PITTSBURGH What worked in past has failed for Steelers

Sunday's game is against NFC West Division-leading Seattle.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Of all the descriptive phrases used over the years about the Pittsburgh Steelers, rarely has this one been appropriate so deep into a season.
The last-place Pittsburgh Steelers.
Of the supposed Super Bowl hopefuls, the Steelers were expected to have the easiest time winning their division. There were numerous predictions that the AFC North wouldn't yield a winning-record team except them.
But with their season's midpoint arriving Sunday in Seattle (5-2), the Steelers (2-5) are bringing up the rear in the not-so-good North behind the Ravens (4-3), Bengals (3-4) and Browns (3-5). That's uncharted territory for a team that hasn't finished last in its division since going 5-11 in 1988.
Coincidentally, that's the last time the Steelers had so poor a record -- then, it was 1-6 -- after seven games.
"I've said in the past this team stays together very well through adversity, and this is probably a test like no other test for adversity," quarterback Tommy Maddox said Monday.
Reversal of fortune
What's wrong with the Steelers? The ready answer is nearly everything that went right when they went 10-5-1 last season and 13-3 the season before that:
* The defense still ranks among the NFL's statistical leaders, yet simply isn't getting off the field. The Rams had 11 passing plays of 21 yards or longer in Sunday's 33-21 victory as Marc Bulger passed for 375 yards, the 10th-most by an opposing quarterback in Steelers history.
Lots of possession time means lot of points, and the Steelers have allowed 30 points or more four times in seven games and 12 times in 25 games over the last two seasons.
For comparison's sake, the Steelers allowed 30 points or more only four times while going a combined 13-19 in 1998 and 1999.
* The Steelers refused to sign Maddox to a long-term, big-money contract because they wanted to see him perform at a high level for an entire season.
So far, it's not happening. The quarterback who threw for 200 or more yards nine times in 13 starts last season has done so only once during the Steelers' current four-game losing streak. During that streak, he has two touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Maddox's inconsistency and a running game that has been the Steelers' worst in more than 30 years are two of the main reasons why they've lost five of six since beating Baltimore 34-15 in their season opener.
"Obviously, everybody's frustrated," Maddox said. "If we didn't have the expectations we have on ourselves, it would be a lot easier."
* The home-field advantage that saw them go 14-4-1 in their first two seasons at Heinz Field has disappeared. They're 1-3 at home, allowing 96 points while losing their last three.
* Players aren't heeding coach Bill Cowher's long-standing request not to air their complaints. In recent weeks, both Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress have complained that they're not getting the ball enough, running back Amos Zereoue was visibly upset at being benched and linebacker Joey Porter said the defense isn't blitzing enough.