Column: My life as a tortured Steelers fan

Before you unload on me, hear me out. Because if you’ve clicked on this, I’ve already won.

I get it. Six Super Bowls, Steelers Nation, Terrible Towel, Steel Curtain, The Killer B’s, and so on. I was born into fandom for the most successful NFL franchise in the history of the league.

But since winning the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl in 2008 (thank you for your service, Santonio), the black and gold have found ways to fall short.

It certainly hasn’t been for a lack of talent, with this decade featuring some of the most talented rosters the storied franchise has ever assembled.

In the nine years since that Super Bowl victory, the Steelers have racked up six playoff appearances and one Super Bowl appearance, and have the third-highest winning percentage in the NFL, going 94-50 during that span.

And yet, the expectation in Steelers Nation is a Super Bowl, certainly with a roster as talented as the one the black and gold have rolled out recently.

The main reason for the consistent shortcomings when it counts, and my irrational bitterness for anything Boston-related now? The New England Patriots.

Behind every dynasty in sports, there has always been a talented team (sometimes two) that have been sacrificed in the wake of greatness. Teams that “came along at the wrong time,” only to play second fiddle.

In the mid-1990’s, it was the Buffalo Bills, losing four consecutive Super Bowls, the last two to the Dallas Cowboys. In the Jordan-era Chicago Bulls, it was most notably the New York Knicks.

It could be argued now in the NBA, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers may have three championships in a row if it weren’t for the greatness of the Golden State Warriors.

But to quote one of the most obvious sports cliches, you can only play the teams in front of you. For the Pittsburgh Steelers over the last decade (and really since 2002), the team in front of them has been the New England Patriots.

Since 2002, Pittsburgh is 3-11 against New England, including 0-3 in the postseason. Since 2009, that record drops to 1-6, and one depressing loss to the Pats in the 2017 AFC Championship.

Over that span, the Patriots own the league’s highest winning percentage while racking up five Super Bowls. It goes without saying that kind of run is unprecedented in the NFL, both in success and length.

This entire season, I couldn’t enjoy much of what was one of the best regular seasons in Steelers’ history. Going 13-3 with a full season healthy of Ben, Bell and (mostly) AB.

There were other storylines to relish, like the addition of Joe Haden making our secondary (seemingly) less penetrable. The refreshing mentality and play of rookie Juju Smith-Schuster evoking shades of Heinz Ward, combining neon-bright smiles with bone-jarring blocks.

Even a potentially career-ending injury to Ryan Shazier provided a rallying cry for a team that needed an extra push.

And yet, as the season pressed on, I’d exchange texts and words with Steelers fans across the country. With each week and win, excitement grew as the playoffs approached.

I couldn’t bring myself to feel anything but angst until that Week 15 match-up in Pittsburgh against Belichick and Brady.

We controlled much of the game, with a chance to win in the waning seconds. And then something happened, because of course it did.

You know the rest. The call was reversed, and the NFL’s annual conversation after a controversial call regarding “what is a catch” raged on. We were on the wrong end of it.

Any other team, any other game of the 16 games. BUT THIS GAME, AGAINST THIS TEAM?

It was too much to bare. Add it to the list.

We won our last two games, and advanced to the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 2 seed. After the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Buffalo Bills in a game with the quarterback play of the caliber of #BillsMafia, Pittsburgh foresaw themselves in a rematch against the Pats after taking care of the Jags.

Mike Mitchell and Bell notably made comments during the week of already anticipating a rematch, in Foxborough this time.

Because they had to, right? Even though they were trounced 30-9 earlier in the season and gouged for over 180 yards by rookie runner Leonard Fournette. This game was different.

Until it wasn’t, when Fournette again ran for over 100 yards and 3 TD’s this time. Blake Bortles took as many hits as he does at a usual Wednesday practice, and did enough for Jacksonville to defeat the Steelers at Heinz Field. Even when New England doesn’t play Pittsburgh, they find a way to beat the black and gold.

Another year of Bell, Brown and Ben lost. Now, with Le’Veon due to get paid and letting people know about it, the Killer B trio may well take up a quarter of the team’s salary cap on a roster of 53 players.

That will undoubtedly leave holes. Whether it’s the right holes, holes that can be afforded and overcome, remains to be seen.

The blueprint is clear for defeating New England. Get to Brady, and he becomes mortal. At 40 years old and already established as the greatest quarterback of all time by many, No. 12 is doing it arguably better than he ever has before.

Trying to outshoot the greatest shooter, outscore the greatest scorer, is a bold strategy. If anyone in the league can do it, it likely is Pittsburgh with their weapons.

But as contracts get more expensive, players age and the tread wears on some of the most talented players Pittsburgh has had, Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and the Steeler brass have a problem they’ve been trying to answer for a decade.

You can only play who’s in front of you. More than likely, that familiar Massachusetts foe will be there in January. And make no mistake, until something changes, THEY’RE in front of US.