Why the Pittsburgh Steelers Will Win the AFC North and a 1st Round Bye

Oct 18, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin is the type of coach players want to play for. He believes in his players and isn’t too big headed to admit he made a mistake. Against the Ravens he had the opportunity to win the game late on fourth and short situations and instead of giving Le’Veon Bell the ball he chose to put the ball in Michael Vick’s hands. They failed to convert and the Ravens lost. Tomlin believed in his back up quarterback and the execution just wasn’t there, but he was questioned and beat up over that call.

A week later the Steelers faced a similar opportunity on the road against the Chargers. Vick led the Steelers offense into field goal range late in the game as Pittsburgh was down by three points. With a timeout left and only seconds to go Tomlin chose to go for the win. This time he made sure nobody else but Bell would touch the ball. From the wildcat Bell took the ball and got it into the end zone and the Steelers escaped with a victory. That play right there may have turned the Steelers season around.

For Tomlin to show faith in his team to win the game says a lot about his style of coaching. He may not always make the right decisions, but he always trusts his players to make the play. If it’s wrong, he takes the heat for it. His leadership and coaching style are what make the Steelers a dangerous team.

Next: The Steel Curtain 2015