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Monday, December 10, 2001

For three years, the Steelers craved the playoffs and, for three years, the playoffs were an unattainable goal. Consecutive seasons with records of 7-9, 6-10 and 9-7 left them excluded from the postseason and a team that had lost respect around the league.

Prospects for the 2001 season didn't look to be a whole lot better. By most accounts, the Steelers, at best, were expected to be a team that had a chance to slip into the playoffs.

So after the Steelers raised their record to 10-2 yesterday with a dominating 18-7 win against the New York Jets, the Steelers figured to be bubbling over with playoff talk. They figured to be bursting with pride over their accomplishments, which include the best record in the AFC.

But, after another excellent defensive performance and another gem from Kordell Stewart, there was scant talk of the playoffs. This is a team with larger goals.

The first of those goals is beating the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night. The Ravens are one of two teams to beat the Steelers this season. They're also the defending Super Bowl champion and a team the Steelers immensely respect. To paraphrase Bum Phillips, the Steelers believe the road to the Super Bowl goes through Baltimore.

Respect for the Ravens is so high that some players said they had been looking ahead to the Ravens while preparing for the Jets.

"Don't get me wrong, we practiced very hard for the Jets," said safety Lee Flowers. "But at the same time everybody knew the implications of Baltimore. Deep down in our minds, every other word was about Baltimore in our locker room."

Baltimore might be for pride, which is vitally important to them, but the Steelers should not take lightly their victory against the Jets. This win had far more practical implications than mere pride.

By beating the Jets, the Steelers maintained their two-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC Central. This is important because a Ravens victory Sunday would put them, not the Steelers, in charge in the Central Division.

For another, it kept the Steelers in the lead in the AFC and enhanced their chances of finishing the season with the best record and the first-round bye and crucial home-field advantage throughout the playoffs that comes with it.

Home-field advantage is another Steelers goal. Although they have yet to mathematically qualify for the playoffs, the Steelers know they're in. They don't just want to be there, they want to be there and in charge.

Such a role is a distinct possibility. Of the Steelers' four remaining games, only Baltimore present a difficult challenge. After the Ravens, the Steelers play Detroit, Cincinnati and Cleveland, teams with a combined record of 10-26. Detroit and Cleveland are at home.

With the victory against the Jets, the Steelers aren't likely to be overtaken in the AFC, even with a loss to the Ravens.

A loss to the Ravens would throw the Steelers into a tie with Oakland. The Raiders, however, do not have it as easy as the Steelers in their final four games. They play at San Diego this week and follow that with a home game against Tennessee. But they finish at Denver and with the Jets.

"Home field is the key," said Hines Ward. "If we keep winning and get that bye, then a lot of teams don't want to come up here in late January and play in that cold weather.

"I'm sure our fans will rally behind us. As players, we feed off that energy. Getting the chance to play in your own back yard is very important."

"If we play at home we have the whole city behind us," said cornerback Dwayne Washington.

Beating Baltimore and earning home-field advantage are the Steelers' first two goals and neither will be easily accomplished.

"We have a goal and we're not going to stop until that goal is accomplished," Flowers said. "Our goal is not to lose another game. We are determined not to lose again."

That would be no small achievement. But for a team that can win decisively playing without its best player, Jerome Bettis, it is a goal that's certainly attainable.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.