6 Season Turning Points

July 24 - Center Jeff Hartings and right guard Kendall Simmons arrive at training camp with serious ailments.

Nothing has defined the Steelers' struggles this season more than the inconsistent play of the dinged-up offensive line. Throughout training camp, Hartings battled pain in his left knee where most of the cartilage has worn away. Simmons lost 30 pounds and significant strength after a summer-long bout with adult onset diabetes. Both players played through their problems and they have since recovered, but it took most of the season. The running game and pass protection suffered as a result, as coaches were forced to move players in and out of various positions along the line all season long.

Aug. 19 - Bill Cowher names running back Amos Zereoue and tight end Jay Riemersma starters before the end of camp.

The Steelers believed-wrongly-that they could make a smooth transition from a smashmouth running attack to a finesse passing game that included screens, direct snaps to wide receivers and quarterback Tommy Maddox throwing it all over the field to a variety of pass catchers. It didn't work. Riemersma, their coveted pass-catching tight end, had only 10 receptions after 15 mostly injury-plagued games. Running behind a weak line, Zereoue couldn't keep the running game propped up. Plus, the line could not protect Maddox long enough for him throw with consistent efficiency and Plaxico Burress suffered too many pass-catching slumps.

Oct. 5 -The Steelers are pounded by the Browns at Heinz Field, 33-13, and tackle Marvel Smith aggravates his neck injury.

The season's most embarrassing loss. The Browns were a pathetic team, yet the Steelers could do nothing against a bad Cleveland defense. Zereoue carried 13 times for 38 yards; Maddox was sacked three times and had an interception returned 75 yards for a touchdown. The defense allowed Browns' quarterback Tim Couch, who seems to get benched repeatedly by coach Butch Davis, to complete 20 of 25 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. The Browns won only two more games. Smith left the game with an aggravation of a pinched nerve in his neck and barely played the rest of the way.

Oct. 26 - Cowher reinserts Jerome Bettis into the starting lineup and the focus of the offense changes.

Benching Bettis did not cause the Steelers to open the season 2-4, but it wasn't the smartest move of Bill Cowher's coaching career. The Steelers were a game under .500 heading into the final week with Bettis in the starting lineup, so there wasn't great improvement. But his return did allow the Steelers to get back their tough-guy mentality that had been lost when coaches tried to turn them into something they couldn't be - a pass-first, run-second team. Bettis ran well late in the season, gaining over 100 yards in two of the first three December games, but his future as a Steeler remains in doubt.

Nov. 4 - CB Dewayne Washington, the team's highest-paid player in 2003, is benched for poor play after a loss in Seattle.

Washington said he never felt like a scapegoat, but Cowher pointed the finger directly at him after the loss to the Seattle Seahawks when he missed one too many tackles and the Steelers' losing streak reached five games. It became clear that the Steelers had no plans for Washington in their future, and it was time to play Deshea Townsend and Ike Taylor at corner. Washington's demotion, coupled with safety Mike Logan's diminished playing time, allowed coaches to take a longer look at, perhaps, the secondary of the future that includes Townsend, Taylor, Troy Polamalu and Chris Hope.

Nov. 30 - The Steelers lose to the Bengals at Heinz Field, 24-20, after rallying to take a late lead.

Bad teams usually find a way to lose games no matter what the circumstances, and that's exactly what happened to the Steelers in their second game against the Bengals. After Hines Ward caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Maddox to give the Steelers a 20-17 lead with only 1:05 to play, the Bengals moved downfield in four plays and 52 seconds to record the winning points. It was yet another good example of how the season unfolded - one area of the team played well, but another area was responsible for the defeat. The Steelers seldom put together a complete game.