The Untold Strategy Behind Mike Tomlin’s Relentless Winning Streak: What NFL Coaches Don’t Want You to Know

Isn’t it wild how some things just… keep on keepin’ on in sports? LeBron’s almost permanently spotlighted as an All-NBA star, Shohei Ohtani defies logic every season, and Alex Ovechkin just racks up the goals like it’s his day job. Now, in football? Usually, you peg a team’s destiny by their quarterback—but the Pittsburgh Steelers? They’ve been rolling without a truly standout QB for years and still stay relevant. With Aaron Rodgers, a likely Hall of Famer, stepping into the mix this season, I can’t help but ask: how far can this Steelers squad actually go? Is Rodgers the secret sauce that finally flips the script on their win total, or is this just another chapter in Pittsburgh’s gritty but unpredictable story? Let’s dive into the upgrades, the defense, and the magic that Mike Tomlin’s brewing—because this year’s Steelers might just surprise you. LEARN MORE.

Pittsburgh Steelers Win Total

It seems like there are a few consistent things in sports from year-to-year. We can assume that LeBron James will be an All-NBA Player. We can assume that Shohei Ohtani will be the best player in whichever league he is playing in. It stands to reason that Alex Ovechkin will rack up goals each season. We also can reasonably guess which team will be good because of their quarterback in football. One team that hasn’t really had a good quarterback in a few years, but still somehow remains good is the Pittsburgh Steelers. This year with a likely Hall-of-Famer in the mix, how good will Pittsburgh be?

I think by now there have been enough articles around Aaron Rodgers for you to know who/what he is/was. He was good, he was great, and he is a Super Bowl winner, but the narrative around him went from him being one of the best to ever sling it, to him being a problem and complainer everywhere he went. That doesn’t even count all the strange off-field stuff he had going on. The past two seasons he was on the Jets roster. He started a total of 18 games for them, with 17 coming last year. He actually had a docent enough season, although it was one of his lowest QBR scores ever. He threw for 3,897 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. It was essentially a replica of his last season with the Packers. After returning from injury, maybe this should be viewed as an impressive season and he still has some left in the tank. Going from a disaster franchise to a historic one could make a big difference. Partnering with Mike Tomlin could give Rodgers another shot at a Super Bowl. 

Rodgers isn’t the only upgrade the team made this season for offense – and to be clear, Rodgers is an upgrade over the combination of Justin Fields and Russell Wilson (though, I do like Wilson). The Steelers plucked away DK Metcalf who is a stud receiver and could put up his best season with Rodgers throwing him the ball. To put it simply, Metcalf is a freak, and I’m excited to see just how well Rodgers does with him as his primary target. Additionally, the Steelers no longer have Najee Harris running the ball for them. Harris never really was that effective of a running back for the Steelers. It feels like he always was a 3-yards per carry type of guy. And, in his four years with the Steelers he never had more than eight touchdowns in a season. Now Jaylen Warren gets a shot at being the number one option on the roster. He should be good enough to get the job done. 

Defensively, the Steelers seem to always be relevant. With T.J. Watt, they have an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate roaming the field. Their cornerbacks are getting a bit older, but still should be able to hold their own. I’m a little excited about Jalen Ramsey being on the squad. He has bounced from team to team, but there is no denying his talent. Again, a bit up there in age, but I see some opportunity for him to make noise this year and provide another added difficulty for oppositions in the secondary. The big story here is the defensive line for the Steelers. Pff ranks them as #1 and when you have to deal with a running team like the Ravens twice a year, this is a good benefit to have. Health will always be a concern, but you can say that about any team. 

The one thing I really haven’t touched much on is that Tomlin is still the head coach. While there were some rumblings of the team parting ways with him, it never made much sense. Who are they going to find that is better? Overall, he is 191-118-2 for his career. He has turned dog doo-doo into playoff appearances the last two seasons. He also has gotten the Steelers to nine wins or more in every season since going 8-8 in 2019. The Steelers are -115 to go over 8.5 wins this season. This is the largest bet I’ll place in the offseason. They should probably reach double-digits again. Back the Steelers to win 9 or more this season.

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024