The Pittsburgh Steelers came into Sunday’s game having lost what many considered an easy game in Arizona the week before. To make matters worse, the Steelers were without Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Casey Hampton, and Troy Polamalu. In other words the teams top two receivers, and two defensive pro bowlers. Add to that Pittsburgh was facing a Seattle team many considered one of the best in the NFC, and the outlook did not look good for the Steelers this week.



Someone forgot to tell the Steelers how bad things were looking going into the pivotal game against the Seahawks. Someone forgot to tell the Steelers that without Hampton and Polamalu, Seattle was supposed to run up points at will. And that same someone must have forgotten to tell Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers that they would struggle to move the ball without their top two wide outs. The Steelers made a statement heard throughout the NFL on Sunday, and the Colts and all of their backers on ESPN should take notice.

It is pretty much agreed upon by most experts that the Patriots are the best team in the league, and it isn’t even close. And most people at ESPN seem to think that Indianapolis is by far the second best, and that the Colts defense is the greatest thing since Chuck Noll. (Or Bill Walsh, as most of the preseason coverage on ESPN was devoted to a man you would think cured cancer) For anyone who knows anything about football, the Steelers came out today, and despite key injuries, shut out one of the best offenses in the NFC. Since having a solid performance against the Saints, who have proven to be one of the worst teams in the league this year, the Colts defense hasn’t done much to impress.



But enough about some of the other teams in the NFL. Sunday, the Steelers proved to be a very solid football team; a team that does enough to get the job done, no matter who the opponent. Another team with high hopes, supposedly on the way to the playoffs, and another team to get rolled by the Steelers. Minus their two top receivers, the Steelers held the ball for the first ten minutes of the second half. On that drive, the Steelers racked up 110 yards (allowed by two penalties), the Seahawks, had 111 in the game to that point. Seattle had not been shut out since 2000. Shaun Alexander was the latest on a long list of All Pro backs to come up short of 100 yards rushing against the Steelers. For those of you not keeping track, the Steelers have not allowed a 100 rusher in 31 games. I dare you to find a better defense in the NFL right now. For everyone who wrote off the Steelers after a bad loss in Arizona, better get your pen back out, because the Steelers are here to be counted.