For as long as I can remember, Black and Gold fans have loved to point out that the Steelers relish being the underdog. They actually prefer that status, that's when they play their best football according to these same fans. Now I can neither confirm nor deny the validity of that statement, but it is considered to be gospel to many members of Steelers Nation.
The underdog preference fits perfectly with the long held belief that the Steelers are regularly disrespected by the national media. Sometimes the perceived lack of respect actually has some merit, leading some to believe in a anti-Steelers narrative.