By Adam McCoy
SteelerNation.com
Before draft day, we as Steelers fans don't have a lot to look forward to. Considering the Penguins fizzling out of the Stanley Cup playoffs last night, Pittsburgh really needed some good news in the sports world. Well the football Gods (or in this case Roger Goodell and whoever is in charge of scheduling) do not shine brightly upon Pittsburgh today either, as we have learned the Steelers will start their 2019 season in prime-time, against none other than the Evil Empire themselves, the New England Patriots.
Since head coach Mike Tomlin was hired in 2007, the Steelers are 7-4-1 on Week 1, a stat that honestly surprised me, I expected a better record than that. But lets focus on those years they lost in week 1, ignoring that tie because that is still painfully fresh in our memories. In 2011 the Steelers lost 35-7 to Baltimore to open the season. They would finish strong at 12-4, but ended up losing in the Wild Card to the Denver Broncos, again another painful memory for Steelers fans around the world.
In 2012 the Steelers lost to the Denver Broncos to open the season (rubbing salt in the wound at this point) 31-19. The Steelers would go on to go 8-8 that year, missing Ben Roethlisberger for 4 games. They did not make the playoffs that year.
2013 had a similar fate to bear for the Steelers. After losing Week one against the Tennessee Titans 16-9, the Steelers would again go 8-8 missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. I think this is really where the #FireTomlin camp was born.
Finally that leads us to 2015, where the Steelers lost their opening game to, well would you look at that, the New England Patriots, 28-21. The Steelers would go on to finish the year 11-5 and lose in the Divisional Round to a team I've mentioned too much in this article, the Denver Broncos.
When you take a look at those four seasons, there's nothing really pretty that stands out. Both times the Steelers were able to overcome a week one loss, they found themselves losing in somewhat embarrassing fashion to the Denver Broncos in the playoffs. No team ever wants to start out the year 0-1, but for the Steelers, history shows that starting 0-1 can be detrimental to their season.
Beyond the stats, this is a statement game to show what kind of team this "new" Pittsburgh Steelers are. Down two perennial all-pro talents, and up two young budding superstars in their own rights, this game is an opportunity for the Steelers to make a loud statement; "we dont need them". The Patriots have forever been the thorn in the side of the Steelers during the Tom Brady era. The Patriots are 11-3 (including post season) against the Steelers since the rise of Brady, and 3-1 in the past four years. Yes, this is the fifth year in a row now we will see Steelers vs Patriots.
But something just seems different. The drama is gone, no longer is the team constantly answering to the antics of this player or that player. The team already seems more unified with most players showing up for voluntary workouts, including Ben Roethlisberger. Call me crazy, and call this a hot take, but a week one win over the Patriots just might be the catalyst to jump start this team to a Super Bowl run. I'm calling it now, and way too early, Steelers 31-Patriots 24.
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