A Steeler fan on Twitter: “The argument could be made the Steelers were just as successful, if not more, in the 10 years before Ben (1994-03) than they've been in the last 10 with Ben (2009-18)”














… Loaded question: Were the Steelers better with Bill Cowher or Mike Tomlin?

A Twitter user who is apparently a Steelers fan posted an item that is quite interesting. Here is the text of it,



The argument could be made the Steelers were just as successful, if not more, in the 10 years before Ben (1994-03) then they've been in the last 10 with Ben (2009-18)


Since this was directed at sports writer and columnist Tim Benz of the Tribune-Review, he took up the issue,

Steelers (1994-03): Regular season record: 95-64-1. One Super Bowl trip, a loss. Four AFC Championship Game appearances. Six years in the playoffs (1994-97, 2001-02). Four years out (1998-00, 2003). Playoff record 7-6.

Steelers (2009-18): Regular season record 103-56-1. One Super Bowl trip, a loss. Two AFC Championship Game appearances. Six years in the playoffs (2010-11, 2014-17). Four years out (2009, 2012-13, 2018). Playoff record 5-6.

So, yes. The thesis holds.

Tim Benz, “U mad, bro?” Fans torn on Ben Roethlisberger, shred Pirates bullpen, defend Stephon Tuitt,” Tribune-Review, TribLive.com, July 29, 2020

Interesting. 

The loaded question: Is Bill Cowher better than Mike Tomlin?

When Bill Cowher was named to the 2020 class of the NFL Hall of Fame, some Steeler fans were ecstatic … others, not so much. 

The debate about Mike Tomlin’s legacy, if he wins no more Super Bowls, which is more likely than not, will be similar. 

Both coaches have very good regular-season records, but lackluster postseason ones, unlike the man who built Steeler Nation, Chuck Noll.

Noll had a great postseason legacy, but his regular-season record was not as good as Cowher and Tomlin, albeit because the inherited a great franchise and Noll a woeful one. Chuck won just one game in his first year and struggled in his early years, not making the playoffs for three years. 

However, Noll posted a 16-8 postseason record with four Super Bowls. Cowher had a 12-9 [.571] postseason record, but had an 8-9 record before winning the Super Bowl in 2005 as a wild-card team. He won one Super Bowl, lost four of six AFC title games, all at home. 

That is what those who cringed when he was selected to the Hall of Fame for the class of 2020  thought. Is he in the same class of coach as Chuck Noll?

Then consider Mike Tomlin. 

While Tomlin has a better winning percentage than the other two in the regular season [.645], his playoff record is 8-7 [.533], and he has won just three games in his last seven appearances over the past decade. 

He had won just one Super Bowl, but his critics have said that is because he won with players drafted by Cowher. 

Tomlin has years left, but the other criticism is that he discarded the Steeler legacy of building a champion with great defense. He spent a great deal of money on offense over the last decade, the stats about Ben Roethlisberger provided by Pitt Fan Shawn underline that. 

And now that the Ravens appear to be the dominant team for the next decade in the AFC North with Lamar Jackson, will that ever change?

Figures don’t lie

I always told football players when I was coaching that figures do not lie. The stats tell the tale. 

Ben Roethlisberger has run up some big numbers in his career, but his postseason record has been underwhelming as the numbers of the past decade, above, indicate. 

Despite having a great supporting cast over the past decade, great offensive line and receivers, he is just 3-5 in the playoffs since 2011. He had Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, two of the best at their positions during a good part of that period, with a solid offensive line ahead of him, yet has not produced any Super Bowl winners since his early years. 

And while he has two rings, his first performance against Seattle resulted in a QB rating of 21. 

So, throwing for more than 56,000 yards is impressive, the postseason records for both coaches and the QB are not. 

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