Having a pair of 10-win opponents to close out the regular season would seem to be less than ideal for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ chances of righting their ship before the playoffs begin.
Coach Mike Tomlin, though, called it “a good thing.”
“We don’t need to run away from the kitchen,” Tomlin said during his weekly news conference Tuesday. “We need to run into it.”
Speaking in the wake of a shocking 27-17 Monday night loss at the Cincinnati Bengals, Tomlin opened his remarks by noting that, “Some 12 hours later, it still stings. And appropriately so.” But Tomlin, for the most part, offered a steadying tone. He repeatedly said the Steelers just need to prepare and execute at a higher level.
“There won’t be sweeping changes in terms of our approach or what we do,” Tomlin said. “We just have to do it better.
“We’ll shut our mouths and go at our next opportunity.”
For Sunday’s scheduled home game against the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers could welcome back three starters from injury. Tomlin sounded optimistic that running back James Conner (quad), linebacker Vince Williams (covid) and guard Kevin Dotson (shoulder) all could return this week after missing Monday’s game (Williams missed the previous game, too).
Tomlin did not have a meaningful update on the status of two players who left the game in Cincinnati because of injury during the first half: special-teamer Derek Watt (concussion) and tight end Eric Ebron (back).
“It really is too soon,” Tomlin said of a prognosis for Ebron and Watt. “They’re being evaluated.”
The Steelers still need a win or a Cleveland Browns loss to clinch the AFC North title. The teams are scheduled to meet Jan. 3 in Ohio to close out the regular season.
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