In Detroit, Mike Tomlin became the 11th coach in NFL history to win 200 games, including postseason.
At 53, he's the third-youngest coach to do so, behind only Curly Lambeau (48) and Don Shula (51).
The win also gave the Steelers their 22nd consecutive season with a .500 winning percentage or better, breaking a tie with the Dallas Cowboys (1965-85) for the longest such streak in NFL history.
Tomlin is also approaching team history. With his next regular-season win, Tomlin will match Chuck Noll for most in Steelers history with 193. Noll's regular-season record was 193-148-1; Tomlin's is 192-113-2.
What thoughts does Tomlin have on these significant milestones?
"None," he said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. "It's about this journey with this group. I'm doing a disrespect to this journey and these guys -- that I'm fortunate enough to lead and work with -- if I view it any other way.
"I'm appreciative of some of those things. It's been a blessing, but really of no relevance as I stand here today leaning in on this Cleveland Browns opportunity this week. There are just so many people in this collective that it doesn't apply to, and with football being what it is, the ultimate team game, I better display that focus."
The Steelers need one more win to clinch the AFC North Division championship. Or, they need a loss or tie by the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night in Green Bay.
But the second part of the equation isn't playing into Tomlin's thinking. He's focused solely on the Browns.
With good reason.
"Divisions are won on the road in those hostile environments in those opposing cities, and certainly, we've had our issues in recent years in Cleveland," Tomlin said. "And so, with that understanding, we're preparing, and preparing with an edge. We were in a similar circumstance a year ago at the doorstep in Baltimore and weren't able to get it done. I'm excited to be here, but also urgent about where we are."
The Steelers have lost their last three games in Cleveland. Tomlin was asked why they've struggled there.
"Myles Garrett," he said of the Browns' pass-rusher. "He had 5 sacks the last two times we've been there. He's a game-wrecker. He provides the wave that others ride. And particularly in that environment when you're working on silent counts and one-dimensional passing circumstances, etc., it is significant."
Tomlin said the Browns defense is "better than any other unit in the North, offensively or defensively" and called Garrett "a slam-dunk Defensive Player of the Year" and defensive tackle Mason Graham "a slam-dunk Defensive Rookie of the Year."
Garrett, with 22 sacks, is one-half of a sack away from tying the NFL single-season sacks record of 22.5 held by T.J. Watt (2021) and Michael Strahan (2001).
Poised to keep Garrett from reaching the record, and keeping quarterback Aaron Rodgers upright, are tackles Troy Fautanu and Dylan Cook. The latter is starting only his third NFL game after replacing a trio of injured Steelers left tackles. Last Sunday, Cook allowed his first career sack to Aidan Hutchinson, but has otherwise played well.
"Dylan Cook is getting a lot of attention for what he's providing us," Tomlin said. "He's been working in the ranks for a long period of time, and I was never asking him to be patient, but simply to work while he waited. And it's paid off for him and us through his participation."
Still, Tomlin is expected to scheme "help" for Cook when he's lined up across from Garrett.
"Everybody gets help against Myles Garrett," Tomlin said. "I just finished watching San Francisco tape: Trent Williams got help. And so certainly (Cook)'s going to get help, but certainly everybody has gotten help and it hadn't slowed down the train. He still has got 22 sacks. I imagine most of those are not one-on-one plays.
"We're going to do our due diligence, but we're not going to act like or pretend that we're reinventing the wheel here. We better put schematics around him. He better play well. And we better stay out of one-dimensional passing circumstances. And you still might not stop the bomb from going off. That's been how impactful this guy's play has been this year."
Tomlin likes to say of absent players that "one man's misfortune is another's man's opportunity," and that's been true of Cook. This week in Cleveland, Tomlin's looking for another opportunity for a replacement for suspended DK Metcalf.
Tomlin has one particular player in mind.
"A guy like Roman Wilson," Tomlin said. "Man, I'm excited what this opportunity might mean for him to display growth in the midst of the time where he hadn't been participating, to show his professionalism and his readiness and how he's been sharpening his sword for battle in the ranks while he hadn't been playing, for example."
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Steelers as a group have been sharpening their collective sword. Cleveland is the perfect place to flash it.
"Man, these waters run deep in divisional play," Tomlin said. "I'm excited about it. I'm sure our team will be. We better put together a good plan. We better have a no-blink mentality.
"It's December. It's that time of year. We anticipate being challenged and challenged in a big way. That's life in this league. But that's what we love. The competitors that we are, we love that."
