The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off of one of their worst losses in recent memory on Sunday, where they lost to the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 24-10. The loss was especially bad because Arizona had just two wins coming into the game. The Steelers looked dysfunctional the entire contest and had many self-inflicted errors that made it impossible for them to win. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of heat for this loss, however, the Steelers are undefeated following a loss in 2023. According to the coaching staff, Tomlin is a big reason that is the case.
%202023%20Camp%20Final%20with%20Logos/2L9A6610-544x306.jpg "Steelers Mike Tomlin")
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin during a team practice in 2023.
Steelers' Eddie Faulkner Says Tomlin Is The Reason The Team Has Been Able To Bounce Back From Losses
The Steelers have lost five games in 2023, with the most recent being this past game in Week 13. The other four losses have all been followed up by a Steelers victory. They even won their tough Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns the week after losing to the San Francisco 49ers. This is important to note because during the 2022 season, teams that played the 49ers went 0-15 the following week and Pittsburgh managed to snap that streak in 2023. It total, the Steelers are 4-0 following losses this season. Interim Offensive Coordinator Eddie Faulkner was asked about this stat and said it was all because of Tomlin.
"Mike Tomlin. Great leader, you know what I mean? He gets those guys refocused and about their business and everybody falls in line with that."
Tomlin does deserve credit for getting his team not to hang their head for too long, and making sure they have short memories so they can focus on the task at hand, rather than focusing on the losses of the past. However, many fans would prefer if these horrific losses didn't happen so often in the first place. It's one thing to lose a game to an elite team like San Francisco, but getting dismantled by a team like Arizona is embarrassing and unacceptable.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter/ X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin yells in the direction of one of his players during warmups prior to a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Getting a win after every loss is good, and it has kept the Steelers from putting together any losing streaks like we saw from them in the 2022 season. However, the Steelers have lost three games this season to inferior opponents that should have been victories. They lost to the Houston Texans in Week 4, and while the Texans have been a surprise this season, the Steelers should have been able to beat them. The Texans' entire offensive line was full of backups and CJ Stroud was still trying to piece it together in the NFL. The Steelers got a win against the Baltimore Ravens the following week, but largely because they overlooked Houston in the first place.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Najee Harris was the lone bright spot in the team's 2023 Week 4 loss to the Houston Texans.
The Steelers also lost to the Browns in Week 11 by a score of 13-10. AFC North battles are always close, but the Steelers were facing a fifth-round rookie quarterback in just his second career start. They should have found a way to win that game. They were able to get a victory over the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals the following week, but missed a great opportunity to stack victories on either side of the Cincinnati game by losing to Arizona the next week. It has been a poor showing from the Steelers over the last month or so of football, and they now have a chance to get back on the winning side of things on Thursday Night Football against the New England Patriots in Week 14.
What do you think of Faulkner's comments? Should Tomlin be getting praised despite the horrible losses? Let us know in the comments below!
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