What appeared on the surface to be a crushing defeat at the hands of the AFC's season-long clubhouse leader, ruining the chance at the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs, may have been the twist of fate that propelled the Pittsburgh Steelers into their seventh Super Bowl. 

At the time, Steelers Nation longed for a statement that our guys were on the same level as a Titans team that had been widely regarded as the AFC's best team since their hot start, and subsequent early clinching of a competitive AFC South.  The Steelers, as we all know, had excelled in the face of a brutal schedule, but were still searching for an offensive identity.  The team overall looked flat and somewhat uninspired in a 31-14 drubbing that left more question marks than answers in the hearts and minds of the Steelers faithful, and I am sure many players and coaches.

But let us examine what could have happened had the outcome of that game been in favor of the Steelers.  First off, instead of playing the Chargers in round one, they would have traveled to Nashville, and our epic battle with the hated Ravens would have been moved up a week.  Assuming the Steelers prevail in the same fashion as they did Sunday, we would have been left with a somewhat beat up team having to travel to Nashville to take on a Titans team who would have likely cruised to a much less physical victory over the pretender Chargers. Ouch.

Could this team have perservered and knocked out Tennessee?  Perhaps, but I know I would not have had the confidence that I had going into the Ravens game, where I just really had no doubt the Steelers would prevail.  Additionally, the physical toll of playing Baltimore and Tennessee in consecutive weeks could have hampered the team in it's quest for the ultimate prize, Super Bowl ring number six.

So Tennessee did indeed win the battle on December 21, but the Steelers are now poised to win the war, and I would like to thank the Titans for their assistance.