1990 Pittsburgh Steelers Season

Season Summary: The 1990 Steelers were a frustrating mix of prowess and futility. Despite fielding the NFL's #1 defense (on paper), OC Joe Walton's lifeless offense failed to score a TD in the first 4 games and the team stumbled to a 1-3 start.

The spark came when gigantic rookie TE Eric Green finally suited up in week 5 and caught 5 TDs in his first two games. The Steelers won 8 of their next 11, culminating in a 35-0 slaughter of the Browns, setting up a week 17 showdown in Houston for the division title.

It was all teed up. Warren Moon was sidelined, thrusting backup Cody Carlson into his first start in 2 years vs. the league's top defense. I remember being SO sure the Steelers were going to win. Instead, Carlson carved them up for 247 yards and 3 TDs, and the game (and season) were over by halftime.