Another action-packed NFL weekend, and another Mike Tomlin milestone.
With Sunday’s 23-19 win over the visiting Green Bay Packers, Tomlin’s Steelers won their ninth consecutive one-score game.
That’s significant because it’s hard to win in the NFL, especially close games at that rate. Tomlin’s making it look easy. He’s always cool, calm and collected on the sidelines, and you have to give him his respect for his masterful performances in close games.
Tomlin Has 16 Straight Seasons Without Losing Record
We’re talking about a coach who in 16 NFL seasons as a head coach hasn’t had a losing record.
And with his current team now 6-3 after Sunday’s win, it looks highly plausible that this streak will likely run to 17 consecutive seasons.
Since 2021 the Steelers are a league-best 19-6-1 in one score games, which is roughly a 75 percent winning percentage, once again a credit to Tomlin as a leader of men.
Steelers Win Despite Being Outgained
For the ninth time this season the Steelers took an L in total yards (399 to 324) but posted a win on the more important scoreboard for the sixth time this season.
Offense Has Been Clicking Since Matt Canada Started Calling Plays On Field
It’s become a trend with the Steelers offense under offensive coordinator Matt Canada and second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett at the helm. For weeks there have been calls for Tomlin to replace Canada, but thus far the one-time Super Bowl-winning coach hasn’t made a change.
Instead he directed Canada to come out of the coaches booth far away from the action and call his plays down on the field where he can interact with his players and young quarterback.
Pickett, the second-year signal-caller, has struggled overall. With Sunday’s 119 passing yards, Pickett has now passed for under 200 yards in 12 of his 21 career starts.
That’s usually not a recipe for success, but the offense has been much more effective since Tomlin instituted that change with Canada. Somehow the Steelers are still finding ways to win.
Tomlin knows his QB must play better if this team, whose defense has been its saving grace all season, is to make any noise in January.
Pickett Does Just Enough
In Tomlin’s postgame interview, he discussed Pickett’s subpar play in quarters (1-3) and his great play when the game’s on the line.
Pickett does just enough to win each week, even if it isn’t pretty.
Despite the high wire acts, the fact remains that slow starts and fourth-quarter comebacks are not a sustainable way to have success.
Pickett’s 75 QBR in the first three quarters, jumps to (108) in the fourth quarter, and that’s something Tomlin wants to see change.
“He’s awesome in the fourth quarter, man, he rises up in those moments. He wants to be the reason why we’re successful. He prepares his tail off. In some instances where people run from challenges, he runs to challenges. And so, that’s why his performance is so good in the fourth. Those other quarters we’ll work on.”
Steelers Running Game Coming Around
With the passing game in flux, the Steelers have been able to lean on their young, big, physical offensive line that seems to be getting better each week.
In Sunday’s win they led the way for 205 rushing yards, 183 between Jaylen Warren (101) and Najee Harris (82) on 31 rushing attempts. An elated Tomlin credited them with leading the way.
“Yeah, it was huge,” Tomlin said. “I thought the balance was there. You know, 22 [Najee Harris] and 30 [Jaylen Warren] ran the ball great. The line was firing off the ball, they were protecting really well. Stayed clean for the majority of the game. So that’s kind of what we’re trying to get here.”
Tomlin seems to once again be pulling all the right strings for a team that should probably have a losing record, and for that he should be garnering plenty of NFL Coach of the Year talk.
It’s an award Tomlin shockingly has never won, but that could change this season.
