Tomlin looks to extinguish flames of doubt in 7th season

By Ralph N. Paulk

Amid the howling winds and roaring thunder, Mike Tomlin barely flinched as diehard Steelers fans sprinted for cover during a rainstorm on the first weekend of training camp at St. Vincent.

The usually stoic Tomlin was far too focused to dodge the raindrops. He spent the offseason trying to figure out how to plug the leaks of a proud organization that staggered to an 8-8 record after posting consecutive 12-4 seasons.

With the exception of his first season in 2007, Tomlin begins opening day Sunday unlike any other — with more questions than answers about a team most expect to jockey for position in the middle of the AFC.

Conventional wisdom suggests Tomlin's perennial playoff contenders are rebuilding in an effort to reclaim their role as the team to beat in the AFC North.

For now, the Steelers appear to be looking up at reigning Super Bowl champion Baltimore and preseason divisional favorite Cincinnati. It's an unusual position for a coach who led his team to the playoffs four times in his first five years, including a Super Bowl victory and a narrow defeat in another.

“Mike's record speaks for itself,” defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. “He's gotten to two Super Bowls quicker than any other coach. He's got to be doing something right.”

Even with a 63-33 record, Tomlin enters his seventh campaign aware of the angst among the Steelers' faithful. He may not be sitting on the hot seat, but he knows the flames of discontent could be fanned if the Steelers stumble out of the gate and wobble down the stretch as they did last season.

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I'm discontent, I can tell you that. I really have doubts about the coaching staff, and this will be the year where it truly will be: put up, or shut up.

Drizz, can you explain the reasoning behind your level of discontent and why you have so much doubt? I understand being frustrated after a horrible season ... I was just as frustrated as anyone last year. But I haven't lost faith in Tomlin.

After Cowher's first six years, his record was 64-32. Tomlin's record is 63-33. Almost identical. In Cowher's 7th, 8th, and 9th seasons, they finished 7-9, 6-10, and 9-7. That was a horrible three-year stretch. Three years later, they again went 6-10. But the following year they went 15-1 and won the Super Bowl a year later, and all those bad seasons were forgotten.

Tomlin has just as many Super Bowl wins and appearances in 6 years as Cowher had in 15. I often hear the argument that Tomlin has been successful only because he had Cowher's players. To which I reply ... in 15 seasons, how many Super Bowls did Cowher get to and win with Cowher's players?  

I understand the frustration, and I'm a little anxious about this season, but I'm nowhere near ready to start calling for Tomlin's head even if we have another mediocre season. I'm interested in your thoughts.


EDIT: Nevermind.