Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has long been viewed as one of the best coaches in the sport. He’s yet to preside over a losing season, has managed personalities that fictional television couldn’t conjure up, and always has his team playing hard – a cliche Pittsburgh consistently delivers on. But Tomlin has drawn criticism in recent years for his offensive hires and playoff stagnation.
President Barack Obama was preparing to leave office when the Steelers last won a playoff game. But after a 6-2 start, Tomlin has Pittsburgh back among the best teams in the league. The defense is elite, the offense is dangerous, and the team looks far more prepared for the second half onslaught than anticipated.
© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images As such, Tomlin has earned himself a spot among NFL Coach of the Year candidates. He currently holds the sixth-best odds at +900, but won the award in ESPN’s mid-season ceremony . “I've been skeptical of the Steelers over the past few years because their underlying performance hasn't matched their win-loss record, and history tells us that outperforming point differential and record in close games eventually catches up with teams,” Bill Barnwell wrote.
“Well, Pittsburgh has responded to that by simply improving its performance. It's 6-2 with a Pythagorean expectation of ..
. exactly six wins. “It has gone 1-2 in games decided by seven points or fewer, although it does have two victories by exactly eight points.
The Steelers are.
