The clock is ticking on Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and his empty promises. With the ideal setup in weeks 13 and 14, Harbaugh had two consecutive home games to reassert himself and his team as contenders in the AFC. Instead, the Ravens have slipped all the way out of the conversation, and fans will be met with more aimless dialogue on how close the Ravens came in the 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin won’t walk the streets of Pittsburgh with the same pity this upcoming week. Tomlin understood the assignment and executed it to perfection when the time required. The Steelers weren’t excellent on Sunday afternoon, but they didn’t squander red-zone opportunities, avoid turnovers, and had fewer penalty yards than their opponent. It’s fair to argue that discipline is a trait that transmits directly from the coach to the players, and the contrast in attentiveness between Harbaugh and Tomlin couldn’t be more evident.
Just think, Tomlin is now operating with his third different starting quarterback over the last three NFL seasons, but whoever Tomlin inserts in the lineup understands the importance of their role. Exceptionalism is a requirement for Tomlin and his staff, but Harbaugh has shown a complacency that grinds the gears of most Ravens fans.
Ultimately, the intangibles needed to lead a franchise have been evident in Tomlin’s performance, regardless of the prestige of his personnel. However, as Harbaugh continues his tenure, the subtle decline is beginning to seem like an issue directly tied to his leadership ability.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Father time has been kind to Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, not John Harbaugh
