Awful Stat Shows Ugly Side of Steelers' Mike Tomlin

One statistic reveals a key problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers failed in Week 17. They held their destiny in their hands, needing just one more win. They had an easy opponent to do it against too, going up against a Cleveland Browns team with just three wins.

Instead, the Steelers handed the game to the Browns. They scored a measly six points, setting up a winner-take-all Week 18 contest against the Baltimore Ravens. The winner claims the AFC North division title and a spot in the postseason and the loser's season ends.

The Week 17 loss continued an alarming trend for the Steelers. The Browns entered the game with a 3-12 record, making them nine games under .500. According to research from Doug Clawson of CBS Sports, the Steelers have lost five consecutive games against teams who are at least eight games or more below .500.

"INSANE stat," Clawson wrote on his X account. "Steelers are winless (0-4-1) in their past 5 games vs teams entering 8+ games below .500, tying the longest such streak in NFL history."

INSANE stat - Steelers are winless (0-4-1) in their past 5 games vs teams entering 8+ games below .500, tying the longest such streak in NFL history

2020 -- L at 2-10-1 Bengals
2021 -- T vs 0-8 Lions
2023 -- L vs 2-10 Cardinals
2023 -- L vs 2-10 Patriots
2025 -- L at 3-12 Browns

— Doug Clawson (@doug_clawson) December 28, 2025

The Tomlin Special

A loss against a bad team at an inopportune time is a bit of a specialty for Tomlin's Steelers, as evidenced by Clawson's research. The team has lost five consecutive games against some horrendous talent, dating back to a 2020 loss to the 2-10-1 Cincinnati Bengals.

This type of loss has even earned its own name - The Tomlin Special. With it is also the expectation that at least once a year, the Steelers will lose a winnable game to an inferior opponent. Over the last five years, at least, that's ben a tried and tested belief.

Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts after a play against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

It All Comes Down to Week 18

After another Tomlin Special, the Steelers are on the brink.

The team had the chance to wrap up the AFC North in Week 17. Instead, they put themselves in a do-or-die situation in Week 18.

The Steelers take on the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium in the final regular-season game on the schedule. The Steelers won their first matchup in Week 14, but the stakes are much higher in the regular season finale.

The winner clinches their place in the postseason and the AFC North crown. The loser goes home with a bitter taste in their mouths and six months of pondering how they could have done better.

It's all thanks to the Tomlin Special, a curse the team can't quite seem to shake in the biggest tests.

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