Pittsburgh (AP) — From game to game, Mike Tomlin doesn’t really alter. weekly to weekly. From year to year.
In a league where parity is the norm, the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach has kept the Pittsburgh Steelers competitive in part because of his almost insane constancy.
The issue, as of late, is that Tomlin’s team has also consistently produced positive results.
Alright. nonetheless, inadequate.
rivalry. nonetheless, insufficiently competitive.
Not when it matters anyhow.
Following their victory against Kansas City in the divisional round of the 2016 playoffs, Pittsburgh has suffered numerous playoff defeats, including their 31-17 loss to Buffalo on Monday in the wild-card round.
The Steelers trailed early on. They hurried to try to rejoin the fray. That one halt was always evaded by the defense. That was one play the offense would never make.
Moreover, Tomlin led a team-wide exit meeting on Tuesday instead of starting the preparations for the team’s journey to Baltimore to play the Ravens. This marked the start of the agonizing post-mortem on one of the most difficult seasons he has ever had.
There is no evidence to suggest that the 51-year-old is burned out or prepared to move on, despite the fact that he became viral on Monday night after refusing to respond to a question regarding his future. Instead, Tomlin smirked, turned to his left, and vanished.
T.J. Watt, a star outside linebacker, said categorically that he hasn’t noticed any changes in Tomlin this season. Even more passionately, veteran defensive captain Cam Heyward defended the only player he has ever played for in his 13 seasons as a professional.
“I believe he will serve as the head coach here,” Heyward stated on Tuesday. Mike T want to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A Steeler who must figure out how to save his crew from the depths of hell.
There are many positive tales, such as the performances of newcomers Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones, the rise of second-year running back Jaylen Warren, and Watt’s subsequent season that earned him the title of AP Defensive Player of the Year, but there were almost as many negative ones.
Matt Canada, the offensive coordinator, was fired in November. frank criticism of wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens’ dubious level of effort. After a three-game losing streak in the beginning of December, Tomlin turned to Mason Rudolph, the third-string quarterback, in an attempt to give the struggling offense something, anything.
The Steelers managed to make the playoffs for the eleventh time under Tomlin’s leadership, winning their final three games in the process.
That visit ended without the club adding a Super Bowl trophy to the six that greet Tomlin every morning on his way to work for the tenth time. That was the fourth time in a row that a participation in the playoffs ended in no playoff victory.
Since the Steelers brought in the then-mostly unknown 34-year-old to take Bill Cowher’s place in January 2007, Tomlin has not accepted “the standard” with the same zeal. And Tomlin is aware of it. Likewise, his players do.
Watt, who led the NFL in sacks (19), missed the Buffalo game due to a left knee injury. “To be able to put in the work to get in those (playoff) positions and not capitalize makes it… frustrating,” Watt said.
On the first day of training camp at Saint Vincent College, Watt stated that he wanted to make it to the postseason for the first time in his career. Instead, he wondered what he would do to replace the void and spent some of Tuesday signing shirts for teammates.
It’s peculiar. It’s awful. Not pleasant at all, Watt remarked. But after the season, only one team experiences true happiness. I’m simply waiting to experience that emotion, you know.
A coach who doesn’t seem to be going anywhere is also in this category.
QUARTERBACK
QUANDARY
After a strong preseason, Kenny Pickett entered September full of optimism and what seemed like momentum. He was sitting on the sidelines in January, watching Rudolph lead the Steelers to the postseason.
Pickett will undoubtedly be given the opportunity to start in 2024, but he will need to improve significantly after tossing just six touchdowns versus four interceptions in 12 games.
At the most crucial position on the field, the Steelers cannot afford to settle for mediocre play from one of the many gifted young quarterbacks in the conference.
CAN YOU CAM?
Heyward has been the center of gravity for the Pittsburgh defense for more than ten years. It remains to be seen if he comes back to try it again in 2024.
With a groin issue that has plagued him since training camp, the 34-year-old missed a significant amount of play and failed to regain the form that has made him a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. Heyward’s contract, which counts for more over $22 million against the salary cap, has one year left on it.
For a player nearing the end of his career, that is a sizable sum of money.
“I understand that it’s a business first,” Heyward remarked. “But when we get there, we’ll cross that road.
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