The Pittsburgh Steelers are now into the offseason, following a year in which they had high hopes for Super Bowl success, but ultimately fell short of even reaching the postseason at 8-8. It was a tumultuous season, both on the field and within the roster, and the months to follow figure to have some drama as well, especially in light of the team’s failure to improve upon the year before.
The team made some bold moves over the course of the past year, and some areas of the roster look quite a bit different than they did a year ago, or even at the start of the regular season. Whether due to injuries or otherwise, a lot has transpired, and we’re left to wonder how much more will change prior to September.
How will Ben Roethlisberger’s rehab progress as he winds toward recovery from an elbow injury that cost him almost the entire season? What about some of the key young players, some of whom have already impressed, others still needing quite a bit of growth? Will there be changes to the coaching staff? The front office? Who will they not retain in free agency, and whom might they bring in?
These are the sorts of questions among many others that we have been exploring on a daily basis and will continue to do so. Football has become a year-round pastime and there is always a question to be asked, though there is rarely a concrete answer, as I’ve learned in my years of doing this.
Question: Who will win Super Bowl LIV?
I mean, is there anything else to talk about today? It is Super Bowl Sunday, the holiest of all holidays in America, even if your preferred team isn’t playing in the game. Today’s 55th installment of the combined-league championship bout promises to be a good one, at least on paper.
Representing the NFC is the San Francisco 49ers, who have won the game five times before, but not in about 25 years. This is their seventh appearance, having most recently participated in the Super Bowl in 2012, losing to the Baltimore Ravens.
On the opposite site of the ball is the Kansas City Chiefs, who were last in the Super Bowl 50 years ago, winning once. They appeared in the game twice, including the first ever, losing to the Green Bay Packers and Vince Lombardi, whose team dominated the 60s before the Super Bowl was even a thing.
The Chiefs feature arguably the best quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes, who was the league MVP in 2018 and had another great season in 2019, despite injuries. He has some great to elite weapons to throw to, and their defense has improved.
Then there is the 49ers, who boast one of the best defenses and running games in the NFL, largely on the strength of their men in the trenches, littered with high pedigree particularly on the defensive front. Jimmy Garoppolo is a quarterback more than capable of throwing the ball around when he has to.
