1994 Steelers vs. 1997 Steelers

[CSKreager]

Sandwiched in between Cowher's 1995 SB team were a pair of PIT teams that were eerily similar:

Both lost in week 1 at home vs Dallas, almost ran the table at Three Rivers at home (7 straight reg. season wins plus 1 division game), then got upset at home in the AFC CG

But both these teams had more in common:

Got off to slow 2-2 September starts before catching fire in October

Had tough battles in the AFC Central (although Jacksonville actually did get a game on the 97 Steelers unlike 94 Cleveland) in which they actually didn't take over sole possession of 1st place for good until early December

Both had weird interconference coincidences: the 94 team lost at ARZ in OT and beat PHI, whereas the 97 team lost at PHI and beat ARZ in OT

Both had signature primetime moments in November: the 94 team beat Buffalo on a Monday night without scoring an offensive touchdown while the 97 team forced 6 1st half turnovers on a Sunday night demolition of Baltimore

Both had gutsy comeback OT wins against AFC #3 seeds and East Division champs: the 94 team won a tough low scoring game vs Marino and Miami, while the 97 team had an unexpected comeback at New England

Both had marquee late season wins vs the AFC West- the 94 team blitzed the Raiders in LA while the 97 team had that Yancey/Kordell tour de force on offense against Denver

But while the 94 team losing to San Diego was an all time shocker, the 97 team losing to Denver wasn't exactly a stop the presses upset.

Plus the 94 team was fueled around Blitzburgh while the 97 team was primarily driven mostly by a very capable offense (Kordell, Yancey, Bettis)

Which PIT team was better?

[JohnTurney]

my vote would be 1994.

Several reasons but think 94 personnel was better and the team better overall.
Agree that offense with Kordell had extra dimension...that keeps it close

[Brian wolf]

I would take the 94 Steelers team with a healthier Greg Lloyd and Rod Woodson on defense. O'Donnell could throw better than Slash, who should have stuck to wide receiver. The 94 team simply overlooked the Chargers, while Seau played the game of his life. The 97 team lost to Denver with critical mistakes by Stewart ... Bettis was tough but the combo of Foster and Morris did well too.

[rewing84]

As a steelers fan I'd rather not discuss the 94 team for very obvious reasons

[74_75_78_79_]

While '97, to me, is a deserving AFCCG-qualifier, it was a noticeable-enough drop-off from '94/'95. No big essay necessary. Not just the defense, but I'll also take 1994's Erhardt offense (which did have a good passing game also) over 1997's offense. This even with the Bus being onboard for the latter along with Kordell's play-making abilities.

[7DnBrnc53]

The 94 Steelers were better. The 1997 team shouldn't have even made the playoffs. They had a few games they should have lost, like Washington, @Baltimore, @Arizona, and @NE. Den and KC were the two best teams in the AFC that year, and that was the defacto AFC Title Game.

[sheajets]

Shame we were robbed of that Steelers/49ers Super Bowl in 1994/95. Up 13-3 in the 3rd...they had no business blowing that game. As soon as O'Donnell's pass fell incomplete you just knew...we were getting another blowout/massacre of a SB. Be it Dallas or San Fran.

The 9ers offense was on an incredible roll at that time, and you had a Steelers D that had allowed 10 or fewer pts in 6 of the last 10 games they'd played. That was the collision course we deserved to see

I think San Fran wins anyway, but we'd get a real game rather than a coronation.

[CSKreager]

Shame we were robbed of that Steelers/49ers Super Bowl in 1994/95. Up 13-3 in the 3rd...they had no business blowing that game. As soon as O'Donnell's pass fell incomplete you just knew...we were getting another blowout/massacre of a SB. Be it Dallas or San Fran.

The 9ers offense was on an incredible roll at that time, and you had a Steelers D that had allowed 10 or fewer pts in 6 of the last 10 games they'd played. That was the collision course we deserved to see

I think San Fran wins anyway, but we'd get a real game rather than a coronation.

PIT could have played that SB blindfolded and they’d still have fared better then SD

[Ness]

Not a Steelers fan, but the '94 Steelers by a landslide. Probably Cower's best team that didn't win anything, and maybe even better than the one that did win it all in 2005 if you look at papermetrics. I think it's still the highest DVOA of any team that Cower coached. The choke against the Chargers is one of the all-time fudge ups.

[CSKreager]

The 94 Steelers were better. The 1997 team shouldn't have even made the playoffs. They had a few games they should have lost, like Washington, @Baltimore, @Arizona, and @NE. Den and KC were the two best teams in the AFC that year, and that was the defacto AFC Title Game.

Oh please.

97 KC was a fraud. How that team went 13-3 with the 4th best roster in their own division is beyond me. OAK/SEA had better players yet the Chiefs got by on Marty smoke and mirrors luck.

Horrible running game, Grbac and Gannon, only 1 WR worth a damn (washed up Andre Rison)

KC was the weakest of the 6 AFC playoff teams. I’d argue the 9-7 Jets were a better team that year.

Kansas City wouldn’t have sniffed the 97 playoffs in the NFC