Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have their ups and downs, but they’re never losers.
The Steelers beat the Seahawks 30-23 today, running Pittsburgh’s record to 9-7 and clinching a winning season. This is Tomlin’s 17th season as the Steelers’ head coach, and they’ve never finished with a losing record.
Whether the Steelers will be a playoff team is another question, one that we won’t find out until next week, when they face the Ravens. Baltimore has already clinched the No. 1 seed and may rest Lamar Jackson and other key starters, which would help the Steelers as they attempt to finish 10-7.
Today the Steelers got an efficient game from starting quarterback Mason Rudolph, who threw for 274 yards and no interceptions, and George Pickens topped 100 receiving yards. Najee Harris topped 100 rushing yards and wisely slid down on his final carry, rather than running into the end zone, to preserve the Steelers’ win.
Seattle got a solid game from Geno Smith, but the Seahawks’ defense didn’t do enough.
The Seahawks’ playoff hopes were dealt a severe blow as they fell to 8-8 on the season. A win would have put Seattle in great shape for a wild card berth, but a loss means they’re going to need to win and get help in Week 18.
In a year with plenty of parity, both the Steelers and the Seahawks have hovered around .500. But in a game that both teams needed, Tomlin’s team found a way to get the job done.