The Pittsburgh Steelers kept a cool head. It’s such a simple, borderline trite philosophy, but it’s one that once again vaulted them over the dysfunctional Cincinnati Bengals.
Ben Roethlisberger mentioned it following the game, recalling how he told the team prior to kickoff to not get caught up in the emotions. Not to be baited into doing something silly by Vontaze Burfict, Adam Jones, or anyone wearing orange.
Speaking with Bob Labriola in today’s Coordinator’s Corner, Todd Haley shared a similar sentiment.
“It’s something we talked about a lot. But we got a good group, especially the guys up front. They’re a mature group that understands the importance of being a smart team and for the most part, they did a very good job of staying out of any of that.”
There was only one flare up, a Marcus Gilbert penalty that cost the team. But that aside, the Steelers played clean, smart, while the Bengals tripped over themselves and allowed the Steelers to take the lead. Again.
The Steelers stayed together as a group. No unselfish acts, no out of control play. And that starts at the top under the advisement of Mike Tomlin.
“We follow the attitude of our leader (head coach Mike Tomlin),” Mike Mitchell told Steelers.com’s Mike Prisuta after the win. “We do not blink. I think we probably handle adversity better than any team in the league and it showed.”
Sunday was another example of how starkly different the culture was in the two cities. The Bengals bumbling their way to the finish line and the Steelers sprinting.
