The Pittsburgh Steelers have been criticized heavily for their recent play, and for good reason. Whenever an organization goes on a four-game losing streak, there are obviously problems all over the team. From coaching to communication to execution, there are plenty of issues that need to be patched up. Steeler Nation is known for being rowdy and restless, so the team should expect to hear all the noise, even if they choose to ignore it. Everyone needs to get their act together if they don't want to be another free playoff win for someone else.
Benjamin B. Braun / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr makes a tackle on Jerry Jeudy in Week 14
Joey Porter Jr. has heard all the noise. As the son of a former Steeler, this type of reaction from the fans and the media is nothing new to him. He told Mike DeFabo of The Athletic what the mindset of the team is, especially for the much-maligned head coach, Mike Tomlin.
"People are going to talk s**t regardless," explained Porter. "That’s just what it is nowadays. But definitely, we’re all trying to fight for one thing, and that’s to win (playoff games) and get Super Bowls, and obviously we’re all fighting for Coach [Mike Tomlin]. We know what he brings to the table and what kind of character he has. We’re always trying to get those wins for him. But at the end of the day, the media, the outside noise, is going to always talk, and we just got to worry about what’s going on in the inside."
Tomlin has been the primary target of the fans' ire, and he is likely not the wrong one to blame. His game plans and play calls have been questionable at best throughout this skid as he has been living in his fears. While it was a very tough stretch of games, he responded poorly, and that's why his team dropped from 10-3 to 10-7.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin looks on during a Week 13 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, one constant quality trait of Tomlin is his ability to relate to the players and get them motivated. Plenty of his players, both past and present, will rave about that all day long if given the chance. Even though the head coach lost the respect of many outsiders, he still has the respect of his players, and they would still run through a wall for him.
Back when JuJu Smith-Schuster was on the team, he honored the late Darryl Drake by making wristbands with his quotes on them and passing them out to other receivers. One of them says "shut out the noise." Even though Smith-Schuster has been off the team for three years and Drake has unfortunately been gone for even longer, the Steelers still clearly live by those words to this day.
Steelers Need More Than Motivation To Win Playoff Game
Obviously, the fact that the Steelers are still bought into Tomlin's philosophy and still respect him is a great sign. That is a great start for a team looking to break multiple losing streaks, but that alone is not enough.
Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune / TNS
Head Coach Mike Tomlin and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick celebrate on the sidelines during a Pittsburgh Steelers game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Tomlin still needs to adapt his game plan for playoff football. If he continues to live in his fears, the Baltimore Ravens may just run all over his team. He won't be able to achieve the upset and win his first playoff game since the 2016 season if he doesn't take more risks. Conservative play is not meant for the postseason.
Tomlin can talk the talk, as that has never been a concern. The question here is if he can walk the walk. It doesn't matter if you say cool things if you can't set your team up for victory. If they fail yet again, the noise will only get louder.
What do you think about Porter talking about the Steelers still fighting every day for Tomlin? Let us know in the comments.
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