If you’ve watched the Pittsburgh Steelers play for any amount of time, the remarkable stats shared by NFL analyst Warren Sharp will come as no surprise. Sharp shared that since 2000, the Steelers have won 15 games after trailing through three quarters. The next closest team is the Kansas City Chiefs with just 10 wins.
Slow starts have become a trademark of the Steelers under head coach Mike Tomlin. Week after week, Tomlin’s teams come out of the gates stuck in neutral and this group ends up having to claw back late in games.
games won DESPITE losing thru 3 quarters (since 2000)
15 – PIT
14
13
12
11
10 – KC
9
8 – MIN
7 – TB, WAS, PHI, LAC, DET
6 – IND, CHI, SEA, BAL, NYG, NYJ, CIN
5 – CLE, TEN, DEN, MIA, LAR, LV, JAX
4 – ATL
3 – SF, BUF, GB, ARI, DAL, NE, HOU
2 – NO, CAR— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 24, 2024
Tomlin has always tried to spin these slow starts as strong finishes instead but the impact this had on the team was undeniable. Constantly playing from behind didn’t fit this team in any way. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith brings a new offensive mindset and the improvements on defense should help minimize these problems but ultimately it comes down to the coaches and players changing their way of thinking and coming out of the tunnel with the level of intensity necessary to compete in the NFL.
