HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. -- The last time the Steelers had a losing record, Devin Bush was 5 years old.
Let that sink in for a moment. It was 2003 and the franchise was very much in transition, finishing 6-10 before drafting a quarterback from Miami University the following year.
Since the arrival of Ben Roethisberger in 2004 and Mike Tomlin three years later, the Steelers have been among the NFL’s most consistent teams. Big Ben has gotten his hands on two sticky Lombardis. Coach T has raised one. Together, they have combined for seven of the organization’s 24 division titles, the most recent arriving Sunday with a 28-24 win over the Colts.
They have spoiled us to the point where our expectations have become higher than Snoop Dogg in his man cave watching his beloved Black and Gold on weekends in the fall.
It’s been a rough four weeks in Steelers Nation and a rougher 10 months for the nation as a whole. So after capturing our latest AFC North championship, let’s pause for some perspective.
Granted, the journey isn’t complete. As those divisional title T-shirts read Sunday evening, 'Won Not Done.' Unlike some franchises, the Steelers aren’t hanging banners for finishing first in their division. The goal on the South Side is always much higher and, as Tomlin is wont to remind us, the Standard is the Standard.
But these Steelers have been though so much to get to 12-3 and they have guaranteed themselves a home playoff game.
“We’re excited about the hats and T-shirts,” Tomlin said Sunday after the Steelers rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit to end a three-game losing streak. “We’ve been waiting for a few weeks to put them on, man.”
That sounds like a coach relieved to have crossed his first goal for 2020 season, an AFC North championship, off his to-do list.
Knowing Coach T as well as well as I do, I can tell you the man doesn’t walk around with rabbit ears. He doesn’t hear or read every criticism of his team. He doesn’t run his social media account, except for feeding it a quote or two. His mission is getting his players and coaches to do their jobs and be damn good at them. That’s why dropping games to lesser opponents like Washington and Cincinnati was so unacceptable to him.
Almost every aspect of this team has been picked apart over the past month. As coach said Sunday: “We’re far from perfect. Our warts are well documented, (and) I’m sure you guys will continue to chop them up.”
Hey, it comes with the territory and the paycheck at this level. Coach Tomlin knows that. He’s been scrutinized in recent weeks. So has Ben and his receivers. I analyzed the issues with the run game in this space several weeks ago.
Again, that’s the blessing and curse associated with being near the top of the league for so many years. Nobody in Western Pennsylvania wants to see the Standard drop — and that starts with Tomlin and Roethlisberger, who have been there the longest.
Everyone in that organization cares. I can assure you of that. Let me give you some insight from a position I know best. People are asking if the offensive line is strong enough. Without a doubt, that group is strong enough. They are weight-room faithfuls.
My old buddy, Alejandro Villanueva, has taken a lot of heat during the recent skid. Everything gets magnified when you start losing, especially after winning the first 11 games. Let me assure you of this: The way Villanueva pass sets and run blocks has been the same all season and, quite honestly, for the last few years.
I’m sorry to be the first one to tell you, but guys have bad games some weeks. True professionals correct the mistakes and find a way to get the job done. And that’s what Big Al has done.
Ben was the first to praise the O-line Sunday for the time it afforded him to throw some of those deep balls. But outside the building, the criticism of players and coaches can get pretty personal. It’s the stuff that should have moms washing out their kids’ mouths with soap.
I know a lot of it gets back to the Standard. I’m not sure when the phrase was coined — Steelers website writer Teresa Varley believes it came to life around 2012 or sometime just before that — but it’s ingrained in the Steelers’ culture and it’s visible at the training facility and out in Latrobe. It’s all about doing your job and moving on to the next task.
The road to a Super Bowl is filled with so many issues and pitfalls, but you won’t hear leadership using them as excuses. I’m not asking for you to appreciate Tomlin or his team or trying to sway your opinion because I read a lot of what our fan base says on social media.
Just remember, this 12-3 club still has a ticket to the dance. There’s going to be an AFC team with at least 10 wins that doesn’t make the playoffs. That’s how competitive it’s been in our conference. Meanwhile, the NFC East will crown a champion with a losing record.
The Steelers have had to overcome plenty of obstacles during a pandemic to win 12 games — something only one other Pittsburgh team (2017) has accomplished in the last nine years.
Roethlisberger has rebounded from elbow surgery. The team lost starting right tackle Zach Banner in Week 1. The defense has been gutted with high-profile, season-ending injuries to Bush and Bud Dupree. Vance McDonald, James Conner and Vince Williams, among others, have missed time due to the virus. No team has endured more postponements and disruptions to their schedule because of COVID-19-related issues to opponents.
The Steelers have been through so much and still have all their goals on the table for the taking. The Browns and Ravens are fighting for their playoff lives in the final week of the season. The Colts and their 10 wins are on the outside looking in after Sunday’s remarkable comeback by the Steelers.
Yeah, this team has its “warts,” to borrow Tomlin’s word, but it also has earned the right to wear divisional champion T-shirts and hats. 'Won Not Done.' In what’s been a difficult year for everybody, Tomlin, Roethlisberger and rest of these Steelers continue to embody the Standard that’s been set for them.