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Blame Culpepper's inability to come back in the fourth quarter under pressure. Blame Nick Saban and company's inability to efficiently run the review process and alert the referee.

But don't blame the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems every time the Steelers do something noteworthy, it's always because someone else goofed. In the 2005 wildcard playoff run resulting in an unprecedented sixth seed Super Bowl champion, the Steelers beat arguably the then-best three teams in the NFL in Cincinnati, the previously 13-0 Dolphin-perfect-season-chasing Indianapolis Colts, and the 13-3 Denver Broncos. All, as you well know by now, on the road. No enviable task, for sure. But against Cincinnati it was because Carson Palmer went down on Cincinnati's first offensive play, resulting in a huge strike to Chris Henry, but also a Palmerless Bengals squad the rest of the day. The following week against the Colts it was Nick Harper who veered the wrong way returning Jerome Bettis' fumble, resulting in Roethlisberger's game-saving tackle. Then it was because Manning went for the big play instead of the underneath route. Then it was Mike Vanderjagt's missed field goal. Then it was because of Jake Plummer's mistakes. Finally in the Super Bowl, it's because of all the penalties went against Seattle. Folks, I implore you to look at each call one at a time. The pushoff in the end zone was a classic one. Full arm extension is the defining term of this penalty. Jackson's arm was not only fully extended, but the pushing motion gave him a full three yards of freedom. Personally, I don't think Ben was in the end zone. But he was within two inches. Cowher's already said he was going for it on fourth. Anyone want to go to Vegas and place a bet on whether the Steelers punch it in on fourth down? This likely cost Seattle nothing, as a touchdown, it turns out, is worth just as much on fourth down as it is third. Later it was the alleged holding call that removed a first-and-goal for the Seahawks and moments later resulted in an Ike Taylor interception.

But don't blame the Pittsburgh Steelers. Where did Pittsburgh get 31 points from against Cincinnati? Was Palmer supposed to have played defense? What other team last year had the Colts reeling at 21-3 entering the fourth quarter? Answer none. Does Plummer play defense, too? As for Seattle, if you commit more crimes, you go to jail more often. And if you commit more penalties, terrible timing as they may have been... Did the referees run for a 75-yard touchdown? Or a game-clinching fake reverse pass to Hines Ward?

Most recently it's one of the three alleged "Super Bowl contenders". Outside of the usual Pittsburgh, Indy, Cincy, New England, Denver... This year there's the (old) McNair-loaded Ravens, the (young) Rivers-led Chargers and the (fumble) rejuvenated Culpepper-inspired Dolphins that will make a play.

Yet when Pittsburgh dismantles the Dolphins, with their backup quarterback no less, experts agree that they may have overestimated the Dolphins. As usual, it had absolutely nothing to do with the black and gold.

Don't blame the Pittsburgh Steelers. You can do rankings until you've had your fill. But which defense would you rather have than the Pittsburgh Steelers'? Ask Miami. Or Carson. Or Peyton. Or Jake. Or Duante.

Don't blame the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two things you can count on this year: The Pittsburgh Steelers continuing to produce and so-called experts continuing to discount them.