[OutsiderFan]

Mike Tomlin has brass balls, one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL.  I'm going to take exception to the notion it's not smart to pass the ball in that situation, namely because though what you see there are two plays in crunch time, you need to look at how those play calls are just a manifestation of the team's identity forged over the season.

Teams that are willing to make those play calls don't do it all of a sudden when not used to it.  A coach only let's his team call what seem like risky plays when his team has the confidence to execute them because they have been being bold all season. But you tell me, was it riskier to pass the ball against a defense geared to stop the run and potentially stop the clock with an incompletion, or riskier to run into a defense expecting run, be stopped, and then be forced to punt from your own end zone, to a team that could beat you with a FG?  Keep in mind, KC would have got the ball back with about 1:30 around midfield with a punt.

Mike Tomlin has been going for 2pt conversions and making "risky" calls all season.  This has given his team confidence to go for the jugular like they did in Kansas City on two potentially game deciding plays.  If you're at maybe your own 30+, you run the ball.  But it was virtually a situation where Pittsburgh needed a first down to win, so they decided to call plays based on what would give them the best chance for the first down, not worrying about the clock. 

It pisses me off when coaches play the clock and timeout situation when the reality is they need a first down to win a game.  You control your own destiny when you need one first down.  You play your best defense by playing your best offense when you have the opportunity and keeping the ball from the other team.  I was not surprised one iota that Tomlin allowed pass plays to be called in that situation because that is who he is, and he gets it.

[OutsiderFan]

Mike Tomlin has brass balls, one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL.  I'm going to take exception to the notion it's not smart to pass the ball in that situation, namely because though what you see there are two plays in crunch time, you need to look at how those play calls are just a manifestation of the team's identity forged over the season.

Teams that are willing to make those play calls don't do it all of a sudden when not used to it.  A coach only let's his team call what seem like risky plays when his team has the confidence to execute them because they have been being bold all season. But you tell me, was it riskier to pass the ball against a defense geared to stop the run and potentially stop the clock with an incompletion, or riskier to run into a defense expecting run, be stopped, and then be forced to punt from your own end zone, to a team that could beat you with a FG?  Keep in mind, KC would have got the ball back with about 1:30 around midfield with a punt.

Mike Tomlin has been going for 2pt conversions and making "risky" calls all season.  This has given his team confidence to go for the jugular like they did in Kansas City on two potentially game deciding plays.  If you're at maybe your own 30+, you run the ball.  But it was virtually a situation where Pittsburgh needed a first down to win, so they decided to call plays based on what would give them the best chance for the first down, not worrying about the clock. 

It pisses me off when coaches play the clock and timeout situation when the reality is they need a first down to win a game.  You control your own destiny when you need one first down.  You play your best defense by playing your best offense when you have the opportunity and keeping the ball from the other team.  I was not surprised one iota that Tomlin allowed pass plays to be called in that situation because that is who he is, and he gets it.