Steelers fans took over the Raiders’ home stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, with so many of them in attendance that it often sounded like a Steelers home game. Mike Tomlin appreciated that.
In his comments immediately after the Steelers beat the Raiders, Tomlin opened by talking about how much it meant to the team to hear and see the thousands, probably tens of thousands, of Steelers fans who made the trip to Las Vegas to support the team.
“The first thing that needs to be said is, just really taken aback by the support we got here from our fans,” Tomlin said. “Steeler Nation, continually man, they show up. I just thought it was awesome. The environment for a road venue was special. It was special to be a part of.”
Multiple players on the Steelers’ defense told reporters after the game that they thought the crowd noise from Steelers fans was affecting the Raiders’ offense, and many said they thought there were more Steelers fans in the building than Raiders fans. That’s a home-field advantage on the road that gave the Steelers a boost in their win.