Steelers' Mike Tomlin Gushed Over The Packed House, Dressed In Black And Gold, Crowd In Vegas

The Pittsburgh Steelers snapped their losing streak with a decisive 32-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. This brings the team's record to 4-2 on the season and keeps them tied for first place in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens. This game felt like a must-win after Pittsburgh lost to two teams they were expected to beat, the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. 

The game was far from perfect. The defense struggled early, allowing the Raiders to systematically march down the field on their opening drive and score, but they rebounded quickly. Justin Fields played for the entire game, and while it wasn't his best game, he used his legs effectively and helped the offense get going. Najee Harris had his best game of the season, picking up 106 yards on 14 carries and averaging 7.6 yards per carry. 

There is one group that won't show up on the stat sheet, but it deserves a lot of credit: the fans. During his postgame press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin made sure to mention team's faithful. Tomlin expressed his appreciation for how the black and gold appeared and took over at Allegiant Stadium. 

"I think the first thing that needs to be said is, just really taken back by the support we got here from our fans," Tomlin said. "Steeler Nation continually, they just show up. I just thought it was awesome. The environment for a road venue was special. It was special to be a part of."

The Steelers fans are no stranger to compliments when it comes to travel. It certainly is nice to hear the coach of the team immediately shout out the fan base during his postgame press conference.

This isn't the first time Steeler Nation has shown up and taken over an enemy's stadium. Pittsburgh fans travel as well as any team in the league. According to former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, it happens often, especially in "destination" cities. Roethlisberger mentioned locations such as San Diego, Tampa, Dallas, and Atlanta. Raiders fans were unhappy with everything: their team's performance, questionable calls, and the number of yinzers in the building. 

Having your fans overwhelm the home team is a major advantage. It is usually the other way around. The home team makes noise to throw the visiting team off. In the case of the Steelers game, it is backward, and the visitor actually throws a wrench in the home team's plan.

The Raiders and the Steelers are historical rivals. Back then, they were the Oakland Raiders, and they were there with the play that began the Steelers' ascent into greatness: the Immaculate Reception. They had one of the NFL's most rabid, passionate fan bases. However, since then, they have moved a few times to Los Angeles and now to Las Vegas. That seems to have impacted how many hometown fans appear in their beautiful new stadium. 

Steelers' Justin Fields Working On Securing The Starting Job

Headed into the Week 6 game, the hot topic was whether Tomlin would put Russell Wilson in over Fields at some point. Fields struggled, particularly with holding the ball too long, but he did enough to remain the starter. 

Fields connected on 14 of 24 attempted passes for 145 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. He did take three sacks. However, he also ran 11 times for 59 yards and two touchdowns. This means that he remains the leading scorer in the Steel City. 

The mantra has been for Fields to protect the ball all season, and he once again did that. The question of the starting quarterback will undoubtedly come up against this week. It will be interesting to see if Tomlin ever gives Fields the official title. 

How much do you think the fans helped the Steelers win in Vegas? Click to comment below. 

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