Pittsburgh Steelers Antwaan Randle-El

The Pittsburgh Steelers' "One for the Thumb" year wasn't just a football season, it was a made-for-TV movie.The team's progress into the Super Bowl and beyond had all the thematic elements that Hollywood has grown to love -- happy times in the beginning, followed by a crisis (an injury to QB Ben Roethlisberger and three straight losses), then a dramatic resolution. The 21-10 Super Bowl victory over Seattle was dedicated not only to homecoming and retiring veteran RB Jerome Bettis, but to head coach Bill Cowher 4 Brett Favre White jersey
(frustrated in 10 previous trips to the playoffs) and the no-nonsense but lovable Rooney family. It was a heartwarming story indeed.But will it continue? Four key Steelers -- DE Kimo von Oehlhofen, DB Deshea Townsend, WR/KR Antwaan Randle-El and DB Chris Hope -- will be free agents, along with backup quarterback Charlie Batch. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, author of the trick play that produced one of three touchdowns against the Seahawks, almost took the ' head coaching job. Of course, all this is nothing new. There was some consternation in Steeler Nation last year when the team let WR Plaxico Burress walk, only to be replaced with cheers for bargain basement free agent replacement Cedrick Wilson. The question is whether or not they can afford to do the same with Randle-El, who is not only a solid receiver but one of the league's best punt returners and a guy who can play quarterback in a pinch.The team believes nickel back Bryant McFadden can step in for Townsend and Brett Keisel for von Oelhofen, and the Steelers will save $5.6 million if Bettis -- the Bus -- parks himself for good. That would seem to leave Randle-El and Hope as the key free agent targets, although Pittsburgh will also make a serious effort to resign Batch.Bettis was certainly on the downside of his career, although still thunderingly scary as a red zone back, but his departure will leave a hole the size of, well, a bus. While Willie Parker emerged as the starter in 2005, his performance was uneven (the 75-yard touchdown run against Seattle was his only significant touch all night).If Duce Staley can come back from the knee injury that sidelined him most of 2005, he'll probably step into Bettis' role. Verron Haynes is the third down back, Dan Kreider the fullback. And that's it.All of this makes the 2006 draft highly problematic, even beyond the fact that it's almost impossible to plan when you're picking last. If Randle-El stays, the Steelers are set at wide receiver. If he goes, they'll have to look elsewhere for another wideout. Center Jeff Hartings, although a Pro Bowler, is getting old and prone to injuries. Another running back has to be a priority, if only for reasons of depth. Should both Hope and Townsend escape as free agents, the secondary will be suddenly thin.It's also difficult to ignore the fact that Pittsburgh got some breaks along its difficult path (five straight victories on the road, three of them as a wild card in the post-season) to Detroit. Dallas Cowboys jersey
Cincinnati seemed poised to eliminate its old nemesis before QB Carson Palmer was knocked out of their playoff game early in the first quarter. Roethlisberger was in the right place at the right time to keep the Colts' Nick Harper from scoring on a last-ditch interception return. In the Super Bowl itself, the Steelers were the beneficiaries of several close officiating calls that could have gone either way, as well as subpar performances by both Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck.This is a very good team, in short, with one of the stronger defenses in the league. But it's probably not a dominant team.Noted coach Cowher in the Super Bowl afterglow: "It's going to be like starting over. We're going to be re-establishing our group of guys with the mentality and identity that's going to be different from this season."He has no choice. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, 2005-06 will never be duplicated.