Kevin Gorman: Mike Tomlin, Steelers at best during this time of year

In one breath, Mike Tomlin sounded like he was in the spirit of the season, in terms of delivering on yearlong wishes in December. In another, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach said he didn’t care about what happened at this time last year.

One year, he’s on the naughty list. The next year, Tomlin wants to make nice.

“We recognize what time of the year it is,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “We recognize the urgency of it. Man, I love this time of year, the clarity of it, the weight of it. It’s football.”

It’s a shame the Steelers (8-6) didn’t find any clarity Sunday night, when they could have put some serious space between themselves and the Tennessee Titans (8-6) for the sixth seed and a wild-card berth in the AFC playoffs.

Even better, a win would have eliminated the Browns.

Instead, the Steelers are in essentially the same spot they were last season, heading into a Week 16 road game with eight wins and in contention for a playoff berth.

And we know how that turned out.

The similarities don’t end there. Last year, the Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the New England Patriots, 17-10, in Week 15 at Heinz Field. This year, they lost to the Buffalo Bills, 17-10, in Week 15 at Heinz Field.

If that sounds familiar, consider the Steelers followed a 1-2-1 start by winning six consecutive games last year. After a 1-4 start to this season, the Steelers won seven of eight.

Given what happened last year …

“We don’t care about last year,” Tomlin said. “It’s a nonfactor as it pertains to this group. We’ve had a great deal of urgency since our season started, the way it started. September was what it was, so we understand the position we’re in. And, really, we’ve been in that type of position for some time.

“And so it’s nothing new for us. There’s no need to call a secret meeting. There’s no need to do something outside of what we do, in terms of getting singularly focused on this game.”

The best way Tomlin kept the focus on the Jets was by sticking with “Duck” Hodges as the starting quarterback, despite a four-interception game against the Bills. This is no time to create another quarterback controversy, not when it is must-win mode.

The Steelers’ only shot of making the playoffs is through a wild card. The Baltimore Ravens (AFC North) and Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West) have clinched their divisions. The Patriots and Bills have clinched postseason berths, and the fifth spot will go to the AFC South champion, either Houston or Tennessee.

That leaves the Steelers fighting for the final playoff spot with the Texans or Titans. The Browns, Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts are long shots if they can get to 8-8.

That scenario has left the Steelers with few options.

“We better win both of these damn games,” Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward said. “If we want to be in, we’ve got to win both, simple as that.”

Well, it’s more complicated than that. If the Steelers want to do what they didn’t last year — make the playoffs — it’s clearly their best bet.

The Steelers probably could make the playoffs as a nine-win team, but that would require help from teams that might not be in the giving spirit.

Tomlin might not care about last season, but you can be sure the Steelers don’t want to have to go into the finale needing to beat Baltimore and hope someone does them a solid.

The Steelers could make all of this simple by winning Sunday at the New York Jets (5-9), who are the only team in the NFL to lose to the Cincinnati Bengals (1-13) this season. By now, we should know the records don’t matter. The Steelers have had 10 games decided by a touchdown or fewer.

One record, however, should matter.

The Steelers are 42-18 under Tomlin in regular-season games played in December and January. That’s a .700 winning percentage. The 2007, ’12 and ’18 seasons — when the Steelers went 2-3 in the final month-plus — are the aberrations, not the norms. No wonder he loves this time of the year. It’s when Tomlin is typically at his best, and so are the Steelers.

“That’s what you work all year for, that clarity, that ticket to the tournament,” Tomlin said. “The finality of it all, the scarcity that’s in our game, I just appreciate that. You don’t get 80-plus opportunities to state your case. You don’t get 160, et cetera, et cetera. You get 16 opportunities, one a week, over the second half of a calendar year to state your case.

“And we’re in December, so that says it all.”

Tomlin isn’t waiting for a secret Santa to save the Steelers. He is their secret Santa, and the greatest gift would be for the Steelers to make this the most wonderful time of the year once again.

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