2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 15 – 1 record from 2004 in which they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field . The Steelers , with the sixth and final seed to the playoffs , became just the second team ever ( and the first in 20 years ) to win three road games on their way to the Super Bowl . After becoming the first sixth seed ever to win both a Divisional Playoff game and a Conference Championship , they defeated the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL to secure their league - tying fifth Super Bowl title . In doing so , they also became the first team since the 1970 AFL - NFL merger to win a Super Bowl without playing a single home playoff game . Regular season . Game summaries . Week 1 ( Sunday September 11 , 2005 ) : vs . Tennessee Titans . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " Ben Roethlisberger became the NFL ' s first quarterback since Trent Green in 2003 to post a perfect ( 158 . 3 ) passer rating , and college backup Willie Parker put up 161 rushing yards and a touchdown in a dazzling NFL debut . Week 2 ( Sunday September 18 , 2005 ) : at Houston Texans . " at Reliant Stadium , Houston , Texas " Pittsburgh strong safety Troy Polamalu led a defensive onslaught with a career - high three of the Steelers ' eight sacks , and Willie Parker followed up his outstanding NFL debut with 111 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as the Steelers hammered the Texans . As the game took place on a hot , humid day , the Texans left the roof of Reliant Stadium open in the hopes that the Steelers ' performance would be hampered by their black jerseys . However , the tactic failed and Houston fans were angered by having to sit in sweltering conditions and watch their team lose . Week 3 ( Sunday September 25 , 2005 ) : vs . New England Patriots . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " New England quarterback Tom Brady led a four - play , 37 - yard drive to Adam Vinatieri ' s game - winning 43 - yard field goal with : 01 remaining . The drive countered Hines Ward ' s 4 - yard scoring catch that tied the score at 20 – 20 , but left 1 : 25 for Brady to march the Patriot offense . On the day , Brady completed 31 of 41 passes for 372 yards , with an interception . Week 5 ( Monday October 10 , 2005 ) : at San Diego Chargers . " at Qualcomm Stadium , San Diego , California " Jeff Reed booted a 40 - yard field goal with : 06 remaining to lift the Steelers to a win , but a play late in the game caused star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to leave with a hyperextended knee and left his availability for the following week in doubt . The hit came from Charger rookie defensive lineman Luis Castillo and forced Roethlisberger to the sideline , and backup Charlie Batch merely handed off to Jerome Bettis three times to set up Reed ' s kick . Week 6 ( Sunday October 16 , 2005 ) : vs . Jacksonville Jaguars . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " Tommy Maddox capped a poor performance by throwing an overtime pass into a crowd of Jaguar defenders , and Rashean Mathis made him pay dearly , intercepting the pass and returning it 41 yards for the game - winning touchdown . Subbing for an injured Ben Roethlisberger ( hyperextended knee ) , Maddox completed just 11 of 28 passes for 154 yards , with a touchdown and three interceptions . Week 7 ( Sunday October 23 , 2005 ) : at Cincinnati Bengals . " at Paul Brown Stadium , Cincinnati , Ohio " Pittsburgh regrouped following a sloppy first quarter to take an easy win in Cincinnati . After allowing two marches into the Steeler red zone , the defense tightened and gave up only two field goals , then coasted on the heels of two Ben Roethlisberger touchdown strikes and 131 rushing yards from Willie Parker . Week 8 ( Monday October 31 , 2005 ) : vs . Baltimore Ravens . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " Underachieving against a Ravens team missing defensive standouts Ray Lewis and Ed Reed , the Steelers regrouped on the heels of a late 60 - yard drive that set up Jeff Reed ' s game - winning 37 - yard field goal with 1 : 36 remaining . Ben Roethlisberger completed 18 of 30 passes for 177 yards , 2 touchdowns and an interception . Week 9 ( Sunday November 6 , 2005 ) : at Green Bay Packers . " at Lambeau Field , Green Bay , Wisconsin " With Charlie Batch starting at quarterback for an injured Ben Roethlisberger ( knee ) , the Steelers capitalized on Packer mistakes – three turnovers – and won despite a lackluster offensive showing . The game ' s highlight came from Troy Polamalu , whose sack of Brett Favre forced a fumble that Polamalu himself scooped up and returned 77 yards for a second - quarter touchdown . Week 10 ( Sunday November 13 , 2005 ) : vs . Cleveland Browns . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " The Steelers handled the division - rival Browns despite another serious quarterback injury . Backup Charlie Batch , subbing for Ben Roethlisberger , broke his hand late in the first half and exited . Beleaguered third - stringer Tommy Maddox inherited a 17 – 7 third - quarter lead and , despite some miscues , cruised to the win . Wide receiver ( and college quarterback ) Antwaan Randle El completed a 51 - yard scoring pass to Hines Ward in the third , making Ward the team ' s all - time receptions leader ( passing Hall of Fame wideout John Stallworth ) . Week 11 ( Sunday November 20 , 2005 ) : at Baltimore Ravens . " at M & T Bank Stadium , Baltimore , Maryland " An anemic offensive showing led to a surprising Steeler defeat at the hands of the Ray Lewis - less Ravens . Third - team quarterback Tommy Maddox got the starting nod and completed 19 of 36 passes for 230 yards , with a touchdown and an interception ( a bizarre play that caromed off of wideout Hines Ward ' s swinging foot and was snatched by Terrell Suggs ) , but the Steelers ' inability to handle the Raven pass rush was a serious blow . Maddox was sacked six times and under nearly constant duress . Matt Stover won the game on a 44 - yard field goal in overtime . Week 12 ( Monday November 28 , 2005 ) : at Indianapolis Colts . " at RCA Dome , Indianapolis , Indiana " The banged - up Steelers were simply no match for the undefeated Colts on Monday Night . Indianapolis ' first offensive play proved a harbinger for the Steelers , with Marvin Harrison scorching Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor on an 80 - yard touchdown strike and a 7 – 0 advantage . Ben Roethlisberger ' s return from a two - game absence ( knee injury ) was a shaky one ; his first interception potentially caused a six - point swing , snuffing out a Steeler drive late in the first half and setting up the Colts to kick a field goal , taking a 16 – 7 lead into the break . Roethlisberger ' s struggles were heightened when injured left tackle Marvel Smith grew less and less able to deal with All - Pro Colt pass rusher Dwight Freeney & Co . , and eventually left with an ankle injury . Week 13 ( Sunday December 4 , 2005 ) : vs . Cincinnati Bengals . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " Ben Roethlisberger put up the most prolific numbers of his young career in his return from a knee injury , but he was ultimately out dueled by Carson Palmer . Roethlisberger outpassed his counterpart 386 – 227 and each threw three touchdowns , but his three interceptions were backbreakers . Ultimately , the Bengals simply made too many big plays , including a 94 - yard kickoff return by Tab Perry , for the Steelers to keep pace . Week 14 ( Sunday December 11 , 2005 ) : vs . Chicago Bears . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " In a snowy atmosphere , the Steelers snapped their three - game losing streak by ending the Bears ' eight - game winning run . Jerome Bettis churned through the snow and mud for a season - high 101 rushing yards , scoring twice in the physical win . Week 15 ( Sunday December 18 , 2005 ) : at Minnesota Vikings . " at Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome , Minneapolis , Minnesota " Desperately trying to keep pace in the AFC playoff picture , the Steelers again dominated an NFC North opponent and again snapped a winning streak . The Vikings had won six straight games , but were pounded up and down the field in losing to Pittsburgh . The Steelers forced three Minnesota turnovers and added a safety in the victory . Week 16 ( Saturday December 24 , 2005 ) : at Cleveland Browns . " at Cleveland Browns Stadium , Cleveland , Ohio " The Steelers turned a nearly flawless performance into a dominating win in Cleveland . The Browns were sacked eight times and were never really in the game . Willie Parker ' s 80 - yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter broke the game open at 27 – 0 . Ben Roethlisberger completed 13 of 20 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown before giving way to Charlie Batch with the game well in hand . Week 17 ( Sunday January 1 , 2006 ) : vs . Detroit Lions . " at Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania " Mere weeks after being all but counted out in an extremely tight AFC playoff race , the Steelers clinched a Wild Card berth , trading punches with lowly Detroit and coming out on top . Unexpectedly , the 5 – 10 Lions leapt to a 14 – 7 first - quarter lead on two Joey Harrington touchdown passes , but Jerome Bettis tied the game later in the period with the first of his three touchdown runs . Bettis and Willie Parker combined for 176 rushing yards as the Steelers closed out their regular season . Playoffs . Game Summaries . AFC Wild Card Playoff ( Sunday January 8 , 2006 ) : at Cincinnati Bengals . " at Paul Brown Stadium , Cincinnati , Ohio " AFC Divisional Playoff ( Sunday January 15 , 2006 ) : at Indianapolis Colts . " at RCA Dome , Indianapolis , Indiana " AFC Championship Game ( Sunday January 22 , 2006 ) : at Denver Broncos . " at INVESCO Field at Mile High , Denver , Colorado " Super Bowl XL ( Sunday February 5 , 2006 ) : vs . Seattle Seahawks . " at Ford Field , Detroit , Michigan " The Pittsburgh Steelers become the 4th wild card team to win the Super Bowl . Honors and awards . Pro Bowl Representatives . " See : 2006 Pro Bowl "