Jan 5, 2024 6 min read

By Dale Lolley

For the Observer-Reporter

Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher used to say that you can’t get too high with the highs or too low with the lows during an NFL season.

He also used to remind his players that the season is a marathon, not a sprint.

Given how much time Cowher spent around Marty Schottenheimer, you can bet he picked up those sentiments from his mentor. They rang true 40 years ago the same as they do today.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin might not put things quite the same way when he addresses his teams, but the message is the same.

“Mike Tomlin,” said Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt earlier this week when asked what has held the team together this season.

“He never gets too high or too low. Always consistent. The team meetings are incredible. I wish everyone had a chance to sit in those team meetings. I think it’s him giving a great message to us and us running with it, guys having a true belief in this locker room and the guys in it.”

With their win last week in Seattle, the Steelers clinched their 20th consecutive non-losing season and the 17th in a row under Tomlin. That’s the second-longest streak in NFL history as a team – the Cowboys had 21 consecutive non-losing seasons from 1965 through 1985 – and the longest for a head coach to start his career – Schottenheimer is second with 14.

And that steadiness at the rudder is why the Steelers will face the Ravens in Week 18 with an opportunity to qualify for the postseason. They’ll still need some help, but so do a lot of other teams.

Considering how the NFL is set up to allow parity – that’s evident this season perhaps more so than any in the past – it’s impressive.

• There are still those who dismiss the consistency of not having losing seasons. There are even those who say Tomlin and the Steelers have “wasted” a lot of those years.

Realize that during their streak, the Steelers have won two Super Bowls, been to another and made it to the AFC Championship five times, winning three.

The Cowboys, during their stretch, won two Super Bowls and lost three. They also lost in the conference championship seven times.

But Dallas also had some additional help during that period. The Cowboys didn’t have to deal with free agency or a salary cap. There also were fewer teams, meaning that instead of drafting in the low 20s or worse in the first round after a strong season, they picked in the high 20s, at worst, in many of those seasons.

• The idea that Kenny Pickett would refuse to serve as the backup quarterback to Mason Rudolph last week in Seattle is laughable.

Anyone who watched the Steelers practice last week would have known that Pickett had done less in terms of overall work in the team portion of practice than he had the previous week.

It was obvious that Rudolph’s game against the Bengals had made Tomlin much more comfortable starting him again in Seattle instead of rushing Pickett back from an injury. And Pickett obviously knew that, as well.

But none of the people running with the “story” that Pickett had refused to be Rudolph’s backup actually attend practices – which are open to the media. They just threw stuff against the wall and hoped it stuck.

Pickett wasn’t cleared to return to play until late in the week, and by that time, the Steelers had gone through a week of prep with Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky as their top two options.

And as Pickett said, if he were going to play in that game, there were things he and the training staff would need to do to get him ready to play. But you don’t do those things unless you absolutely have to do them.

Pickett has shown multiple times in his young career that he’ll do whatever is necessary to get back onto the field. To question his desire to do so again is just trolling.

The bottom line is that if Rudolph had struggled against the Bengals, the situation might have been much different. But he didn’t. And so the Steelers and Pickett didn’t force the issue.

This week’s games

Steelers (minus 3½) at Ravens: A win in this game would put the Steelers at 5-1 in AFC North games. Going 5-1 in the NFL’s toughest division should get you into the playoffs. But even with a win, the Steelers will need help. They’ll uphold their end of the bargain, though it will still be tough, even against Baltimore’s backups. There are only so many guys John Harbaugh can sit. I would be shocked if the Ravens threw more than 15 passes. They just want to get in and get out as healthy as possible. Take the Steelers, 20-13.

Browns (plus 7) at Bengals: Like the Ravens, the Browns can’t do anything to improve their playoff situation. The difference is that Cleveland doesn’t have the same depth as Baltimore. A win here by the Bengals ensures the entire AFC North finishes above .500. Take the Bengals, 26-13.

Texans (minus 1½) at Colts: Though the Colts won in Houston earlier this season, this really is a toss-up game. Both teams have been better than advertised. And the winner could win the AFC South if Jacksonville stumbles. Houston’s C.J. Stroud is 2-4 as a starter on the road. Take the Colts, 24-21.

Jaguars (minus 5) at Titans: This could be the final game for longtime Titans Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill, who have helped Tennessee to a lot of wins over the years. Henry, in particular, has had some monster games against his hometown team, the Jaguars. And Trevor Lawrence’s health is an issue. Take the Titans, 24-23.

Bills (minus 3) at Dolphins: The Bills haven’t played well the past two weeks, but have found ways to win against the Chargers and Patriots. The Dolphins got the brakes beaten off of them last week by the Ravens and lost some key players to injury along the way. The Bills have owned this series. Take the Bills, 28-20.

Last Week: 2-2-1 ATS; 4-1 straight up

Overall: 47-34-3 ATS; 54-30 straight up

Dale Lolley hosts The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.