The Pittsburgh Steelers moved to 2-1 after a 21-14 win on the road over the New England Patriots. It wasn’t flashy or especially sustainable, but the Black and Gold once again found a way to secure the victory.
Grinding out wins has defined the Steelers for nearly 20 years under head coach Mike Tomlin’s leadership. Their knack for surviving tough games makes their current start to the 2025 season unsurprising, particularly for longtime fans.
Yet watching Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions makes one wonder how different Pittsburgh might look if they added more boldness to their traditional, safe style.
Lions coach Dan Campbell highlights Mike Tomlin’s unwillingness to adapt
In their 38-30 Monday Night Football triumph over the Baltimore Ravens, Campbell and the Lions thrived thanks to fearless decision-making. They went three-for-three on fourth down, each conversion proving pivotal to the end result.
Steelers fans, when was the last time Tomlin truly rolled the dice in a big moment? You might have to go back to the days when Ben Roethlisberger was still the quarterback — and he’s been retired nearly four years.
Roethlisberger aside, the stats reveal Tomlin’s reluctance. He tends to react rather than dictate, making calculated moves only when necessary. Campbell, however, embraces the chaos, consistently choosing to keep control in his team’s hands.
Since Campbell’s arrival in 2021, Detroit has finished top five in fourth-down attempts every season, and they’re on pace to repeat that after their primetime win in Baltimore. The Steelers, in contrast, routinely rank near the bottom in this category each year.
Tomlin and Campbell clearly interpret the game in starkly different ways. That contrast is fine, but Tomlin’s style feels more outdated while Campbell’s proves more progressive. The results show which philosophy has worked better in today’s NFL.
Pittsburgh hasn’t claimed a postseason win since 2016, falling in four straight Wild Card games. The Lions, meanwhile, have advanced to two Divisional Round appearances and even reached a Conference Championship under Campbell. Detroit is inching toward a Super Bowl berth, while Pittsburgh treads water — and their divergent strategies are a major reason why
