Coming off a Week 13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently riding a bit of a hot streak as they head into a Week 14 matchup with the division rival, Baltimore Ravens.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick comes down with a clutch interception to seal the Steelers win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13 of the 2022 NFL season. | Karl Roser/ Pittsburgh Steelers
That hot streak came after what was a disastrous start to the season for the Steelers, as the team was sitting at 2-6 through the first 8 weeks of the season and looked to be headed in the wrong direction as there wasn't much sign of improvement.
In Week 9, the Steelers had their bye week, and after that, everything changed. The team had a week off to help get rookie Kenny Pickett more comfortable within the offense, as well as having reigning Defensive Player of the Year, TJ Watt return from a Week 1 pectoral injury following the bye.
After the bye is when the previously mentioned hot streak began. The team is 3-1 since then and looked better on both sides of the ball, improving their overall record to 5-7 on the season with an outside chance of making the playoffs.
In an interview with reporters that is posted on Steelers.com, second-year tight end, Pat Freiermuth was asked about the potential of the playoffs this season, as well as if head coach, Mike Tomlin has been any different entering December football, in what he said, "Makes you or it breaks you." Below is what Freiermuth had to say on it:
"He's the same every single week, every single day. But you can tell there is definitely a heightened sense of urgency."
Honestly, hearing that there is an increase in the level of urgency around the team and coaches, while should be expected, should be music to Steeler Nation's ears. Many were getting a bit irritated with the lack of change, the lack of urgency around the team when things didn't go as expected. Oftentimes, it was said or expected that the Steelers would continue on the path they originally intended, and just had to execute or prepare better in order to get a change in outcome. Hearing that isn't necessarily the case right now is a reassuring.
Getting a bit of a slow start to the season shouldn't be something the majority of the Steelers' roster is unfamiliar with, as the team also started slowly in 2021 as they opened the season 1-3, and had to finish the season on a 4-2 stretch in order to sneak into the playoffs. The experience players gained throughout that process helps a lot according to Freiermuth:
"It helps a lot. Obviously, it kind of teaches you if you lose a game early, a couple games early, it's not the end all, be all. Obviously, it's December football. Like Coach T said yesterday, and a lot rides on this month of football, and that's why I feel like we prepared very well for this month of football."
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Being able to take a couple lumps on the chin and move onto the next week, the next game, or even the next play is a huge part of transitioning to the NFL for young players out of college. The level of adversity young players have faced prior to the NFL in terms of their football careers is often much less, but being on the Steelers in recent seasons has definitely exposed them to that adversity and required them to adjust quickly.
Regardless whether or not the Steelers end up in the playoffs or making a run throughout the final five weeks of the season, the team is making strides on both sides of the ball which is very encouraging given the influx of youth onto the roster over the last couple of years. How they continue to respond to the increase in pressure and increase of adversity will be very telling of where this team currently is.
Let us know below what you think of the Steelers heightened sense of urgency as they enter the home stretch of the 2022 NFL season!
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