Steelers may have easier route to conference title

Associated Press

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LOOSE: Houston Texans cornerback Fred Bennett, left, knocks the ball loose from Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes in the first half of Sunday's game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The fumble went out of bounds with the Steelers retaining possession.

Associated Press

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DOWN AND OUT: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady grabs his left knee after being hit by Kansas City Chiefs' Bernard Pollard in the first quarter of Sunday's game in Foxborough, Mass. Brady is out for the remainder of the season, the Patriots confirmed Monday.

The Patriots and Tom Brady have been their nemesis in the past.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The five-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers must wonder if they would own a few more Lombardi Trophies if it weren’t for the New England Patriots.

The Patriots won three NFL championships in a four-season span during the 2001-04 seasons, twice beating the Steelers in AFC championship games in Pittsburgh. They also beat the Steelers during the 2002, 2005 and 2007 seasons — they’ve won six of their last seven against Pittsburgh — and those defeats adversely affected the Steelers’ playoff positioning each time.

Now, the Steelers are wondering if Tom Brady’s season-ending knee injury has dramatically shifted the balance of power in the AFC, which the Patriots have dominated most of this decade. The Patriots don’t look nearly as imposing with Matt Cassel at quarterback rather than Brady, and the Steelers might be one of the AFC teams that benefits most from his absence.

Though no season goes as scripted or predicted, and January looks very distant in early September, the Steelers (1-0) appear to be in a much better position to go deep into the playoffs now that the Patriots don’t have the NFL’s reigning MVP.

In only one day, Brady’s injury and the Indianapolis Colts’ season-opening 29-13 loss at home to the Chicago Bears may have reshaped perceptions regarding the AFC’s hierarchy. The Steelers displayed no worrisome weaknesses and had no injuries during a 38-17 win over Houston Sunday that may be an early sign they have the talent to make another Super Bowl push.

“I’m not thinking about the Patriots,” linebacker James Harrison said Monday, a day after he had three sacks in Pittsburgh’s sixth consecutive season-opening win. “I’m getting ready for the Browns [Sunday night]. Ask me about the Patriots when we play them.”

That’s Nov. 30, the Steelers’ 12th game of the season, or deep enough into the schedule that both teams will have a good idea how the postseason is shaping up.

Pittsburgh, which won the 2006 Super Bowl and has averaged 11 wins the last four seasons with largely the same personnel, has made the playoffs in all but two seasons since 2001 and appeared in six AFC title games since the 1994 season.

A challenging schedule includes the Browns twice, New England, Indianapolis, Dallas, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants and San Diego might be the biggest roadblock to the Steelers.

No matter, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is convinced his team is deep enough to push for another championship, regardless of the competition.

Roethlisberger was near-perfect in the opener, going 13-of-14 for 137 yards despite needing to throw only occasionally.

“The Super Bowl, that’s all we’re going for,” Roethlisberger said.

The Steelers lost arguably their best player, Pro Bowl left guard Alan Faneca, after last season but were so convinced that former backup Chris Kemoeatu is ready to replace him that they didn’t sign a free agent at that position. They augmented Pro Bowl running back Willie Parker (138 yards, 3 TDs against Houston) with first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall, and 2007 draft pick linebackers LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons have added speed and playmaking ability to what statistically was the NFL’s top defense last season.

“But we can’t overreact,” wide receiver Hines Ward said of the dominating opener. “It’s only one game.”