Steelers hoping to hit another gear
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have a commanding lead in the AFC North and are in a two-way race with New England for homefield advantage throughout the conference playoffs as Thanksgiving looms, exactly where they expected to be all along.
It just doesn’t necessarily feel like it. While the Steelers (7-2) are hardly apologizing for their best start in coach Mike Tomlin’s decadelong tenure, they’d love a little bit of style to go with all that substance. Narrow escapes such as last week’s 20-17 victory over struggling Indianapolis are starting to get a little old.
The $92 million offense that includes the highest-paid (and most productive) wide receiver and running back in the NFL is averaging 20.8 points per game. The Steelers are one of just five teams that haven’t reached the 30-point plateau all season.
“We’re still saying we have to get better, but eventually we’ve got to do it,” star wideout Antonio Brown said.
Like Pittsburgh, surprising Tennessee (6-3) is looking to send a message that their progress in coach Mike Mularkey’s second season isn’t a mirage.
The Titans bring a four-game winning streak into Thursday’s meeting in Pittsburgh, though the four victories are against teams that are a combined 10-27.
“I think it’s going to be a big measuring stick for our team to see where we’re at,” Tennessee tight end Delanie Walker said.
Despite the short week, the two sides are hardly strangers. Mularkey and five other members of the Titans staff either played or coached for Pittsburgh — or in the case of Mularkey, did both.
That includes Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau , who served as the architect for a Steelers defense that reached the Super Bowl three times in six seasons between 2005 and 2010.
Though Lebeau was pushed out in favor of protege Keith Butler in January 2015, the lessons Lebeau imparted still resonate on a young but rapidly maturing defense that is second in the league.
“A lot of our characteristics are (still) Dick Lebeau-driven,” Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward said.
“Even our goals and stuff, they’re still Coach Lebeau’s and the way he wanted it because our coaches were under him. I think his imprint, his lasting imprint is a lot of what our defense wants to reach.”
Lebeau is in the process of working his magic again in Tennessee as the Titans pursue their first playoff berth since 2008.
“There are so many stories I have that I’ll cherish, but this isn’t a funeral or anything,” Heyward said. “Coach Lebeau is going to be out there trying to kick our (butt) so we got to be ready.”