John Harris
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Larry Johnson, Kansas City's Pro Bowl running back, went ballistic this week, publicly questioning his team's game plan and undermining Chiefs coach Herman Edwards.
The Chiefs and Steelers both have 7-7 records, but that's about the only thing they share.
While the Chiefs are threatening to fall apart down the stretch, their team chemistry in shambles, the Steelers have never been more together. This despite the Steelers not being a lock for the playoffs the season after winning the Super Bowl.
At times, the Steelers have been mistake-prone and undisciplined. They've had to overcome injuries and substandard play. But the Steelers have always tried to keep their problems in-house.
If the defensive players were upset because quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continued throwing to players in different colored jerseys, they never went public.
If Roethlisberger was upset at the offensive line because of the physical beatings he received, he never went public.
If the offensive and defensive players had a bone to pick with the special teams' annoying penchant for turning the ball over, those feelings never left the locker room.
And if the players wondered how coach Bill Cowher would be able to rally the troops, they never let on.
The Steelers have been many things this season, but a house divided isn't among them.
"That's just the respect you have for your team and coaches,'' outside linebacker Joey Porter said.
"Lots of teams, they get in that situation, they fold their tents. That's not our mentality. We just couldn't believe we were playing that bad.''
The Steelers did plenty of talking about their season not being over, despite a 2-6 start. Porter realizes it may have sounded like so much hot air at the time, but he insisted the talk was always positive and the players' confidence never waned.
As for pointing fingers during the bad times, Porter said the Steelers under Cowher never have and they never will.
"Those same plays and calls when you won you didn't say nothing about them. Now, when you lose they don't work? I never really understood that,'' Porter said. "At the same time, what is to be gained after you show up somebody? Now you've got to apologize.
"You're family. You don't air dirty laundry. When you and your wife get in an argument, you don't go on the news and tell everybody what you were arguing about.''
Porter said the Steelers' basic principles are founded upon hard work and respect. A little talent never hurt, but what good is talent if the players aren't on the same page?
Football is the ultimate team sport. Without discipline and order and a belief in a common goal, the Steelers wouldn't have won Super Bowl XL, and they wouldn't have been able to survive the ups and downs they've endured this season.
"It's the same respect you show for your father. Coach Cowher and the other coaches, they're father figures to me,'' Porter said. "No matter the situation, you're not going to let anybody know what's going on.
"If Dad wants to tell everybody, he can do it. But if he's not doing it, we're not doing it.''
So there you have it. The Steelers must win their final two games against Baltimore and Cincinnati to be considered for a playoff berth, and even then they're going to need plenty of help.
Finishing strong is the Steelers' only alternative.
"When we went through our drought, when we weren't playing good football, you can't say it was one person. It was the whole team,'' Porter said. "We're trying to finish this out the best way we know how. We're just glad it happened late rather than it never happening.''
Stay tuned.
John Harris is a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com
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