Worst Playoff Losses in Steeler History*

Many in Steeler Nation are calling last Sunday's loss in Denver the worst ever in Steeler history.  While the Steeler Face agrees that it was the most shocking, and perhaps, most embarrassing -- presented below are what the Steeler Face believes are the absolute worst playoff losses in Steeler history.  This top 5 is limited to playoff losses from the 1980s to the present.  These rankings are further based on my assessment of the lost game's combined value of shock, embarrassment, stupid mistakes, bad plays, penalties, and bad calls compared to the level of expectation, strength of opponent, and what was at stake.


1. Worst playoff loss ever . . . .

Steelers 13, Chargers 17

AFC Championship Game

January 15, 1995

The Steelers were 12-4 during the 1994 regular season (their best finish since the 1970s) and had claimed the top seed in the AFC playoffs.  After crushing the Brownie Elves 29-9 in the divisional round of the playoffs, Pittsburgh would host its first AFC Championship Game since the 1970s . . . and once again the road to the Super Bowl would go through Pittsburgh.  Against Cleveland the Steelers scored on their first three possessions, and Pittsburgh scored a touchdown on its opening possession against the Chargers.  Midway through the third quarter Pittsburgh led 13-3, which was not indicative of how well they moved the ball as compared to San Diego.  The Steelers out-gained San Diego 415 to 226 in offensive yardage, 22 to 13 in first downs, and Neil O'Donnell completed 32 of 54 for 349 yards.  Pittsburgh moved the ball up and down the field, but somehow every drive after the middle of the third quarter seemed to stall due to a stupid penalty.  The Steelers were penalized 8 times for 111 yards, compared to only 3 flags and meager 15 yards for the Chargers.  To compound the frustration, San Diego scored on a pair of 43-yard touchdown passes in the second half.  The last one came with just 5:13 remaining in the game and gave the Chargers their first lead.  On their last possession the Steelers moved the ball from their own 17-yard line to the Chargers 3-yard line, but alas, no further.  O'Donnell threw incomplete to Barry Foster in the end zone on fourth-and-goal.


Had the Steelers won it would have pitted the (at the time) 4-0 in the Super Bowl San Francisco 49ers against the (at the time) 4-0 in the Super Bowl Pittsburgh Steelers.  Moreover, the home AFC Championship loss was the first of four under Bill Cowher.  I always wonder what Cowher's legacy would have been had Pittsburgh won this one.  I remember laying on bed for the rest of the afternoon and evening after that one . . . I was hollow inside, and at a loss for I had just witnessed.  Sadly, this would become a familiar feeling after AFC Championship games for the following 10 years.


2. Second worst playoff loss ever . . . 

Steelers 17, Cowboys 27

Super Bowl XXX

January 28, 1996

The Dallas Cowboys never had anything on the Steelers . . .  until this one.  Pittsburgh had beaten them in two Super Bowls in the 1970s (21-17 in Super Bowl X and 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII).  But the so-called "America's Team" would finally get some bragging rights after this one, and every single Cowboys fan I know ALWAYS mentions Super Bowl XXX.  It was the Steelers first Super Bowl loss, and worst yet it moved Dallas ahead of Pittsburgh in the trophy count at the time, 5 to 4.


The Cowboys' recent experience was evident in the first half as they dominated the line of scrimmage and jumped out to 13-0 lead.  Pittsburgh didn't score until its last possession of the first half when O'Donnell found Yancy Thigpen in the end zone for a touchdown that cut the lead to 13-7 at halftime.  However, O'Donnell threw what would be the first of two decisive interceptions in the third quarter that gave the Cowboys a gift touchdown and a 20-7 lead in the third quarter.  


At this point of the game, I decided to go ahead and start drinking the champagne I bought in hopes of celebrating a victory.  Strangely, I was okay at this point.  I was ready to concede victory to a better team and appreciate what had been a good season.  But no, the Steelers came back and showed that they were capable of beating the seasoned Cowboys.  A field goal cut the lead to 20-10 and then Bill Cowher stunned a national TV audience (and not to mention a dim-witted Dallas head coach, Barry Switzer) with a surprise onside kick that Pittsburgh recovered.  The Steelers moved the ball down to the goal line and Bam Morris punched it in to make the score 20-17 in the fourth quarter.  Just as the Cowboys dominated the first half, the Steelers were now dominating the second half. Pittsburgh was moving the ball and Dallas was going three-and-out.  After a quarterback sack gave Pittsburgh the ball back with minutes to play, I just knew O'Donnell was going to drive the Steelers down field again and win the game.  But no.  Instead, O'Donnell decided to throw another inexplicable interception that was nearly identical to the the last one he threw.  And the Cowboys, who couldn't move the ball during the second half were given another gift touchdown and a 27-17 lead.


I woke up on my couch the next morning and the first thing I saw was Midget Smith proclaiming "I'm going to Disneyland."  Ugh.  Migraine.  My head still hurts.


3. Third worst playoff loss in Steeler history . . . 

Steelers 23, Broncos 29 (OT)

AFC Wild Card

January 8, 2012

Yes.  This one was really bad as evidenced by its placement of third on my list (ahead of last year's Super Bowl loss).  There were a lot of strikes against Pittsburgh in this one -- namely a litany of injuries to Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Aaron Smith, Maurkice Pouncy, Doug Legursky, Brett Kiesel, Casey Hampton, and Jonathan Dwyer, as well as the fact that Ryan Clark couldn't play and Steeler-hating-officiating was typical.  Despite all of that--it is still not an acceptable excuse for losing to this team.  The Steelers lost because they were outplayed, out coached, and Mike Tomlin doesn't know when to call a freaking time-out.  For details, see my post game post on this one.  Moving on . . . 


4. Fourth worst playoff loss in Steeler history . . .

Steelers 25, Packers 31

Super Bowl XLV

February 6, 2011

Similar to the loss in Super Bowl XXX, at first I was able to tip my hat to the other side and say "well played."  In many respects, I thought the 2010 Steelers overachieved.  Big Ben was suspended for the first four games of the season and NFL Czar Roger Goodell seemed hell bent on punishing Roethlisberger, James "Excessive Awesomeness" Harrison and the entire  Pittsburgh Steelers team with every opportunity he had.  But the team seemed to thrive off the hatred and adversity, and pulled off a thrilling come-from-behind victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional round of the playoffs and shut down the trash-talking Jets a week later in the AFC Championship game.  Had I not watched Super Bowl XLV a second time on NFL replay, I would have walked away from the 2010 season feeling pretty good.  The problem is, I watched NFL replay.  Sorry folks, but Pittsburgh donated this one--"Discount Double Check."  If you want to know how, watch it yourself, because I can't stomach it again.

5. Fifth worst playoff loss in Steelers history . . .

Steelers 21, Broncos 24

AFC Championship Game

January 11, 1998

Whereas the Steelers donated Super Bowl XLV to the Packers, Kordell Stewart donated this AFC Championship game with three interceptions (including two in the endzone) and a fumble.  The Steelers also missed a field goal.  Enough said. 


Dishonorable mentions . . .

Steelers 17, Cheatriots 24

AFC Championship Game

January 27, 2002

Steelers 27, Cheatriots 41

AFC Championship Game

January 23, 2005

I could not include either of these two in the list because of the founded cheating by the New England Cheatriots and Coach Bill Billicheat, who illegally videotaped opponents hand signals, so that they could read what plays their opponents were calling during games.  There were countless times that that the Cheatriots would upset a team in the playoffs between 2002 and 2005 on the strength of a few big plays, and the humbled opponent would graciously say: "wow, it was like they knew what plays we were calling."  Well, surprise, THEY DID.  The most egregious case was when the Cheatriots videotaped the St. Louis Rams final practice before Super Bowl XXXVI.  At any rate, the question of cheating invalidates the Steeler Face's methodology of measuring misplays and the like.  These were tough losses, but it is hard to know how bad (if at all) the Steelers screwed up.


*The Steeler Face thanks fellow member of Steeler Nation, Pat Johnston, who requested that I do this feature.  Counting down the worst playoff losses in Steeler history was his idea.  The rank order is my own.  You can read Pat Johnston's blog at (http://patinleftfield.com).