltimore
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-9
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38-7
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11/11/07
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Cleveland
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-10
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31-28
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11/18/07
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at NY Jets
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-9
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16-19 (OT)
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11/26/07
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Miami
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-15½
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3-0
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12/02/07
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Cincinnati
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-7
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24-10
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12/09/07
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at New England
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+10½
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13-34
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12/16/07
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Jacksonville
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-3
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22-29
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12/20/07
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at St. Louis
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-8
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41-24
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12/30/07
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at Baltimore
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-3
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21-27
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01/05/08
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Jacksonville
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+3
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29-31
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Team MVP: Hands down, it’s QB Ben Roethlisberger, who had the finest regular season of his career. Roethlisberger completed 264-of-404 passes for 3,154 yards with 32 TD passes and only 11 interceptions. Roethlisberger thrived in spite of an offensive line that allowed too much pass-rush pressure and with a receiving corps that sometimes needed him to scramble for them to gain separation. Never had the Steelers relied so heavily on Roethlisberger, and he thrived with the added responsibility.
Biggest surprise: James Harrison replaced Joey Porter at right outside linebacker and gave the Steelers a strong pass-rushing presence. The 6-foot, 242-pound Harrison notched 98 tackles and 8½ sacks in his first season as a starter. If young LaMarr Woodley develops the way the Steelers believe he will, the Steelers will have a strong OLB tandem — a key for a successful 3-4 defense.
Biggest disappointment: The offensive line struggled like it hadn’t in years. C Sean Mahan had difficulty with bigger, pass-rushing defensive tackles. The right side of the line (OG Kendall Simmons and OT Willie Colon) had its share of problems. Injuries to OLT Marvel Smith and backup Max Starks also didn’t help matters. Another concern: OLG Alan Faneca, the team’s best lineman, is an unrestricted free agent. In short, the offensive line is a major concern.
Offseason outlook: The Steelers will work to sign Roethlisberger to a contract extension. They will also try to re-sign Faneca, but the price may be too rich. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers proceed in free agency and the draft. Don’t be surprised if there are some shake-ups on both sides of the ball as Tomlin enters his second season with the club.
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