You’ll get some broadly differing solutions about how good Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is relying on you ask. There’s clearly a vocal a part of the Steelers fanbase that desires Tomlin gone because of the lack of latest playoff success. After which there are those that view the size of Tomlin’s tenure as head coach and lack of dropping seasons as an indication of an awesome coach.
Stephen Jones, Chief Working Officer of the Dallas Cowboys, is a part of the latter group. Jones joined 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday to speak all issues Cowboys, so naturally Tomlin and the Steelers got here up. Jones is aware of simply how constant the Steelers are defensively and general, and he provides quite a lot of credit score to Tomlin for that.
“Clearly consistency, profitable, however they’re operating their similar protection I feel they ran earlier than we received within the league with them,” mentioned Jones. “They tweak it. Don’t get me improper, Coach Tomlin’s one of many nice defensive minds on this sport, properly conscious. He received introduced up below Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli, and we have been clearly very acquainted, acquainted with that group. However they’re simply constant the best way they play protection, the best way they’re bodily. They simply play winning-caliber soccer and do issues on a constant foundation to the place they’re capable of put a profitable product on the sphere yr in and yr out. And clearly alongside the best way have gotten their share of Tremendous Bowl championships.”
Tomlin received his teaching begin below the legendary Monte Kiffin in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers. So it ought to shock nobody that Tomlin would have a reasonably darn good understanding of defenses. That’s the place Tomlin received to know Marinelli as properly. And each Kiffin and Marinelli are well-known to Jones as he mentioned. They served as defensive coordinators for the Cowboys.
Tomlin’s defensive acumen is an enormous a part of why the Steelers are so constant. If they’ll preserve a sure stage of defensive prowess, that retains them in most video games. However Tomlin’s detractors would gladly level out that it hasn’t served them within the playoffs lately. They usually’ll inform you that his defensive focus holds the Steelers again offensively, too. That’s what Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette believes. He thinks Tomlin is holding offensive coordinator Arthur Smith from fully opening his playbook.
Perhaps that’s true. However when a workforce sees the Steelers are on the schedule, they know they’re in for a hard-fought sport. That’s why the Steelers have been so constant below Tomlin, and that’s what the Cowboys predict Sunday evening.
