s ▁ 7 2 nd ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁professional ▁sports ▁franch ise ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Football ▁League . ▁▁ ▁The ▁team ▁looked ▁to ▁come ▁back ▁after ▁a ▁disappoint ing ▁ 6 – 1 0 ▁season ▁the ▁year ▁before , ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁team ▁go ▁through ▁the ▁entire ▁season ▁without ▁winning ▁consecutive ▁games . ▁▁ ▁The ▁team ▁ ▁finished ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 5 – 1 ▁record , ▁to pping ▁the ▁ 1 4 – 2 ▁team ▁record ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁San ▁Francisco ▁ 4 9 ers , ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁Chicago ▁B ears , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Minnesota ▁Vik ings ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁teams ▁in ▁NFL ▁history ▁to ▁that ▁point ▁since ▁the ▁league ▁adopted ▁a ▁ 1 6 - game ▁schedule ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁finish ▁with ▁such ▁a ▁record . ▁This ▁also ▁made ▁the ▁Ste el ers ▁the ▁first ▁A FC ▁team ▁to ▁achieve ▁a ▁ 1 5 – 1 ▁record . ▁Al ong ▁the ▁way , ▁the ▁Ste el ers ▁ended ▁the ▁New ▁England ▁Patri ots ▁NFL - record ▁ 2 1 - game ▁winning ▁stre ak ▁in ▁Week ▁ 8 , ▁then ▁defeated ▁their ▁cross - state ▁rival ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁E ag les ▁the ▁following ▁week ▁to ▁hand ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁last ▁two ▁und efe ated ▁teams ▁their ▁first ▁losses ▁in ▁back - to - back ▁weeks , ▁both ▁at ▁home . ▁ ▁The