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Mike Preston: Ravens-Steelers death struggle enters new era
LATROBE, Pa. In one corner, there is former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, a Super Bowl champion who reached three AFC championship games, won six AFC North titles and posted a 193-124 record in 18 seasons in Baltimore.In the other is Mike Tomlin, another Super Bowl champion who made it to three AFC championship games, claimed eight division titles and finished 201-126-2 in 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Both are moving on.In fact, both left their jobs within hours of each other in early January. Harbaugh is now the head coach of the New York Giants, and Tomlin is a commentator for NBC. It appears that Harbaugh might have landed in a better situation, even though it might take a year or two to rebuild the Giants.Pittsburgh is ready to compete again, replacing Tomlin with hometown hero Mike McCarthy while reuniting him with his former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, 42. But its strange that neither Tomlin nor Harbaugh are standing on their respective sidelines anymore.Its not like Mike and I talk much, Harbaugh said at a recent Giants practice. We respect each other, and were friendly and stuff. Im sure wed have a beer together and things like that, but we were competing against each other. We were in a death struggle every single year, and it lasted for 18 years. I mean, that cant happen again. For him to last 19 years, that will never happen again.Probably not. The goal is to win immediately in the NFL. Six NFL head coaches have been fired after their first year since 2022. The average age of an NFL head coach is 47.7 years old.A better question is, who was the better coach, Tomlin or Harbaugh?Current Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen played for both. He was a rookie with the Ravens from 2020 to 2023 and later joined the Steelers as a free agent in 2024.I didnt think either one would get fired; its all absolutely crazy, Queen said. You just look at the big picture, how there are different things going on around the world and stuff like this happens. I think Harbs was harder because he was constantly demanding the most out of every single play. It was more about accountability. With Mike, it was making sure I got everybody going, making sure we were on the same page and just being a leader. So it was just two different types of situations I was in, obviously.Enter McCarthy, 62.As a Pittsburgh native, the fans here love him. Why shouldnt they? He has a 185-123-2 record and won Super Bowl XLV with the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy has been very complimentary toward Tomlin, even adding the Immaculate Reception from 1972 to his regular practice schedule. But there is so much more to McCarthy.He is Mr. Installation.Its a normal practice for us. We are in concept install mode, McCarthy said before the Steelers practiced Thursday at Saint Vincent College. We have eight installs that we use, offensive, defense and special teams, where we feel like everythings in. So well complete five and six this week, and then well get seven in there on Monday and then move on to get ready for the first game. But we wont complete the eight install until prior to the Jets [preseason] game [on Aug. 21].You get the picture.Now, McCarthy has Rodgers again. Over 13 seasons, they combined for a 100-57-1 record, with Rodgers making nine postseason appearances and winning two of his four NFL Most Valuable Player Awards in 2011 and 2014. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has quietly regrouped for the 2026 season.A year ago, the Steelers were predictable on offense. They ran the ball a lot on a lot of first and second down with halfback Jaylen Warren, and they didnt risk throwing the long ball except against the Ravens. But in the offseason, they traded for Indianapolis wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. so teams could no longer double-team receiver DK Metcalf. They also signed running back Rico Dowdle to share the load with Warren and drafted Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanchor in the first round.Now, Rodgers has multiple weapons in Metcalf, Pittman, Warren and tight ends Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth. Washington 6-7, 264) is as big as former Pittsburgh and Ravens tight end Eric Green (6-5, 279). You can see the comfort level in Rodgers, who had a 95.6 passer rating with 578 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens last season. Even in practice, he is constantly communicating with his hands, diagramming plays or gesturing in some fashion. He is spraying passes all over the place and isnt afraid to go deep.But here is what separates Rodgers from the rest of the quarterbacks in the NFL: He can control the flow or tempo of a game. Against Baltimore in both games, Rodgers was in the officials and teammates faces. He brought players in and out of the games, even waved off some of Tomlins last-minute calls.To put it simply, Rodgers is jacked, and so are the Steelers.Yeah, thats him, so detailed in everything, Queen said. He listens to all of our checks on defense. If Im saying anything to the DBs or the line, hes listening to those checks, so the next time we come out and we say the same thing, he knows what to expect. So now he can make an adjustment, or he knows where to go with the ball quicker. He is communicating and orchestrating the offense, but definitely a game manager.It will be interesting to see what Pittsburgh does on defense. The pass defense was pathetic last season, allowing 243.9 passing yards per game, No. 29 in the NFL, but the Steelers signed cornerback Jamel Dean to a three-year, $36.75 million deal to start opposite Joey Porter Jr. The defensive line has some quality players, including tackle Cameron Heyward and outside linebacker T.J. Watt, but Watt is in his 10th season, and Heyward is in his 16th.But Queen says the Steelers remain the Steelers; they just do a lot more disguising.He approaches everything the right way, Queen said of McCarthy, but he also wanted to keep up the standards here. Were going to be Pittsburgh, but he is taking feedback from the players. He wants to know the right approach; he is very disciplined.There is a buzz in Pittsburgh again.A year ago, the Steelers beat the Ravens on the final day of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot, while the Ravens went home. Both teams eventually fired their coaches, and the Ravens appear to be happy with first-year coach Jesse Minter, while McCarthy is back home again.I tell you what, I hated to see Tomlin go, but its good to see a hometown guy like Mike McCarthy here with us and some of his staff that hes bringing along, said Steelers fan Aaron Adams, 29. I think they made a lot of changes and moves of weapons on offense, and its good to see that. Some of the defensive guys I hated to see them go, but it seems like a little younger crowd they got coming up, so hopefully they can make some magic happen this year.Lori Coleman agrees.I think new coaching is a big part of what is going on here, not that I didnt like Mike Tomlin, Coleman said. I think we got it now, that we have four quarterbacks; maybe there will be more of an opportunity.Even with Rodgers at age 42?Oh, he still has it, Coleman said.Pittsburgh is desperate for a playoff win. The last time one came on Jan, 15, 2017.Hey, I dont know about a Super Bowl, but hopefully a playoff win, said Jason Lake, 17, from Plum High. Thats all we need. Just one win.____
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