The Pittsburgh Steelers are atop the AFC North, but that doesn’t mean they’re without flaws. That’s been evident in their losses. First, the Steelers’ defense wasn’t playing up to its potential. While that unit’s been better recently, now, the Steelers’ offense is struggling more. Also, Aaron Rodgers is dealing with a wrist injury that could cause him to miss time. Despite that, former NFL defensive lineman Leger Douzable isn’t worried about the Steelers going on a skid.
“Mike Tomlin always rights the ship,” Douzable said Wednesday on CBS Sports HQ. “Aaron Rodgers’ injury is a big concern, and also, their schedule is a lot tougher than the Ravens’ schedule down the stretch. But I feel like we say this every year about a Mike Tomlin-led team, and they seem to figure it out and figure out how to get in the playoffs.
“Whether it’s 9-8, 10-7, they figure it out… There is some question marks, but I’m going to lean on Mike Tomlin. For some odd reason, they’re going to win games down the stretch that you don’t expect them to win. That’s just what Mike Tomlin does.”
Tomlin’s Steelers have a solid history of at least being able to make the postseason, no matter the circumstances. They’ve only missed the playoffs in six of the 18 full seasons that Tomlin has been with them. Also, they’ve just barely missed the playoffs in those seasons.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Steelers made the playoffs once again. However, it might be difficult. Winning the AFC North looks like the Steelers’ easiest path to the postseason at the moment. The race for the AFC wild-card spots is extremely competitive. The Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, and Jacksonville Jaguars currently hold those spots, and they’re 7-3, 7-4, and 6-4, respectively.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that the Steelers have already lost to the Chargers. They also still have to play the Bills. The Steelers not having the tiebreaker against either of those teams could be a problem come season’s end.
That’s if they don’t win the AFC North, though. That race looks like it’s going to come down to the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers still have to play the Ravens twice, and those two games will likely decide the AFC North winner.
While the Steelers have stumbled at times recently, the Ravens are riding a four-game winning streak. That’s led many to doubt the Steelers will hold on to the AFC North crown. Rodgers’ injury isn’t helping things, either.
We’ll see if Tomlin can pull a rabbit out of his hat once again. Even if the Steelers make the playoffs, though, the team and fan base won’t be satisfied with that. They want a postseason win. That’s been the main criticism of Tomlin. However, the Steelers can’t worry about winning a playoff game until they actually make the postseason.
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