Steelers determined to stack wins for 1st time this season
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Precisely how many victories claimed in succession accurately define a “winning streak” can up for debate.
Five or more wins in a row, most assuredly, qualifies.
So does four.
While it perhaps might not be unanimous agreement, a consensus of reasonable sports fans likely would let the phrase “three-game winning streak” stand.
Two? Absolutely not.
In that context, it would be entirely out of bounds to proclaim that the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to extend their “winning streak” to two when they play at the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. But what would indeed be wholly accurate to say is the Steelers are on the verge of putting together what would be their longest run of consecutive victories of the season.
“That is what we’re gunning for,” linebacker Myles Jack said. “Once you stack one (win), you definitely want to stack two and keep it moving. I feel like this is a great opportunity again to get our season on track, start building a consistency of winning games around here.”
At 4-7, the Steelers’ victories this season have come in Weeks 1 and 6, and after an idle week, Weeks 10 and 12.
“It’s crazy,” defensive captain Cameron Heyward said, “to be at the start of December and we don’t have back-to-back wins.”
Crazy, in particular, for the Steelers, a franchise that has not been in this position in 19 years and only twice has played its first 11 games of a season — or, for that matter, any 11-game stretch during any part of any season — since Chuck Noll retired as coach in 1991.
That season, the Steelers hadn’t “stacked” consecutive wins through any of their first 14 games. At least they sent the legendary Noll into retirement by earning victories in his final two games as coach.
Today’s Steelers are trying to match the 1988 edition of the franchise with a victory Dec. 4. Back then, Dec. 4, 1988, fell on Week 14.
This season, it will be Week 13. Either way, aside from 1991 and 2003 (when they never won consecutive games), 1988 is the only time since Noll’s rookie 1969 season in which the Steelers were playing in December without having won two in a row.
Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith found it “hard to believe” the Steelers hadn’t found a way to do that through September, October and November.
“Because we know the type of talent that we have,” Highsmith said. “This is a huge game for us. We have to start stacking wins. If we want to get to the playoffs, it starts now. We have to start stacking these wins because once you start stacking them it’s easy to keep stacking them.”
The playoffs are a longshot for a 4-7 team that is far closer to last place in the AFC (two from the bottom) than the No. 7 playoff seed (the New York Jets are seven spots ahead).
Among the 16 AFC teams, only the Cleveland Browns (4-7) and Houston Texans (1-9-1) also have not won two in a row. Just four of the 16 NFC teams have that dubious distinction.
“I will take it one game at a time,” Heyward said, “but I wanna win ’em all from here on out.”
How about starting with winning two in a row?
After all, a “winning streak” — be it of three, four, or a seven-game run to close out the season — can’t be had without first winning two straight.
To use Mike Tomlin vernacular, it’s now or never when it comes to “stacking” wins. Few from the outside would bet on the Steelers’ ability to do so, but their best player believes they can for one simple reason.
“We have to,” T.J. Watt said. “Plain and simple: We have to.”
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