‘We Will Improve’: Mike Tomlin Calls for Action After Loss
Following the Pittsburgh Steelers' disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers, head coach Mike Tomlin has sent a clear and confident message to his players: it’s time for action. The defeat, marked by critical mistakes on both sides of the ball, has left Tomlin determined to see improvement from his team moving forward.
“This is a difficult time, but I believe in this team,” Tomlin said in his postgame comments. “We will take lessons from this loss and come back stronger. What’s important now is for every player to take responsibility and improve themselves.”
The Steelers have faced a series of challenges this season, but Tomlin’s focus remains on the team’s potential and ability to overcome adversity. His message is clear: despite the setbacks, the team must learn, adapt, and move forward with renewed determination. He has emphasized the importance of self-reflection and accountability, urging his players to look inward and understand how they can contribute to the team’s overall success.
“We’ve got to take ownership of what happened today,” Tomlin continued. “This isn’t just about pointing fingers. We all have to look at what we can do better. We know the talent is there, but we need to make the necessary adjustments.”
The Steelers' loss to the Packers was marked by missed opportunities and key mistakes, including breakdowns in defense and offense. The team struggled to maintain consistency, especially when it came to critical third-down conversions and tackling. However, Tomlin’s response reflects his belief in the team’s ability to bounce back and rise above these challenges.
“It’s not about just fixing the mistakes,” Tomlin explained. “It’s about building a mentality of accountability and action. If we don’t address these issues, they will continue to hold us back. We need to correct the mistakes, and that starts with each player understanding their role and committing to improvement.”
For Tomlin, the road to recovery starts with making immediate changes and ensuring the team’s mindset shifts from complacency to a strong desire for progress. With games coming up in the tough AFC North, the Steelers can’t afford to continue repeating the same errors if they hope to stay competitive in the playoff race.
As the team prepares for the next stretch of games, the focus will be on executing better, especially in high-pressure situations. Tomlin’s leadership will play a crucial role in getting the team back on track, and the players will need to embrace the challenge of overcoming their flaws and performing at a higher level.
Texans’ DeMeco Ryans Calls Win vs. 49ers One of C.J. Stroud’s Best
The Houston Texans, throughout what would be their third win of the 2025 NFL season, ended up taking notable control of the game from start to finish on the offensive side of the ball.
C.J. Stroud was the leader of those efforts on Houston's scoring unit, and in all, rattled off one of his most productive games of the season.
On 39 total throws, Stroud completed 76% of his passes for a total of 318 yards through the air, to pair with two touchdowns and just one pick. He got nine pass-catchers involved on the day without Nico Collins or Christian Kirk in the mix, and came out to a nice 106.6 passer rating.
He's a considerable reason as to why the Texans had the success that they did against a formidable 49ers squad–– and after the game, his head coach DeMeco Ryans made sure to give him his due credit, saying his performance vs. San Francisco was one of the best in his entire career.
“One of his best games ever,” Ryans said of C.J. Stroud. “When C.J. is locked in, when the quarterback is playing well and C.J. plays well and he’s upbeat and everybody can see he’s going to the right spot with the football, he’s making great decisions, stepping up, escaping the pocket, converting some runs there, converting some third downs, you just see the entire energy, the vibe of our entire sideline just changes. Everybody is looking for the quarterback for that leadership."
DeMeco Ryans Credits C.J. Stroud's Leadership, O-Line in Win vs. 49ers
More than just his production on the field, Stroud maintained his status as a high-end leader on the sidelines for Houston as well, stoking the fire to help the Texans' energy stay high for the entire way, and it certainly showed in the end results.
Stroud also had some major help from his offensive line, a group that allowed zero sacks on the day for the first time this season, and only the fifth time of his career–– the last time being seen during his rookie campaign.
Of course, Ryans made sure to extend his praise to what he saw upfront as well, which led to a smooth and sound offensive operation throughout the way in Houston.
"It’s just about nothing special or nothing grand. It’s just about him remaining disciplined as a quarterback, doing exactly what he’s supposed to do on every given play. When he does that, he makes great decisions and with the offensive line the way they worked today, that’s what you see: one of his best games ever."
"The way he operated today was very clean football and I’m proud of where he is. We just have to continue to stay with this every week.”
Now with the vibes on a good note both offensively and defensively before continuing their extended home stretch, the momentum might be building at a perfect time, with a critical Week 9 battle on the horizon against the Denver Broncos for a chance to elevate back to a .500 record.
It remains to be seen if the Texans will have enough juice to keep their winning ways going, but if Stroud and his protection can remain similar to what was shown against the 49ers, rattling off two straight wins is far from out of the realm of possibilities.
