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First off, hold your fire Steller fans. I mean these are the ONLY two reasons the Steelers might not make it back to the Super Bowl. Most teams have at least 7 things standing between them and a trip to the promised land. If you're Detroit you've a 108 reasons holding you back. Well here they are.

1 OFFENSIVE LINE: The reason they almost lost the Super Bowl. The Cardinals were getting penetration at will. The running game was grounded. Big Ben was getting knocked around and this was the CARDINALS. And it wasn't just for one game. It was like this throughout the 08 season. I think the problem is they really do miss Russ Grimm. Russ, the ole Hog, could take a Seventh Rounder or an undrafted free agent and as long as was the right body shape (huge) he could coach him up and make him work. Russ isn't there anymore but they're still bringing in the Russ type players only now they don't have the same level of coaching. This is going to be an going problem in 09. No significant additions were made to the line. Pittsburg is relying on the same guys who nearly got Big Ben decapitated. That's a pretty big hurdle but even bigger one will be

2 MOTIVATION: Every champ says it won't happen to them, but then if it was so easy everybody would repeat. It becomes a question of what else do they have to prove? What more could they want? They didn't just win A super bowl but one of the BEST super bowls ever played. Big Ben, James Harrison, and Santonio Holmes didn't have good games, but career highlight games. But the guy with the least motivation to win again right away is Head Coach Mike Tomlin. This team is still loaded with Bill Cowher's players and draft picks. A second super bowl win with the same roster isn't going to add as much as a victory with a largely new cast. And with the aging on both the lines, that new roster may be closer than ever.

So that's it Pittsburgh. The only two reasons you might not taste ultimate victory this coming year. Like I said most teams have a lot more to deal with.