Mike Tomlin’s Steelers Thrive in Division-Clinching Games
After a brutal loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Steelers are faced with back-to-back short weeks, with Mike Tomlin prepping the club for games against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and the Kansas City Chiefs a week from Wednesday.
Despite the loss to the Eagles, the Steelers clinched a playoff spot after the Denver Broncos defeated the Indianapolis Colts. This week, the Steelers can clinch their first division title since 2020 when they head to Baltimore.
When it comes to these games, Mike Tomlin’s teams thrive in taking care of business when the heat is on. As the Steelers’ public relations team highlights, the Steelers have been 6-1 since 2007 in games where they can clinch their division with a win. This includes a 3-0 mark against the Ravens in such contests.
Another note is the Steelers under Mike Tomlin are 65-36 in the regular season following a loss; creating victory roughly 2/3 of the time.
As HBO’s Hard Knocks highlights, the AFC North is a brutal grind – regardless of the record of the teams. Take the example of 2015 when Pittsburgh was swept by the Ravens who missed the playoffs. The following season, the Steelers swept the defending AFC North champion Bengals en route to a division championship over the Ravens in 2016.
The Steelers have enjoyed success over the Ravens since 2020 – though the contests have all been decided by one-possession games. Pittsburgh should expect another tough challenge in Baltimore after escaping with an 18-16 win earlier in the season. Eventually, Lamar Jackson will have a successful game against Pittsburgh. Saturday simply can’t be the one.
Not only is the AFC North title on the line but there may be seeding implications with three games left in the season. It almost certainly feels like the Kansas City Chiefs – who visit Acrisure Stadium on Christmas – will secure the one seed, the Buffalo Bills are right behind them and a game ahead of the Steelers. Anything could happen between Saturday and week 18.
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