(Photo: Behind the Steel Curtain)
The Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only are they one of the most iconic teams in the NFL, they are one the more iconic franchises in all of sports. The fan base is amongst the best in the sport as every time they travel to play a road game, you see several terrible towels waving in. The crowd and the fans traveled, or they were just a supporter of the team. Many of the all-time greats have played for this franchise such as Mean Joe Greene, Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, Troy Polamalu, Jerome Bettis and how could I forget the original number 12, Terry Bradshaw? Even two of their last three Head Coaches are iconic, Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. This year, the Steelers have been better than many anticipated. There have been times when they’ve been inconsistent during the regular season, then go on a winning streak to make the playoffs. Currently, they are 8-2 and continue to increase their lead in the AFC North. Let’s break this down and talk about what’s gone right for them.
At the beginning of the year, the goal was to start Russell Wilson at Quarterback, but unfortunately, he got hurt and that gave Justin Fields another chance to start. Justin was serviceable and he did what was asked of him, but he wasn’t the sole reason why the Steelers were winning football games. They just needed him to control the clock, be a game manager, hand the ball off, and most importantly, not turn the football over and keep the team in the game. I remember saying at the beginning of the year when Justin was under center that they reverted to the same style of offense they ran with a young Quarterback named Ben Roethlisberger. Whenever I think of the Steelers and their offense, running the ball always comes to mind and when they can pound the rock in between the tackles and run it consistently, they’re a tough out. Mike Tomlin decides to make the switch and bring Russell Wilson in. I want to remind many of you of something: Never question or doubt a coach who’s never recorded a losing season in his career. He will do what’s best for the football team and since he’s started Russ, they’ve yet to lose. The veteran Quarterback is stretching the field, something Justin didn’t do much of because they catered to his skill set. Russ looks revitalized and the change of scenery did him well.
Anytime you mention the Steelers, defense will be one of the first things that come up and you can always pencil them in to have one of the best defensive units in the league each year. They’re such a physical group and each tier of the defense knows their role. T.J. Watt makes the entire unit go and I wouldn’t disagree with you if you said he was their best player because I believe he is. Look at the difference he makes when he’s on the field compared to when he’s off, the defense is completely different. They’re always one of the best at stopping the run and Minkah Fitzpatrick has given them a versatile piece in the secondary, something they haven’t had much of since the days of Troy Polamalu. Look at how they handled the number one ranked offense in the Baltimore Ravens yesterday in Pittsburgh. They pressured Lamar Jackson and shut down Derrick Henry every time he touched the football. They still pride themselves on grinding games out with the defense. On average, they’ve allowed 16 points per game to their opponents. Whenever I think of Steelers football, running the ball and defense will forever be the first two things that come to mind.
I’ve seen a lot of Mike Tomlin over the years and I think this is his best job yet as the Steelers Head Coach.
There was no way I saw them sitting at 8-2 and running the AFC North this year to this point. It’s almost as if he’s fine with his team flying under the radar. All year in the AFC, you’ve heard about the Kansas City Chiefs and their previously undefeated start, the Buffalo Bills and how they’ve run away with their division, and how Baltimore had the number one offense and the frontrunner for MVP. All the Steelers are doing is winning football games and they’re having fun doing so. They have won five games in a row and if the season ended today, Mike would have my vote for Coach of the Year.
