Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is not happy with the way games are being officiated this season, but he thinks it’s the team’s job to make the proper adjustments.
Following his team’s Week 7 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Tomlin was a bit perturbed over his club being flagged seven times, which included a pair of taunting penalties in the fourth quarter.
“Often times it’s our job to feel the tenor of a crew and adjust our behavior accordingly,” Tomlin said, according to Chris Adamski of TribLIVE.com. “We got into that game and the officials had a certain tenor, and we didn’t adjust to it.”
While Tomlin clearly was not enthralled with the referees, he saw it as a learning opportunity for his squad.
“So, am I worried about those issues moving forward? No, I am not,” Tomlin said. “But it’s a great opportunity to talk about learning the tenor of a crew.”
Obviously, the penalties did not cost the Steelers the win this past weekend, but they certainly could have on any other Sunday. It’s not like Pittsburgh blew out the Rams, as it won 24-17. Those calls—particularly the taunting penalties—absolutely could have had an impact on the final score.
Tomlin did add that the officials alerted the Steelers’ sideline that they wouldn’t be tolerating any further antics after running back Najee Harris jawed with refs earlier in the game.
As a result, Mike Tomlin also felt that the two late-game taunting flags could have been avoided, as his group already understood the atmosphere of the contest.
The issue here seems to be the NFL’s consistency, as certain officiating groups definitely call the game differently than others.
Pittsburgh has been one of the league’s most pleasant surprises in 2023, as it is 4-2 and sits a half-game behind the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North.
The Steelers will look to continue their success when they battle the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.
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