Sports Illustrated's Don Banks has thrown out a topic guaranteed to stir up a lot of passion and a lot of hate by ranking the 32 NFL teams over the past decade. That leads to the bigger question: is the title of team of the decade still up for grabs?The Packers were the team of the 1960s, the Steelers claimed the 1970s, the 49ers dominated the 80s and the Cowboys were the team of the 1990s (even if their domination lasted for only the first half of the decade). Heading into the final year of the decade, the Patriots are the clear leaders to earn the title "Team of the 00s" with three Super Bowl rings and four Super Bowl appearances, but Banks argues that the Steelers could end up stealing that moniker with a second-straight Lombardi Trophy that would also give them three rings this decade.
And Banks even goes as far as saying that the Colts could move into the argument with their second Super Bowl title since they could end the decade with a better record than the Patriots.
As much as it pains me as a diehard Steelers fan to say this, I can't see how Pittsburgh could end up earning the team of the decade honors. Pittsburgh's best hope is to muddy the waters and make it so there is no team of the decade. Even if Pittsburgh wins the Super Bowl this year, New England will still have more Super Bowl appearances
If you throw Spygate into it, fans can argue that the Patriots' Super Bowls are tarnished, but the combination of three Super Bowl titles, a fourth appearance, an 18-1 season and the best regular season record of the decade makes it hard to argue that any other team can top them for the title.
But more than anything, Pittsburgh has something else to play for in 2009 -- a seventh Super Bowl title would give them two more than any other team, further cementing their claim to be the best team of the modern era.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Pittsburgh is probably a close second. Aside from last year when they missed the playoffs with a respectable Tom Brady-less 11-5 record, the Patriots have been the team to beat ever since they upset the Rams to earn their first of three super bowl rings. They didn't call them a dynasty for nothing, and as long as they have Tom Brady, they are a juggernaut. The Steelers could even up the 3 count by getting another title, but there's just something about the Pats..a mystique. That makes them the team of the decade. And I'm not even a Patriots fan.
well, if the stillers go 19-0 like that pats couldn't, that's the only legitimate way of leapfrogging the patriots.
NE hasn't had a losing record all decade, so it sucks, but bellicheat's ignominy will but forever immortalized as the team of this decade.
my hat is very much off to Sports Illustrated for not letting the 2008 season confuse them into ranking the Cardinals anything other than near the bottom of the list #27 or #28 I think is where I just saw they were placed.
I HATE it any given year when people give the previous season too much weight because it is fresh on their minds. Particularly, you often see people give a Super Bowl too much props because it was the last Super Bowl and it had an exciting finish (take Tenn vs. STL or NE vs. NYG, superbowls with exciting endings, but not-so-thrilling first 3 quarters). I am sure some people forgot how much the Cards sucked before this year, or how well-rested they were coming into the playoffs unlike the three teams they beat in the playoffs, but SI wasn't fooled.
* Patriots
What more needs to be said?
Pats were caught Cheatin'
ooops. Your jealously and immature sillyness are showing; Check this out....read it and weep:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-231/Patriots-sweep-all-decade-team--coach--MVP.html
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-231/Patriots-sweep-all-decade-team--coach--MVP.html
If the Steelers win the Superbowl this year.....Yes...they will be the team of the decade. But does it really matter?! Steelers are the best team EVER!!! count em baby......6 SUPERBOWLS!!!
Steelers win this year and it goes to them......#1 the pats cheated,so as the rules state,they should be denied EVERY Superbowl that they cheated in.....that's 3....they didn't cheat in the one they lost....plus the pats cheated AGAINST the Steelers in an AFC Champion game.....so if they Steelers win this year,they get the prize....the pats get the barry bonds award....bellycheat gets a corked bat signed by sammy sosa..
I would say Steelers but the never beat the pats to get there Superbowls but they do have six bowls so who cares
If the Steelers wins a seventh Super Bowl title to conclude the 2009 season, a strong argument can be made that the Pats and Steelers share team-of-the-decade honors, particularly if New England does not make the AFC Championship game or if the Steelers beat the Patriots head-to-head in that game.
Entering 2009, the Steelers have two Super Bowl titles, four AFC championship game appearances and six division titles in the decade. New England has three Super Bowl titles, four conference championships, five conference championship-game appearances and six division titles as well.
Yes, barring an unexpected poor season by the Pats (which could probably only happen if Brady suffers a season-ending injury again), New England will finish with the better overall record. Due to an eight-win overall deficit, the Steelers would likely need a 16-0 regular season and the Pats an 8-8 finish for Pittsburgh to have the best regular-season record of the decade over the Pats. However, the Steelers have generally played in a better division over this decade, since Baltimore has clearly been superior compared to any other team from the AFC East.
Yes, the Patriots did compile the first 16-0 regular season in 2007 before choking in the Super Bowl. The 2004 Steelers, though, were one of four teams in NFL history to post a 15-1 regular-season mark, and did so against a much tougher schedule than the Patriots faced in 2007.
Finally, and not to be under-stated as you did at the end of this blog, if the NCAA can strip Memphis' men's basketball Final Four appearance from two years ago from the recordbook, an asterisk at the very minimum should be posted by all of the Patriots' Super Bowl titles this decade.
Yes, the Steelers' special teams debacle was largely to blame for the Patriots' upset win at Pittsburgh in the 2001/02 AFC Championship game. However, after the game, Hines Ward was quoted as saying something along the lines of "they knew exactly what plays we were running." We now know that the Pats did know those plays due to their espionage that undoubtedly gave them an unfair advantage over the Steelers in both the 01 and 04 season AFC Championship games.
Good points. Being that the patriots got busted for cheating, you have to put an * next to their titles. You can even say the Steelers still get team of the decade even if neither win this year. Patriots 3 superbowl cheating wins. Steelers 2 Honest hardworking wins. Steelers get the edge.
Eat your heart out loser. BTW the refs were the back-up team for the Steelers, LOL
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-231/Patriots-sweep-all-decade-team--coach--MVP.html
I absolutely hate everything about the Patriots. Their coach, their quarterback,that ugly logo on their helments, their obnoxious fans,their disgusting habit of blatantly running up the score, everything. However, they are the obvious choice for team of the decade and Pittsburgh isnt even in the conversation, in my opinion. The team of the decade thing in about more than just who won the most rings or the most games. It is about who was consistently the most dominant team. It pains me to say it, but that team has been the Patriots in this decade. Pittsburgh has had a few years when they started the season as one of a handful of contenders, but almost every year the Pats have been recognized as the team to beat and then went on to play accordingly. They have been the team that the rest of the league measures themselves against. Yes, the Steelers won two Super Bowls, but they werent even dominant in the years that they won them.They were a good team that was just marginally better than the other teams they faced in the playoffs. They still have the rings, and thats what really mattters, but there are some years when the Super Bowl winner isn't necessarily a team that is clearly better than the rest of the playoff teams.That was the case in both of the years that the Steelers won the SB this decade. And, although they beat both the Seahawks and the Cardinals, they didnt establish themselves as anything more than marginally better than either of those teams, and even then they had huge assists from the officials in each of those Super Bowls, tainting the outcome of both. Every year somebody is going to win the Super Bowl, but there isnt a clearly superior team every year, so sometimes what we get is just a very good team that is playing well at the right time or is healthier than the others or gets the right breaks at the right time, or any number of other variables that go into winning a game.
I am aware that the Pats didnt exactly blow anyone out in their three SB wins, winning all three by just three points each. But, as I said, I think the team of the decade title is about more than just the number of SB rings you have. The Pats dominance during the regular season,game in and game out, year after year is where they earned the team of the decade title.
Just one more thing I want to add. I think the 70s Steelers, 80s 49ers and the 90s Cowboys were all stronger and much more dominant teams than any of the Patriots teams were.
Yeah give it to the Cheatriots. Makes sense cheaters should get it. Give me a break!!!
Well thought out and wrote! BUT still STEELERS RULES and PATS DULE LOL
Wholesomely agreed.
DRULE
Steelers are Americas Team to be honest most loyal fans which follow its team all over the league.6 Superbowl wins 4 in 5 years and ready to repeat as Champions. You can't beat that record with a stick.The Steelers build dynasties and Tomlin will continue that process.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-8-231/Patriots-sweep-all-decade-team--coach--MVP.html
The Steelers didnt need video, they pocketed the refs. The Super Bowl last year was a joke, from Harrisons two yard flop across the ground for a td, to Holmes non-catch in the endzone, to Warners magical fumble at the end.
They called craptons of flukejack penalties against the just glad to be here Seahawks three years ago.
Oh, and are we really counting division title games now?!?!? Because the Eagles were in four straight, 5 overall, and have been to the Super Bowl as well. Note this was also while playing in hands down the toughest overall yearly division in the NFL. Maybe theyre the team of the decade?
Never thought id say this but dirty or not, the Pats wrapped up three of four to begin the decade, and have been dangerous every single season, even when Brady went down. Could the Steelers say the same if Ben went down?
One more thing...dont complain about cakewalk schedules when you get to play the Bengals and Browns twice a year.