It has been an electric week for Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. A last-second victory over a familiar AFC rival punched Pittsburgh’s ticket to the postseason, igniting the kind of momentum only meaningful January football can provide. But celebration has a short shelf life in this league. Almost immediately, Tomlin’s focus shifted from survival to preparation. The Steelers are headed back into the fire, and the Houston Texans will not be a willing sacrifice.
Why would they be? DeMeco Ryans has built a culture in Houston that mirrors many of the same traits Pittsburgh prides itself on—discipline, physicality, and belief.