2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season
| 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Head coach | Bill Cowher |
| General manager | Kevin Colbert |
| Owner | The Rooney Family |
| Home field | Heinz Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–5 |
| Division place | 2nd in AFC North |
| Playoff finish |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Bengals) 31–17 Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 21–18 Won AFC Championship (Broncos) 34–17 Won Super Bowl XL (Seahawks) 21–10 |
| Pro Bowlers |
5
|
| AP All-Pros |
3
|
| Team MVP |
Casey Hampton Hines Ward |
| Team ROY | Heath Miller |
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 15–1 record from 2004 in which they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field. They were looking to become the first team in NFL history to complete a 16-game season undefeated. The Steelers, with the sixth and final seed to the playoffs, became just the second team ever (and the first in 20 years) to win three road games on their way to the Super Bowl. They defeated the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL to secure their league-tying fifth Super Bowl title. In doing so, they also became the first team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to win a Super Bowl without playing a single home playoff game.
The Steelers finished the 2005 season tied for first place in the AFC North with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals would win the division over them by having a better division record than them. The Steelers would clinch a playoff spot following a 41-0 drubbing of the Browns in Cleveland. The Steelers would then beat the Detroit Lions 35-21 to end the season and force a tiebreaker with the Bengals in the AFC North. But by then, the Steelers hopes for a division title came too late, as the Bengals had already clinched the division earlier in the season in week 15. The Steelers entered the playoffs as the number 6 seed in the AFC playoffs, and went to Cincinnati for the first playoff game against the Bengals. The Bengals were heavily favored, as star quarterback Carson Palmer had seemingly the best season of his career, leading the league in touchdown passes (32), while also throwing the least interceptions during the season (12). The Bengals would lose him for the game after he tore his ACL on the first play from scrimmage for the Bengals on their first possession. Jon Kitna would replace him, but Palmer's absence would ultimately doom the Bengals as Kitna threw 2 interceptions that were proven costly. The Steelers would trail for most of the game. However, they would come back to stun the Bengals and advance to Indianapolis for the Divisional Game against the 1 seeded Colts. Like the Bengals, the Colts were heavily favored to win. But the Steelers went into the dome and stunned them 21-18. The game is most notable for a tackle made on Colts defender Nick Harper by Ben Roethlisberger after teammate Jerome Bettis fumbled at the goal line. Had the tackle not been made, Harper would've most likely taken it the distance and would've most likely sealed the win for the Colts with a touchdown. The play was dubbed "The Tackle". The Colts would miss a field goal with 19 seconds remaining and the Steelers took over and ran the clock out. They advanced to the AFC Championship game against the Broncos, and once again the Steelers were considered huge underdogs. The Steelers would win the game in command 34-17 to advance to Super Bowl XL against the heavily favored Seahawks in a game in which many controversial penalties were called by referee Bill Leavy that resulted in most of them wiping out Seattle scoring plays. The penalties made Super Bowl XL what many call the most controversial Super Bowl ever to be played. The Steelers wound up winning the game 21-10 to clinch their 5th Super Bowl championship, tying the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys for most in NFL history at the time. They would later break this record 3 years later when they won Super Bowl XLIII to win their 6th Super Bowl. Skeptics call the 2005 Steelers a "miracle team" or the luckiest team in NFL history by pulling out 4 straight upsets in games in which they were not favored to win. The 2005 Steelers would be the last team to win the Super Bowl without playing a home playoff game until the Giants did it in 2007.
They are also the first 6th seeded team to beat the top 3 seeds on the road.
Personnel
Staff
| 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
| |||||
Notable additions include Heath Miller and Nate Washington.
Roster
| 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers final roster | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
> Post-Season Roster Inactive Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
* On 53 Man Roster Inactive |
Linebackers
+ Super Bowl XL Roster Inactive Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
| ||||||
2005 NFL Draft
| 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | Heath Miller | TE | Virginia | * |
| 2 | 62 | Bryant McFadden | CB | Florida State | |
| 3 | 93 | Trai Essex | G | Northwestern | |
| 4 | 131 | Fred Gibson | WR | Georgia | |
| 5 | 166 | Rian Wallace | LB | Temple | |
| 6 | 204 | Chris Kemoeatu | OG | Utah | |
| 7 | 207 | Shaun Nua | DE | BYU | |
| 7 | 244 | Noah Herron | RB | Northwestern | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Preseason
Schedule
| Week | Date | Kickoff (ET) | TV | Opponent | Result | Game Site | Record | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon. Aug. 15 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN | Philadelphia Eagles | W 38–31 | Heinz Field | 1–0 | |
| 2 | Sat. Aug. 20 | 7:30 p.m. | KDKA | Miami Dolphins | W 17–3 | Heinz Field | 2–0 | |
| 3 | Fri. Aug. 26 | 8:00 p.m. | FOX | at Washington Redskins | L 10–17 | FedExField | 2–1 | |
| 4 | Thu. Sep. 1 | 8:00 p.m. | KDKA | at Carolina Panthers | W 21–17 | Bank of America Stadium | 3–1 | |
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Kickoff (ET) | TV | Opponent | Result | Game Site | Record | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun. Sep. 11 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | Tennessee Titans | W 34–7 | Heinz Field | 1–0 | Summary |
| 2 | Sun. Sep. 18 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Houston Texans | W 27–7 | Reliant Stadium | 2–0 | Summary |
| 3 | Sun. Sep. 25 | 4:15 p.m. | CBS | New England Patriots | L 20–23 | Heinz Field | 2–1 | Summary |
| 4 | Bye Week | |||||||
| 5 | Mon. Oct. 10 | 9:00 p.m. | ABC | at San Diego Chargers | W 24–22 | Qualcomm Stadium | 3–1 | Summary |
| 6 | Sun. Oct. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 17–23 (OT) | Heinz Field | 3–2 | Summary |
| 7 | Sun. Oct. 23 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 27–13 | Paul Brown Stadium | 4–2 | Summary |
| 8 | Mon. Oct. 31 | 9:00 p.m. | ABC | Baltimore Ravens | W 20–19 | Heinz Field | 5–2 | Summary |
| 9 | Sun. Nov. 6 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Green Bay Packers | W 20–10 | Lambeau Field | 6–2 | Summary |
| 10 | Sun. Nov. 13 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | Cleveland Browns | W 34–21 | Heinz Field | 7–2 | Summary |
| 11 | Sun. Nov. 20 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Baltimore Ravens | L 13–16 (OT) | M&T Bank Stadium | 7–3 | Summary |
| 12 | Mon. Nov. 28 | 9:00 p.m. | ABC | at Indianapolis Colts | L 7–26 | RCA Dome | 7–4 | Summary |
| 13 | Sun. Dec. 4 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | Cincinnati Bengals | L 31–38 | Heinz Field | 7–5 | Summary |
| 14 | Sun. Dec. 11 | 1:00 p.m. | FOX | Chicago Bears | W 21–9 | Heinz Field | 8–5 | Summary |
| 15 | Sun. Dec. 18 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Minnesota Vikings | W 18–3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 9–5 | Summary |
| 16 | Sat. Dec. 24 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Cleveland Browns | W 41–0 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | 10–5 | Summary |
| 17 | Sun. Jan. 1 | 1:00 p.m. | FOX | Detroit Lions | W 35–21 | Heinz Field | 11–5 | Summary |
Game summaries
| Game Summaries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Week 1 (Sunday September 11, 2005): vs. Tennessee Titans Alan Faneca blocks for Willie Parker
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ben Roethlisberger became the NFL's first quarterback since Trent Green in 2003 to post a perfect (158.3) passer rating, and college backup Willie Parker put up 161 rushing yards and a touchdown in a dazzling NFL debut. Week 2 (Sunday September 18, 2005): at Houston Texans
at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
Pittsburgh strong safety Troy Polamalu led a defensive onslaught with a career-high three of the Steelers' eight sacks, and Willie Parker followed up his outstanding NFL debut with 111 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as the Steelers hammered the Texans. As the game took place on a hot, humid day, the Texans left the roof of Reliant Stadium open in the hopes that the Steelers' performance would be hampered by their black jerseys. However, the tactic failed and Houston fans were angered by having to sit in sweltering conditions and watch their team lose. Week 3 (Sunday September 25, 2005): vs. New England Patriots
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
New England quarterback Tom Brady led a five-play, 37-yard drive to Adam Vinatieri's game-winning 43-yard field goal with :01 remaining. The drive countered Hines Ward's 4-yard scoring catch that tied the score at 20–20, but left 1:25 for Brady to march the Patriot offense. On the day, Brady completed 31 of 41 passes for 372 yards, with an interception. Week 5 (Monday October 10, 2005): at San Diego Chargers
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
Jeff Reed booted a 40-yard field goal with :06 remaining to lift the Steelers to a win, but a play late in the game caused star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to leave with a hyperextended knee and left his availability for the following week in doubt. The hit came from Charger rookie defensive lineman Luis Castillo and forced Roethlisberger to the sideline, and backup Charlie Batch merely handed off to Jerome Bettis three times to set up Reed's kick. Week 6 (Sunday October 16, 2005): vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tommy Maddox capped a poor performance by throwing an overtime pass into a crowd of Jaguar defenders, and Rashean Mathis made him pay dearly, intercepting the pass and returning it 41 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Subbing for an injured Ben Roethlisberger (hyperextended knee), Maddox completed just 11 of 28 passes for 154 yards, with a touchdown and three interceptions. Week 7 (Sunday October 23, 2005): at Cincinnati Bengals
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Pittsburgh regrouped following a sloppy first quarter to take an easy win in Cincinnati. After allowing two marches into the Steeler red zone, the defense tightened and gave up only two field goals, then coasted on the heels of two Ben Roethlisberger touchdown strikes and 131 rushing yards from Willie Parker. Week 8 (Monday October 31, 2005): vs. Baltimore Ravens
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Underachieving against a Ravens team missing defensive standouts Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, the Steelers regrouped on the heels of a late 60-yard drive that set up Jeff Reed's game-winning 37-yard field goal with 1:36 remaining. Ben Roethlisberger completed 18 of 30 passes for 177 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Week 9 (Sunday November 6, 2005): at Green Bay Packers
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
With Charlie Batch starting at quarterback for an injured Ben Roethlisberger (knee), the Steelers capitalized on Packer mistakes – three turnovers – and won despite a lackluster offensive showing. The game's highlight came from Troy Polamalu, whose sack of Brett Favre forced a fumble that Polamalu himself scooped up and returned 77 yards for a second-quarter touchdown. Week 10 (Sunday November 13, 2005): vs. Cleveland Browns
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Steelers handled the division-rival Browns despite another serious quarterback injury. Backup Charlie Batch, subbing for Ben Roethlisberger, broke his hand late in the first half and exited. Beleaguered third-stringer Tommy Maddox inherited a 17–7 third-quarter lead and, despite some miscues, cruised to the win. Wide receiver (and college quarterback) Antwaan Randle El completed a 51-yard scoring pass to Hines Ward in the third, making Ward the team's all-time receptions leader (passing Hall of Fame wideout John Stallworth). Week 11 (Sunday November 20, 2005): at Baltimore Ravens
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
An anemic offensive showing led to a surprising Steeler defeat at the hands of the Ray Lewis-less Ravens. Third-team quarterback Tommy Maddox got the starting nod and completed 19 of 36 passes for 230 yards, with a touchdown and an interception (a bizarre play that caromed off of wideout Hines Ward's swinging foot and was snatched by Terrell Suggs), but the Steelers' inability to handle the Raven pass rush was a serious blow. Maddox was sacked six times and under nearly constant duress. Matt Stover won the game on a 44-yard field goal in overtime. Week 12 (Monday November 28, 2005): at Indianapolis Colts
at RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana
The banged-up Steelers were simply no match for the undefeated Colts on Monday Night. Indianapolis' first offensive play proved a harbinger for the Steelers, with Marvin Harrison scorching Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor on an 80-yard touchdown strike and a 7–0 advantage. Ben Roethlisberger's return from a two-game absence (knee injury) was a shaky one; his first interception potentially caused a six-point swing, snuffing out a Steeler drive late in the first half and setting up the Colts to kick a field goal, taking a 16–7 lead into the break. Roethlisberger's struggles were heightened when injured left tackle Marvel Smith grew less and less able to deal with All-Pro Colt pass rusher Dwight Freeney & Co., and eventually left with an ankle injury. Week 13 (Sunday December 4, 2005): vs. Cincinnati Bengals
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ben Roethlisberger put up the most prolific numbers of his young career in his return from a knee injury, but he was ultimately out dueled by Carson Palmer. Roethlisberger outpassed his counterpart 386–227 and each threw three touchdowns, but his three interceptions were backbreakers. Ultimately, the Bengals simply made too many big plays, including a 94-yard kickoff return by Tab Perry, for the Steelers to keep pace. Week 14 (Sunday December 11, 2005): vs. Chicago Bears
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In a snowy atmosphere, the Steelers snapped their three-game losing streak by ending the Bears' eight-game winning run. Jerome Bettis churned through the snow and mud for a season-high 101 rushing yards, scoring twice in the physical win. Week 15 (Sunday December 18, 2005): at Minnesota Vikings
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Desperately trying to keep pace in the AFC playoff picture, the Steelers again dominated an NFC North opponent and again snapped a winning streak. The Vikings had won six straight games, but were pounded up and down the field in losing to Pittsburgh. The Steelers forced three Minnesota turnovers and added a safety in the victory. Week 16 (Saturday December 24, 2005): at Cleveland Browns
at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
The Steelers turned a nearly flawless performance into a dominating win in Cleveland. The Browns were sacked eight times and were never really in the game. Willie Parker's 80-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter broke the game open at 27–0. Ben Roethlisberger completed 13 of 20 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown before giving way to Charlie Batch with the game well in hand. Week 17 (Sunday January 1, 2006): vs. Detroit Lions
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mere weeks after being all but counted out in an extremely tight AFC playoff race, the Steelers clinched a Wild Card berth, trading punches with lowly Detroit and coming out on top. Unexpectedly, the 5–10 Lions leapt to a 14–7 first-quarter lead on two Joey Harrington touchdown passes, but Jerome Bettis tied the game later in the period with the first of his three touchdown runs in his final game in Pittsburgh. Bettis and Willie Parker combined for 176 rushing yards as the Steelers closed out their regular season. |
Playoffs
| Week | Date | Kickoff (ET) | TV | Opponent | Result | Location | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WC | Sun. Jan. 8 | 4:30 p.m. | CBS | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 31–17 | Paul Brown Stadium | Summary |
| DIV | Sun. Jan. 15 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS | at Indianapolis Colts | W 21–18 | RCA Dome | Summary |
| AFCCG | Sun. Jan. 22 | 3:00 p.m. | CBS | at Denver Broncos | W 34–17 | Invesco Field at Mile High | Summary |
| SB XL | Sun. Feb. 5 | 6:30 p.m. | ABC | vs. Seattle Seahawks | W 21–10 | Ford Field | Summary |
Game Summaries
AFC Wild Card Playoff (Sunday January 8, 2006): at Cincinnati Bengals
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
| Bengals | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 61 °F (Partly Cloudy)
- Game attendance: 65,870
- Referee: Larry Nemmers
- TV announcers: (CBS) Jim Nantz (play by play), Phil Simms (color commentator), Bonnie Bernstein (sideline reporter)
AFC Divisional Playoff (Sunday January 15, 2006): at Indianapolis Colts
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Colts | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 18 |
at RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 57,449
- Referee: Pete Morelli
- TV announcers: (CBS) Dick Enberg (play by play), Dan Dierdorf (color commentator), Armen Keteyian (sideline reporter)
AFC Championship Game (Sunday January 22, 2006): at Denver Broncos
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 3 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 34 |
| Broncos | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at INVESCO Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 40 °F (Partly Sunny)
- Game attendance: 76,775
- Referee: Terry McAulay
- TV announcers: (CBS) Jim Nantz (play by play), Phil Simms (color commentator), Bonnie Bernstein and Armen Keteyian (sideline reporters)
Super Bowl XL (Sunday February 5, 2006): vs. Seattle Seahawks
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Dome
- Game attendance: 68,206
- Referee: Bill Leavy
- TV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels (play by play), John Madden (color commentator), Michele Tafoya and Suzy Kolber (sideline reporters)
The Pittsburgh Steelers become the 4th wild card team to win the Super Bowl.
Standings
| AFC North | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (3) Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 7–5 | 421 | 350 | L2 |
| (6) Pittsburgh Steelers | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 389 | 258 | W4 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 265 | 299 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | 232 | 301 | W1 |
Stats
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Kicking
Punting
Kick Return
Punt Return
Defense & Fumbles
Scoring Summary
Team
Quarter-by-quarter
| Quarter-by-quarter | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | T | |
| Steelers | 99 | 121 | 103 | 66 | 0 | 389 |
| Opponents | 78 | 49 | 54 | 68 | 9 | 258 |
Honors and awards
Pro Bowl Representatives
See: 2006 Pro Bowl
- No. 43 Troy Polamalu- Strong Safety
- No. 55 Joey Porter- Outside Linebacker
- No. 64 Jeff Hartings- Center
- No. 66 Alan Faneca- Offensive Guard
- No. 98 Casey Hampton- Nose Tackle
References
- ↑ 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
- ↑ 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
- ↑ 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers Media Guide.
- ↑ "2005 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
- ↑ "2006 Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-12-27.