In good years and bad, if there’s one thing Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers teams are able to do, it’s win close games. No one does it better than the Steelers. It’s why watching the team is heart attack-inducing. They don’t blow the opposition out; instead, they win nail-biters. But point is, they win.
That was again true in 2023. In one-possession games, outcomes of eight points or less, the Steelers went 9-2. Not only was that the most such wins of any team this season, it was the best winning percentage. Of the latter stat, here are the top five clubs.
Best 2023 Win Percentage, One-Score Games
1. Pittsburgh Steelers – .818 (9-2)
2. Cleveland Browns – .750 (6-2)
3. Philadelphia Eagles – .727 (8-3)
4. Houston Texans – .700 (7-3)
5. Indianapolis Colts – .667 (6-3)
It continues the clearest trend under Tomlin. His teams have always been strong in these tight situations. For a time, that felt due to Ben Roethlisberger, whose fourth-quarter heroics were common, and the Steelers were generally one of the AFC’s top teams, meaning they won tight games like these. But even in the two years since Roethlisberger retired, Pittsburgh’s still had success. Over that span, the Steelers have the second-best record in these games, their .696 winning percentage only trailing the Eagles’ .789.
As we’ve mentioned before, Tomlin’s Steelers have been the best in these moments since he was hired. From 2007-2023, Pittsburgh leads the NFL in one-score victories (98) and winning percentage (.615). No other team has at least 90 wins and only one other, the Colts, have at least 80. No other team has a winning percentage above 60 and only four other teams are better than 55 percent.
Frustrating as it is to watch the Steelers rarely win comfortably, the reality is most NFL games are close. Blowouts aren’t as common as you think. In 2023, 54 percent of games were decided by one score or less. In 2022, nearly 58 percent of them were. With the difference between winning and losing at football’s highest level razor thin, most teams, good or bad, will be in close fights. Those that can consistently win the final few minutes and come out on top prove best in the long run. And the Steelers are that kind of team. They have their issues, including a messy quarterback situation preventing them from being a true contender, but this is a clear and positive reflection of Tomlin.
It’s one reason why he’d be coveted by flailing franchises should he ever hit the unemployment line. There are talented teams that just don’t know how to close out games. The Los Angeles Chargers are a great example. They’re 10-13 in one-score games over the last two seasons and their inability to win close games has been their biggest problem. Without Tom Brady, Bill Belichick’s teams bottomed out in close games and were horrendous the last two seasons.
None of that changes the Steelers’ problems of today. Of which there are many. But this aspect of the team and of Tomlin is deniable. It’s why they are always in the mix, forever in the hunt, no matter the circumstances. It’s why Tomlin seems to get the most out of undermanned groups and seems to disappoint with top talent. The games are always close. They figure to be in 2024 too.
