You’re missing the point. They had the 8th ranked passing attack that year with Neil freaking O’Donnell. Cowher would not have struggled offensively with Ben in his prime.
Cowher I believe wanted to draft a lineman instead of a QB but Dan Rooney suggested the need for a QB. Before that, Cowher was said to have wanted to acquire Drew brees from San Diego. The bottom line is, once he got his QB, he cleared the super bowl hurdle. It’s like if Jamie Dixon would have had that go to guard in the ncaa tourney, we wouldn’t have underachieved every single year in the tourney. If Ben doesn’t go through a windshield and have some challenges then, and Cowher had stayed, I think Cowher had won a couple more.
Oh and one other thing. You mention things that bailed out Cowher. How about things that went against him. Like spygate, and special teams TDs vs New England in championship games because referees inexplicably put the ball on the wrong hash marks. Referees impact games. It happens all the time.