In Week 13, as the Steelers were getting blown out by the Bills, fans booed their defensive anthem “Renegade” and chanted “Fire Tomlin.” By the end of that game, the Steelers were 6-6 and had lost five of seven games; it appeared their season could be unraveling. However, the Steelers responded by winning four of their final five. Even that late-season stretch had its warts, as the Steelers blew a prime opportunity to clinch the division with an inexcusable loss Week 17 in Cleveland. That loss could have haunted the Steelers and led to more calls for Mike Tomlin’s job this offseason. Instead, they survived a white-knuckle fourth quarter to wear the AFC North Champions hats and T-shirts.
While it was a thrilling finish full of twists and turns, qualifying for the playoffs is really just Step 1 for this team. The success or failure of this season was always going to be judged in the playoffs.
The Steelers made an aggressive — maybe even desperate — attempt to retool their roster this offseason with a series of blockbuster moves. That included a trade for DK Metcalf and another for defensive back Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. All of it was in an effort to win their first playoff game since the 2016 season. The Steelers are an inconsistent, imperfect team. They might not even be favored at home against the Houston Texans. But in a wide-open AFC playoff field, they may have their best chance in years to finally break through.