Looking at the remaining schedule for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s easy to be intimidated. Not only do they still have to play the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, but they still have four divisional games left. Their most recent loss to the Cleveland Browns proves how unpredictable those matchups are. Mike Tomlin doesn’t sound worried at all, though. In fact, he sounds excited.
“I hadn’t thought about it in that way,” Tomlin said Tuesday via the team’s YouTube channel. “I know we play six every year, and that’s kind of my mindset. When they occur, I’m less concerned about because we don’t have control over that.
“I love them, to be quite honest with you, in the latter part of the year as the road gets narrow because there’s weight on it, and as a competitor, you like to be in big moments and big games, so that’s exciting.”
Tomlin has stated before that he doesn’t care about the Steelers’ seemingly brutal schedule. He’s just focused on winning the next game in front of his team. They are currently in a rough patch, though, especially when it comes to in-division work.
The Steelers’ last two games have been against divisional opponents, and their next two games are also in the division. This stretch could have a huge impact on their season. They started well by downing the Baltimore Ravens, but their loss to the Browns hurt their momentum. With the Cincinnati Bengals up next, things could change quickly for the Steelers, who are currently atop the AFC North.
It shouldn’t be surprising that Tomlin, a self-described “degenerate,” loves having these divisional games late in the year. They are much more significant. Every game could tip the scales for the Steelers, especially from this point on. It helps test Tomlin’s team’s mettle.
As a coach with Super Bowl aspirations, Tomlin wants his team to be in big-time matchups. If they can win in those scenarios, then they should be more battle-tested in the postseason. These games take a physical toll on the team, but there’s adversity everywhere in the NFL.
If the Steelers can beat the Bengals and avenge their loss with a win over the Browns, they should feel confident heading into the season’s home stretch. Confidence should not equate to comfortability, though. The job is not finished until the Steelers win a championship. They’ve still got several opponents in their way before that, though. As of now, they’re on to Cincinnati.
