John Steigerwald: Can Steelers match Super finish of 1978 team? Why not?

The 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers have gone where no Steelers team has gone before.

Of course they have. It’s 2020.

Until the Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys, 24-19, on Sunday, no Steelers team had started 8-0.

The 1978 team started 7-0, finished 14-2 and went on to beat the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII to finish with a record of 17-2. Can this year’s team go 17-2 and win a Super Bowl?

Why not? Were you expecting an 8-0 start?

According to SportsBettingDime.com, the Steelers have the third-easiest second-half schedule in the league.

How does the 2020 team compare to the 1978 team, which is considered by many to be the best Steelers team ever?

Simple math tells you that it is better, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

And they’re playing a different game today.

The NFL went to a 16-game season for the first time in 1978, and it included new rules to make it easier for offenses. Receivers could no longer be touched beyond 5 yards before the ball was in the air, and offensive linemen were allowed to use extended arms with open hands for the first time.

The Steelers offense benefited from that rule Sunday. With 8 minutes, 36 seconds left in the game and Dallas leading 19-15, Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith was called for illegal contact for a hit on Chase Claypool. Instead of being fourth down, the Steelers’ series continued and ended up with a field goal.

The Steelers, who had won their first two Super Bowls by running the ball and playing the kind of defense that led to those rule changes, were perfectly built to take advantage.

They had Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.

Their first loss came Monday night, Oct. 23, in Pittsburgh, a 24-17 setback to the Houston Oilers, the team they would beat in the AFC championship game in January.

The Steelers had games against the 5-11 Buffalo Bills and 4-12 Cincinnati Bengals during their unbeaten streak.

This year’s Steelers had the 2-7 Giants, 3-5 Broncos, 2-6 Texans, 3-4-1 Eagles and 2-7 Cowboys.

There has been quite a bit of discussion around the league about how much Ben Roethlisberger has had to do with the undefeated start this season, but there was no doubt about Bradshaw’s contribution.

He was the best quarterback in the league and was named first-team All-Pro.

It has been 42 years, but there aren’t many players on the current team who could have taken jobs from the guys on that team.

Bradshaw led the league in touchdown passes with 28 and yards per attempt at 7.9, and he averaged 14.9 yards per completion.

Roethlisberger went into the Cowboys game averaging 9.6 yards per pass, and you can be pretty sure there are a lot of yards after the catch in that number.

The 1978 team threw the ball downfield. Swann averaged 14.4 yards per catch on 61 catches. Stallworth only had 41 catches but averaged 19.5.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is this year’s leading receiver, and he is averaging 8.9 yards per catch. Chase Claypool has the second-most catches and is averaging 16.3.

They threw the ball downfield then. They dink and dunk now.

Franco Harris was second to Walter Payton in rushing attempts but only averaged 3.5 yards per carry.

James Conner is averaging 4.5 this season.

I’m never comfortable comparing offensive linemen because there are no stats, and I don’t pay enough attention.

Cameron Heyward from this year’s defense might be able to find a spot on that 1978 defensive line, but there’s nobody in 2020 who’s going to beat out Jack Lambert or Jack Ham at linebacker, Mel Blount at cornerback or Donnie Shell at safety.

The 1978 Steelers didn’t lose their second game until Week 12 to the Los Angeles Rams.

Can the 2020 Steelers match that 1978 team and finish 17-2 with a championship?

Don’t ask me. I take them one game at a time.