Thought #2- TO THE STEELERS: EXPERIENCE IS BENEFICIAL.
As I alluded to in the last slide, the Steelers have had a lot of success in recent years and for good reason. That
organization is considered one of the model franchises in the NFL because their members at every level share the same philosophy and they stay consistent with that philosophy. This is an organization that trusts their evaluation of players and doesn’t stray from their beliefs for a short term benefit. Because of their proven, consistent organizational structure, they’ve been able to enjoy decades of championship caliber success.
Part of their recent success has been winning big games as an unheralded, unsung road team. The Steelers were the first team in NFL history to enter the playoffs as the lowest possible seed and go on to win a Super Bowl. To even emphasize this achievement, they did this with a then 2nd year QB in Roethlisberger and an offense that was quite different from their offense in 2015.
The classic philosophy of “Steeler play” included an effective running game and playing great defense. Although neither one of those units were as productive this season, they clearly drew on their past experience to help them get passed the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend.
To me, a mark of any great team is one that is able to adapt on the fly and find ways to get the best out of their players, no matter who they put on the field. The Steelers clearly demonstrated the ability to do that last weekend and with their sage-like experience in the postseason, it can serve as a great confidence booster for a team that is banged up at their most important offensive positions.
Regardless of who they put on the field this Sunday, I expect it to be a battle because of how the Steelers prepare for games and their experience from winning big games in the postseason.