Because of their failures down the stretch, the Pittsburgh Steelers will now travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens in the first round of the playoffs. That’s not exactly an ideal matchup, especially because the Ravens just crushed the Steelers a few weeks ago. These two teams are very familiar with each other, which might make some people believe the Steelers will have an easier job preparing for this game. But Mike Tomlin stated that it’s actually the opposite.
“I just think the more familiar you are, the more significant the strategic component is,” Tomlin said Monday via the team’s YouTube channel. “But as a coach, I welcome that. I want the responsibility of being a component of how this game unfolds and to try to stay a step ahead of them.
“I’m sure they have the same agenda regarding us. It doesn’t get routine. With each matchup, it gets more sophisticated, it gets more complex, and from a coach’s perspective, more fun.”
That makes sense because playing an opponent twice during the regular season probably leaves a team with little tricks left up their sleeve. That might be especially true for the Steelers and Ravens because both their games came in the back half of the season. This will be their third matchup since the middle of November.
Both teams do look very different compared to their first meeting. Since then, the Ravens have been on the upswing, while the Steelers’ season has only gone downhill. The Ravens have won their last four games, and the Steelers have lost their last four games.
This will also be the first time in a decade that the Ravens and Steelers will meet in the playoffs. Last time did not end well for the Steelers, and that game was in Pittsburgh. Now, with their season ending on a complete flop, things aren’t looking great for the Steelers.
However, that’s where great coaching should come into play. Tomlin is supposed to be one of the best coaches in the NFL, and that should matter in games like this. That’s why he’s excited to dive into this matchup. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and Tomlin badly wants to change that. That might be a challenge, but it’s one Tomlin welcomes.
The Steelers took round one, and the Ravens dominated the rematch. This playoff game will be for all the marbles. The winner gets to continue trying to compete for a Super Bowl, while the loser’s season will end. No matter how the Steelers ended the regular season, that is exciting. Hopefully, Tomlin crafts a competitive gameplan.
