The Pittsburgh Steelers went into their Week 17 game knowing it was a must-win if they had any chance of making the playoffs. Their opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, were in the same boat. They controlled their own destiny, and if they won their last two games of the season, they would be playing in the postseason. With both teams having playoff aspirations, this game was expected to be highly contested, and it was. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin had his team better prepared, and it was clear they had an unstoppable mentality during the contest.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin during a 2023 win over the Seahawks.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Put On A Head Coaching Master Class Against The Seahawks
There was a time during the 2023 season when Steelers fans were calling for Tomlin's job. The Steelers had lost three in a row, two of which were games to teams that only had two wins on the season and were considered far inferior opponents. During that stretch, the Steelers played themselves out of the top-seven seeds in the AFC, and put themselves in a position where they would need to win three games in a row to even have a chance to make the postseason. So far, the Steelers have looked good in doing that. They beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 and the Seahawks in Week 17.
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Steelers' Mason Rudolph sacked by former Seahawks linebacker KJ Wright during the 2019 season.
Former Seahawks linebacker and Pro Bowler, KJ Wright, discussed the Week 17 contest on his podcast, KJ All Day. One of the main things he noticed was how both teams were in similar situations, meaning they needed to win the game to have a shot at making the playoffs, yet one team looked a lot more prepared to do so.
"Both teams are 8-7, both teams fighting for their playoff lives. Seahawks, you win these last two, you are in. Steelers, you win these last two and get a little help from other teams in the AFC. When the game kicked off, it was crystal clear from the beginning, the mentality of the Steelers. I don't know what Mike Tomlin said to these dudes, I don't know what they ate for breakfast, I don't know the message Tomlin gave these guys. But the mentality was we are not going to be denied today."
Both teams are coached by two of the most respected and experienced head coaches in the league. The Steelers of course are led by Tomlin, who has coached his team to appear in two Super Bowls and just clinched his 17th straight season without a losing record. The Seahawks are led by Pete Carroll, who has been their coach since 2010 and has also coached them to appear in two Super Bowls. Both leaders know how to win in this league at a high level, and Tomlin just completely out-matched Carroll.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin before a game against the Seahawks in 2023.
It was clear Tomlin's team was more motivated, and had a higher desire to win this game. Wright pointed out on his podcast that this was evident based on how the Steelers were able to run the ball during the contest. He was pointing out the stiff arm by Najee Harris, and some other hard fought runs from Harris and Jaylen Warren.
"That was just a microcosm of what happened play, after play, after play. Jaylen Warren on his touchdown, he walked into the end zone. Untouched. From like 15 yards deep, no one touched him. They got 11 guys, we got 11 guys. For you to not touch a guy from 15 yards out, that was extremely alarming. Their offensive line came ready to play, they were blowing guys off of the ball. I was really surprised."
The Steelers run-game looked amazing during the victory. Harris and Warren combined for nearly 200 rushing yards. Harris finished with 122 yards and two touchdowns while averaging over four yards per carry, and Warren had 75 rushing yards and a touchdown while averaging almost six yards per carry. The two were unstoppable.
The Steelers were able to control the pace of the game due to their success on the ground. They had 15 more minutes with the ball than Seattle did, which is a recipe for success. Going into Week 18, the Steelers will need a victory against the Baltimore Ravens and some other help around the AFC to make the postseason. If they find a way to clinch a spot in the playoffs, this running game might be the spark they need to go on a run.
What do you think about Wright's comments? Let us know in the comments below!
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