All it takes is a little belief. That's what Aaron Rodgers said following the Steelers 26-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. The Steelers won the AFC North with their Week 18 victory. The losers in Baltimore will not receive a postseason prize.
Whether Rodgers or Mike Tomlin want to admit it or not, there was far more on the line for the Steelers this Sunday than pride and a postseason appearance. Rather, Tomlin's legacy – and perhaps his future in Pittsburgh – was at stake. One win won't change much, but it does buy the 18-year veteran some time.
Mike Tomlin's win over the Ravens was a rivalry masterclass
There's no reason to hide from the truth. Steelers fans know exactly what Mike Tomlin is. He coaches not to lose, but in doing so he puts his team in a great position to win football games it otherwise might not deserve. Ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers have a high floor and a low ceiling. That means 10-7 seasons at best, and 9-8 at worst. It should come as no surprise that a Steelers victory on Sunday – which cemented a rare AFC North victory – helped them finish with a 10-7 record.
The Steelers victory was uniquely Tomlin-esque. Pittsburgh failed to throw the ball over the middle of the field, gave up big plays in the passing game thanks to breakdowns in coverage (linebackers covering wide receivers) and won on a technicality. But the Steelers are used to winning this way. The thinnest of margins is most comfortable to this team, and definitely to Tomlin.
Tomlin also held a quarterback he has owned in Lamar Jackson in check. The Ravens struggled to run the football in the second half, and despite plenty of evidence pointing to a runaway victory, could not get Derrick Henry going when it mattered most. Tomlin deserves credit for his defensive adjustments.
Should Steelers fans feel comfortable with Mike Tomlin moving forward?
Here is where I break from the optimistic Steelers fan, and offer a little dose of reality. This fanbase deserves more than they have received, including Sunday's victory over the Ravens. Yes, beating a rival to cement a postseason berth and win the division is a GREAT start, but it cannot be the sole prize of a season Tomlin created with greater expectations in mind.
Pittsburgh has put off its future long enough. Rodgers is 42 years old. The Steelers defense is the highest-priced unit in the NFL. All of this is of Tomlin's creation, and thus ought to have his name attached.
The only reason Pittsburgh is in this situation is because they lost to the Cleveland Browns last week. Tomlin-coached teams are 0-4-1 in their last five games against teams nine games under .500 or worse. These statistics aren't going anywhere, and paint a negative picture of the culture Tomlin wants to build.
So, what will it take for the Steelers to move on from Mike Tomlin?
A lot! Tomlin has been past the point of no return with Steelers fans. This is a group that literally chanted for his firing just a few weeks ago, and it was warranted. Tomlin will not be fired, especially after claiming the AFC North from the jaws of defeat. Art Rooney Jr. was searching for just about any reason to keep his veteran head coach under contract, and he got it when Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a potential game-winning kick with just seconds remaining on Sunday night.
It'll take an all-out failure to fire Tomlin. The problem with that hypothesis, however, is that Tomlin doesn't do failure. When the Steelers are bad, they finish 9-8. I was relatively pessimistic about this team to start the season, and even I assumed they'd go 10-7 and compete in a playoff game. As it turns out, I'm smarter than I thought.
Tomlin doesn't know how to rebuild or retool. It isn't in his vocabulary, and it never will be. As much as the Rooney family enjoys collecting ticket and merchandise revenue from a hungry fanbase, eventually being stuck in purgatory runs its course. Steelers fans are spoiled, yes, but they also deserve better than what they're currently being offered.
To fire Tomlin, the Steelers would have to commit to a rebuild. Since that didn't happen prior to an NFL Draft hosted in Pittsburgh, I have a hard time believing change is coming anytime soon.