The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of playing hard-nosed football, and one impressive statistic illustrates how effective that style has been for them under head coach Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens 18-16 on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. All 18 of their points came on Chris Boswell field goals. Believe it or not, the win marked the fifth time under Tomlin that the Steelers have found a way to beat an opponent without scoring a single touchdown.
As Alex Kozoro of Steelers Depot noted, the Steelers have gone 5-10 in games where they do not score a touchdown since Tomlin became the team’s head coach in 2007. That is a .333 win percentage. All other teams are 39-544-1 when they have not scored a touchdown during that same span, which is a .068 win percentage.
In the Mike Tomlin era (2007-2004)
Steelers when they don't score a TD: 5-10 (.333 win %)
Rest of NFL when they don't score a TD: 39-544-1 (.068 win %)Pittsburgh wins 5x the rate the rest of the league has. Stats of the weird. #Steelers https://t.co/tSHtT5h94i
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) November 18, 2024
That is hardly a coincidence. Tomlin has never had a losing season in his 17 years as head coach in Pittsburgh. The 8-2 Steelers are just one win away from ensuring that Tomlin has an 18th consecutive season of .500-or-better with the team.
Part of the reason Tomlin has been so successful is that the Steelers keep games competitive and win with great defense. That formula has worked for them, and it is the reason they can play opponents closely even without finding the end zone.
The Steelers got some help on Sunday from an uncharacteristic Derrick Henry blunder, but they also managed to slow down a Ravens offense that has been the best in the NFL this season. Victories like the one Pittsburgh had on Sunday are what separate Tomlin from the rest of the league.
