On Saturday, the Pittsburgh Steelers were defeated by the Cincinnati Bengals and fans have criticized head coach Mike Tomlin. With this loss, Pittsburgh finishes the season with a 10-7 record and limps into the playoffs after losing four consecutive games. The team looked like they were in prime position to win the AFC North but lost the division title to the Baltimore Ravens. Many fans, whether they root for the Steelers or not, are blaming Mike Tomlin for this skid to end the regular season. The Steelers are still locked into a playoff spot but must go on the road with little momentum.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Loss
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Mike Tomlin’s offense sputtered in the loss to the Bengals. They struggled to move the ball for the first three quarters, and when they began to score in the fourth quarter, it was too little too late. The Steelers stalled out on their final drive, which was a combination of poor decisions from players, mistakes, and poor clock management. On one play, Russell Wilson scrambled out of the pocket and ran right into multiple Cincinnati defenders, going down in bounds and wasting crucial seconds. A few plays later, Wilson had George Pickens open downfield, but the two could not connect. A 4th down incompletion to Pat Freiermuth was their final offensive play.
This loss is not entirely on Mike Tomlin. Russell Wilson played poorly, throwing for only 148 yards, and completing 17-of-31 passes. His scramble on their final drive took significant time off the clock, and he failed to hit multiple deep passes. George Pickens also had a rough outing. Pickens is one of the best-contested catchers in the NFL but had one catch for zero yards. There were multiple plays where he could not haul one in during key situations. Almost the entire offense struggled, and the Steelers lost a winnable game.
Mike Tomlin’s Reputation
Mike Tomlin has crafted one of the most interesting situations in the NFL in Pittsburgh. Tomlin has never had a losing season, despite the varying talent levels of his roster. In recent years, the team has had an elite defense led by TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Cam Heyward. But the offense has struggled, with quarterbacks like Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky. Still, with Mike Tomlin’s disciplined coaching, they’ve had a winning record every season. No matter how ugly it looked, the Steelers won games and made the playoffs.
This season, Pittsburgh had seemingly found a solution at quarterback. Russell Wilson was named the starter midway through the season and looked good. He was hitting deep throws to George Pickens and the team was no longer sneaking into the playoffs, they were winning games outright. With a 10-3 record, Pittsburgh looked to clinch the AFC North with four games to go. But they lost all four of those games, and many have dubbed this Steelers team as no different from before. Many believe it’s another Mike Tomlin team that will finish with a winning record but lose in the playoffs. Fans see it as repeating the cycle of solid mediocrity.
Looking Forward to the Playoffs
No matter how fans feel about Mike Tomlin and the Steelers’ losing streak, they are in the playoffs. Depending on the Chargers and Raiders game, Pittsburgh will either be the 5th or the 6th seed. This means they will face the Houston Texans or the Baltimore Ravens on the road. The Texans would present an interesting matchup, as they haven’t looked great either. The Ravens won the AFC North and come into the playoffs on a hot streak, but the Steelers have always given the Ravens problems. So, no matter the losing streak, Mike Tomlin and the Steelers season is not over yet. It would not be surprising if they pulled off a wild card upset.
