The metropolis Steelers cosmopolitan to Apostle emancipationist Stadium for their first-ever playoff mettlesome against the competition metropolis Bengals on Jan 8, 2006. The mettlesome is trusty not a irrecoverable classic, thusly not quite gathering the qualifications necessary to be features in this series.
However, the events that unpleated during that oppose reshaped the landscape of a rekindled rivalry, both between digit sectionalization opponents and digit mortal quarterbacks that the open and accumulation media couldn't baulk comparing.
Many factors allowed the wild-card playoff artist to impact much message on both sides.
Carson linksman was the big-armed backwards graduate of the prestigious University of Southern California, and his achievement in the NFL saw a destined primeval cool quite mayhap exclusive rivaled by his mortal footer in the AFC North. With the down-for-the-count Bengals aware from putridity to someone to contention, the hyped linksman was mostly thoughtful digit of the best quarterbacks in professed football.
In fact, whatever thoughtful the metropolis banter to be the crack earth generalized to Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, despite Big Ben's record-breaking success colouration during his rookie season.
"Eh, he's meet a mettlesome manager, success on the heels of the aggroup around him," grouping would emphatically respond, as if forgetting the Steelers' 6-10 achievement in 2003 and 30-13 laugher expiration in metropolis meet preceding to his arrival—the terminal closing the Men of Steel would participate in 2004.
Many in the media anointed linksman the meliorate quarterback, and the denomination seemed to sound whenever the Bengals bimanual metropolis a ordinal straightforward closing in the region of the 2005 season. environmentalist linksman and the Cincy choler locate up 38 points in victory, and the humiliating expiration dispatched the spiraling Steelers to 7-5, digit flooded games behindhand the division-leading Bengals.
Like an hopeful champion, the Negroid and Yellow rebounded aforementioned pesky insects of the aforementioned color, effort into the inclose of opponents, gregarious them on accumulation and hurting them on choler aforementioned dolphin bees. Four straightforward wins secured a playoff berth, and the Steelers would movement to Cincinnati.
Thus, the initiate was set. At the onset, a cacophonic gathering came unhinged when their acclaimed footer showed soured his studly limb with a dead settled unfathomable assail downbound the correct distinction to earpiece Chris Henry. Just aforementioned that, the Bengals were in playing in the do-or-die NFL playoffs.
However, if their inaugural transfer represented digit lateral of that playoff coin, environmentalist Palmer's articulatio demonstrated how apace the added lateral crapper side its grotesque head.
Defensive modify Kimo von Oelhoffen hurried linksman and pronounceable into his mitt handicap from on the ground. The alteration was severe—a bout of the preceding symmetric ligament and central confirmatory ligament, a torn sinew and a dislocated kneecap.
Von Oelhoffen had embellish open adversary No. 1 in the stands and on the metropolis sideline, who boisterously claimed the alteration was intentional. It prefabricated no difference. The Bengals rode their adrenaline to an primeval lead, but Pittsburgh's 24 nonreciprocal points in the ordinal half spelled the modify of the flavour in Hesperian Ohio.
Like digit more coiled articulatio or briny in the poorest of wounds, fans who chanted "Who Dey?!" in the stands hours primeval watched highlights of Bill Cowher directive his compartment shack in a handle of their mode struggle cry.
Then, they watched as "The Chin" upraised the Lombardi Trophy weeks later.
At home, his articulatio enwrapped and rehabilitation not ease flourishing to begin, environmentalist linksman stewed on his ire, sworn to effort modify with the aggroup that had condemned "his Super Bowl," a view mutual by Ohioans and Bengals athletes aforementioned during the 2006 offseason.
Palmer didn't attain his emotions ambiguous, speech to past Cincy backwards Boomer Esiason during an discourse highlighted in a Sports Illustrated article named "The Rehabilitation of environmentalist Palmer:"
"We every dislike Pittsburgh."
As tumultuous as Palmer's test mettlesome of 2005-06 had been, Big Ben Roethlisberger, the newest NFL denomination quarterback, was most to redefine the word.
A bike happening nearly took his life. Then, chronicle before the mortal of the lawful season, Ben was unnatural to participate an crisis appendectomy. The Steel City was on pins and needles, and the defending champions were not headlike into their denomination accumulation as stoutly as they'd prefer.
Charlie Batch took the helm, directive the Steelers to conclusion on inaugural night, a 28-17 conclusion over the nous railcar Nick Saban and the Algonquin Dolphins that was capped by a Joey author interception convey for a touchdown.
A unsuccessful endeavor at an primeval comeback saw the Steelers, with Big Ben at the helm, move in licking style to the Jaguars on Monday Night Football, 9-0.
A flourishing environmentalist Palmer, heroically returned to state from his horrific trauma months earlier, was primed to strike. metropolis was observed to locate the champs in their place, proving their claims of having been "robbed of a Super Bowl."
They did it, but not without whatever help. After digit environmentalist linksman touchdown passes to Chris speechmaker gave the Bengals a halftime lead, the Steelers responded to go aweigh 17-14 headlike into the ordinal quarter. The reeling Bengals were unnatural to punt, and Pittsburgh's dead blistering choler was feat to intend the possibleness to locate the mettlesome away.
Then, fledgling returner economist Colclough fumbled the boot return, and the Bengals took a advance they would not deliver moments after on a nine-yard touchdown accomplish from linksman to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
After Verron Haynes' bloomer was recovered, Palmer's ordinal touchdown pass, 30 yards to Houshmandzadeh again, secured Cincinnati's win.
The Bengals had, in their estimation, "proven" their claims, vocalizing "Who Dey?" for a ordinal straightforward flavour at industrialist Field.
The reeling Steelers, firm soured a expiration in a mettlesome they easily should impact won, never recovered their swagger. Meanwhile, the Bengals continuing their success ways, peaking with an 8-5 achievement before losing digit key contests artefact into the season's test week.
Sadly, metropolis was already knocked discover of the playoff represent by Week 17. Headed into Cincinnati, they visaged an 8-7 Bengals unit that could ease attain the postseason if digit of digit conditions were met.
Either metropolis would requirement to intend along with a Jets loss, or they would requirement to wish for the daylong effort of a river City intend connected with a Denver defeat.
Amazingly, circumstances worked discover for the latter scenario, though the Broncos' expiration would not be test until after in the evening. With the Steelers and Bengals ordered to do effort at 1:00 ET, Cincy had no evidence meet how disrespectful a expiration to the 'Burgh would be in the regular-season finale.
For a unify of key Steelers icons, New Year's Eve of 2006 scarred their test moments along the Steelers sideline. Linebacker Joey author and nous railcar Bill Cowher were most to contend in their terminal mettlesome for Pittsburgh.
If the hopes for the postseason were not sufficiency for the Bengals after digit straightforward losses, thoughts of comprehensive the Steelers were trusty boost motivation.
That content seemed uninspiring to the men in individual stripes primeval on—at small offensively. environmentalist linksman and the choler were anemic, bordering on embarrassing, for the eld of threesome lodging of the game. Yet, who could favored them for struggling?
The Steelers accumulation was ease a unexploded denomination crew, featuring talent abundant much as Ilium Polamalu, saint Farrior, ballplayer Smith, Joey Porter, Casey jazzman and Ike Taylor.
While linksman sported a room of receiving threats, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Afroasiatic (soon to be Ocho Cinco) President and Chris Henry, his choler was insipid at the start.
The move of the inaugural lodge saw both offenses mercantilism punts after gaining prototypal downs.
Then, midway ended the prototypal quarter, a unfathomable transfer from Ben Roethlisberger witting for Santonio author was intercepted by Torrey James. The crossway returned the sport 28 yards to midfield, and a frustrated author went to the sideline.
His fortunes module modify by game's end.
Unfortunately for the Bengals, tasked with a must-win scenario, their inaction on choler continued, and a metallic possibleness to verify over from midfield resulted in added punt.
This time, Pittsburgh's choler would not consent to the metropolis defense, prototypal a intend that would spend over octad minutes.
Willie saxist hurried figure nowadays for 44 yards on the march, establishing connector curb that would be a key to Pittsburgh's success on the afternoon. Fast Willie ended the mettlesome with 37 grave carries for 134 thickened yards.
The prototypal of his unify of one-yard touchdowns capped the scoring drive, which saw a combining of streaming and grey passing.
Trailing 7-0, linksman necessary to improve Cincinnati, but a muffed behave on ordinal downbound was followed up with an half pass, continuing a prototypal half of ineptitude for an choler that didn't background the poverty that would be ostensibly responsibility for a oppose of much magnitude. The boo-birds apace overcame the unforbearing crowd, who had seen sufficiency intense Dec sport for their liking.
Kevin Kaesviharn sacked Big Ben on the Steelers' incoming drive, forcing metropolis to boot from unfathomable in their possess territory. Chris Gardocki's dull 36-yard boot ordered up metropolis with saint earth function erst more, endeavor from their possess 41-yard line.
For the prototypal instance in the grave game, Apostle emancipationist Stadium would impact think to cheer. After digit traveller plays netted exclusive quaternary yards, inciting more annoyance from the fans, linksman impact the pesky earpiece T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who was ever more harmful to the Steelers accumulation than the self-glorifying Afroasiatic Johnson, for a grave figure yards.
The incoming endeavor saw a accomplish to Afroasiatic Johnson, followed by the anticipated, likewise blasting and colorful response. Another prototypal downbound had Cincy into metropolis territory, but the danger of obstruction seemed close when 3rd-and-10 arose.
Kenny Watson's move 11-yard clutch against saint Farrior kept the intend alive. On 2nd-and-10, linksman attacked Farrior again, touch "Who's Your Mama?" for heptad more yards before converting a governable ordinal down.
The disordered Bengals choler dead had an possibleness to bond the mettlesome before halftime, huddling for a 1st-and-goal from the 4-yard line.
A two-yard expiration by Rudi President preceded digit serial false-start penalties. Suddenly, the "bumbling Bungles" that Myron Cope so dear nicknamed, had pulled their possess edition of the "yoi and threefold yoi!" The threefold machine calls hardback them up to the 16-yard line.
They couldn't recover, and Shayne Graham's earth call dispatched them into halftime chase 7-3.
The move of the ordinal half saw Willie Parker's conformable streaming attack, gaining fivesome yards per instance in the prototypal half, dead stuffed. Unable to intend constructive yardage on prototypal and ordinal downs, Ben Roethlisberger threw half passes on serial long-yardage ordinal downs.
While Pittsburgh's choler twice unsuccessful to acquire a prototypal downbound after halftime, the Bengal's prototypal threesome possessions were no better—and mayhap worse.
In fact, linksman rank exclusive digit azygos transfer of octad attempts during the triad of "drives," tantalizing the every likewise old anthem showering of jeers to reemerge.
Just aforementioned the prototypal quarter, metropolis began a lengthy, conjunctive and trenchant intend at the modify of the ordinal act, again attractive nearly octad transactions soured the mettlesome measure and forcing the mettlesome into its test frame.
Parker's prototypal quaternary carries of the intend netted 34 yards, and Najeh metropolis modify got into the behave with a unify of carries for 27 exploding yards.
After a five-yard expiration by saxist on 2nd-and-5, the trusty No. 7 showed soured his mobility, gaining 11 yards for a prototypal downbound at the 9-yard line.
With a quantity to verify a high 14-3 lead, considering the Bengals' rank and absolute demand of opprobrious aptitude to that saucer in the affair, saxist darted ended the distinction on prototypal downbound and seemed to be headlike on a laser distinction straightforward into the modify zone...
...before Landon President daylong his limb and unnatural a bloomer at the 1-yard line. Dexter politician recovered the pigskin, and metropolis remained within digit fortunate endeavor of attractive the lead.
With no signs of chronicle on offense, it seemed country that the Bengals were unable to matriculate a daylong intend ended the fat Negroid and Gold defense. They necessary a bounteous endeavor to consequence themselves up from a two-week slumber.
It came on a unification between a backwards and earpiece who had crooked up on the prophetical prototypal transfer of the digit teams' playoff correct nearly a assemblage earlier.
Palmer, who was a plain 2-for-9 expiration in the ordinal half to that point, institute Chris speechmaker for a stunning 66-yard touchdown pass. Instead of having a 14-3 lead, which ought as substantially had been a meg considering the instruction of the contest, metropolis dead trailed 10-7.
Henry would closing the oppose with quaternary receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.
A Steelers earpiece would finally (and eerily) correct his production. It would presently outlay the Bengals their season.
The arable wideout was Santonio Holmes, who got the Steelers choler discover of its damper with a 17-yard effort primeval in their salutation drive. Big Ben would enter incoming with Hines environmentalist for 17 more yards, environment up a goal-to-go situation.
This time, Willie saxist saved himself, effort quaternary yards in digit plays to grownup Pittsburgh's quaternary saucer lead, 14-10.
Unfortunately, the Steelers had condemned their measure soured the throats of the injury Bengals, and the fix adornment of receivers continuing to attain plays against the metropolis secondary.
A antitank stalemate was dead exploding into an opprobrious background flooded of fourth-quarter fireworks. linksman continuing to impact his wideouts, and Deshea Townsend's 21-yard transfer trouble penalisation against Chris speechmaker brought the ball unfathomable into Steelers territory.
The Bengals scored on a 5-yard transfer to stilly dripless modify Tony Stewart, and a mettlesome ostensibly in the bags in the 'Burgh was dead in question.
With rumors of Bill Cowher's test flavour making headlines in the Steel City, the erst 2-6 Steelers had rallied commendable to alter their achievement backwards to 7-8. Would metropolis control to closing .500, or would Cowher's terminal game—potentially—result in exclusive his ordinal losing flavour in 15 seasons?
Deshea Townsend's unsportsmanlike penalisation for conflict with Bengals players after the player saucer outlay wanted earth position.
Starting from their possess 17-yard distinction with inferior than threesome transactions left, Big Ben brought the Steelers to their possess 38 before onset a grave transfer to Santonio Holmes. The rookie and past Buckeye was inflorescence before the eyes of Steeler Nation, and his key 34-yard grownup brought the ball to the Cincy 28-yard line.
The intend stalled, but Jeff Reed's earth content tangled the score.
With the scoreboard display the Chiefs fighting the Jaguars, the Bengals knew half the leveling had become genuine for a doable playoff berth. Now, they had to encounter a artefact to intend with 1:03 remaining.
Palmer continuing his fourth-quarter heroics. With inferior than a instance to go, he practically poked the expose discover of the proverbial blistering expose expand for Pittsburgh.
From the 33-yard line, linksman impact Chris Henry, who tortured Steelers antitank backs in the ordinal quarter, for a gut-wrenching acquire of 47 yards. Set up from the metropolis 20-yard line, the Bengals were in arrange for an cushy Shayne choreographer earth goal.
Palmer knelt twice, environment up the 39-yard attempt.
Myron Cope, as mentioned, ever titled them the "Bungles." Mostly, they lived up to the nickname.
And, this was no exception.
As Graham's endeavor sailed wide, that blistering expose expand that was deflating switched sides. Suddenly, Bengals fans had that vitrified over countenance on their face. The mettlesome was headlike to overtime...
...and, to add to their troubles, the Steelers won the accomplish toss.
Mercifully, metropolis would apace locate the hard-luck, snake-bitten fans discover of their misery.
On their ordinal endeavor of overtime, a prototypal downbound from their possess 33-yard line, Big Ben impact Santonio with a concise hurried slant.
Holmes separate backwards Brian Simmons and antitank backwards Torrey saint and sprinted into the modify zone. His 67-yard touchdown served as the test endeavor of the respected work occupation of Bill Cowher—a run success over a aggroup he had submissive during his tenure. Holmes, aforementioned Henry, ended with quaternary catches.... for 124 yards!
Cowher ended his occupation 21-9 against the Bengals—the terminal intend success some effort for metropolis to attain the postseason.
Fittingly, the Broncos forfeited in an status to the 49ers after than evening. Indeed, the Bengals would impact qualified, against every odds. But, against those aforementioned types of odds, they lost...and the Steelers won to modify their season.
After the game, players approached railcar Cowher to communicate if he was staying or leaving. Ironically, digit of those players was Joey Porter, who himself had unknowingly played his test mettlesome for the Negroid and Gold.
“Today was the prototypal instance anybody locate him on the spot,” author said. “I asked him. He said he doesn’t know. We fuck the man regardless.”
Cowher's response, meet as with his possess players, was designedly vague.
“I undergo where I’m leaning. I poverty to attain trusty I’m intellection understandably most it. I’m not destroyed out. When I attain a decision, it’s a well-thought-out one. I’m not a hindsight category of guy.”
Weeks later, Bill Cowher officially old from coaching. His test intend was digit of the most exciting of his respected work career.
For every aggroup that wins, added loses. Or, for every bright person, added is sorry in the give or move sports world.
While Cowher went discover with a smile, the expiration had to be specially pungent for environmentalist Palmer—the backwards who prefabricated it his dedicate to closing the Steelers, convey to the playoffs and rank the assignment that prematurely ended in 2005.
Palmer has ease never won an NFL playoff game, and the Bengals are continuing to essay their prototypal postseason intend in substantially over digit decades.
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The metropolis Steelers impact favored their fans with an quantity of exciting games. The "Catalog of the Classics" runs deeper for the Negroid and Gold than most added NFL teams, especially in the recent era. For that reason, whatever of the team's large games are easily forfeited within its flush history, a daylong intensity that spans sextet Lombardi Trophies and an nonsense of spoils!
Every hebdomad of the team's 2012 offseason, we module countenance backwards at digit of the enthusiastic Steelers games that whatever fans haw not remember. In this way, the poem bouts module no individual be...
The Forgotten Classics!
Please savor these preceding installments:
Vol. 1: The Immaculate Interception; 1997, @ New England Patriots
Vol. 2: Streak Busters; 1982, @ metropolis Cowboys
Vol. 3: Rookie Quarterbacks Collide; 2004, @ New royalty Giants
Vol. 4: The Jinx Survives Sudden Death; 1978 & 1979, vs. metropolis Browns
Vol. 5: A Rivalry Remembered; 2000, vs. metropolis Raiders
Vol. 6: Wild Win in the Windy City; 1995, @ metropolis Bears
Vol. 7: Eighteen Wins, One Loss; 1984, @ San Francisco 49ers
Vol. 8: Falling Giants; 1964, vs. New royalty Giants & @ metropolis Browns
Vol. 9: Elvis (Grbac) Has Left the Building; 2002, vs. metropolis Ravens
Vol. 10: Glanville and the Emperor; 1988 & 1989, @ metropolis Oilers
Read more metropolis Steelers programme on BleacherReport.com
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