Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Steelers running back Jerome Bettis could have the opportunity to wave to fans at Heinz Field at least two more times this season. Click photo for larger image.

The Steelers have traveled this road before, the road that went through Pittsburgh and carried some other team to the Super Bowl.

It happened in 1992, 1994, 1997 and 2001, when the Steelers either earned the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed or wound up with the AFC championship game in Pittsburgh and failed to reach the Super Bowl.

Most of the current Steelers only have reference to 2001, when the New England Patriots, 10-point underdogs, upset them, 24-17, in the AFC championship at Heinz Field.

"We're a lot maturer," receiver Plaxico Burress said. "Playing in that game, I was thinking this is how it's supposed to be every year. It was my second year; we really didn't understand the significance of having home-field advantage and playing in the AFC championship. We were just out there playing football.

"I've said it, Hines [Ward] said it; we already had ourselves thinking 'Super Bowl,' and we didn't take care of that one game and it cost us."

The Steelers had the AFC's No. 1 seed in 1992 and, after a first-round bye, lost to Buffalo at home in their first playoff game under coach Bill Cowher. In 1994, they beat Cleveland after a first-week bye and were upset by San Diego, 17-13, at home in the AFC championship.

The Steelers ended that string when they came from behind in the final minutes to beat Indianapolis in the AFC championship game at home after the 1995 season.

In 1997, they beat New England after a first-round bye, but blew a lead and lost to Denver, 24-21, in the AFC championship at home. And, in 2001, they had the No. 1 seed again, beat Baltimore, 27-10, then lost to the Patriots.

Cornerback Willie Williams, in his second tour of duty with the Steelers, is the only player on their roster from the 1994 team. Halfback Jerome Bettis and cornerback Chad Scott are the only players from the 1997 team.

There are 20 players and two others on injured reserve who experienced the pain of losing in 2001 and vowed not to have it happen again.

"We have a lot of guys who have been here since 2001," center Jeff Hartings said. "Speaking personally, that hurt a lot, losing that game. Speaking now, I'm not going to get too excited because I know it's one game at a time and because I know there's lot of good teams in the AFC.

"The first game here is going to be against a very good team. We win that one, it'll be against an even better team. The road to the Super Bowl isn't easy in the AFC."

That, players say, is what they forgot in 2001.

"I think we have a better football team this time," Bettis said, "because we have depth all over the board, and guys have learned from that. Guys who are here want to guard against that from happening again."

Said tight end Jerame Tuman about the loss to the Patriots,

"This is obviously a different year. We're playing a lot better in all phases. We had a couple turnovers that led to touchdowns, and that hurt us."

Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El wasn't here in 2001.

"It's a different year, a different atmosphere, a different way we got here, the road we traveled, the guys who went down and guys who stepped up," Randle El said. "If you look at those different things, this is a different team from that perspective alone.

"This is a closer team than it's been in the past. I don't think that team in '01 was as close as this one. Of course, I wasn't here, but, if they were any closer than what we were, then no way things shouldn't have worked out."

It's not a group of players that gives the impression it will work on a Super Bowl rap video over the next few weeks, the way some players did in 1994 that so riled up the Chargers.

"We are a true family," linebacker Joey Porter said. "I've been here six years, we've had some close teams, but, by far, this is the best team we've had.

"We're not doing it with a whole lot of superstars, we just have a lot of blue-collar guys. When somebody goes down, everybody's ready to step up and do their job.

"I think it makes us appreciate each person we have on this team, and it's brought us so close together."