4 outdated Steelers philosophies that no longer mesh with today's NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers have always had a very particular way of doing business and finding success. Since their Super Bowl teams of the '70s, this team relied on the Steel Curtain defense and a solid rushing attack to carry them to victory during the regular season and give themselves a shot at a title.

Decades have passed since then, but Mike Tomlin adopted many of the philosophies that helped the Steelers earn six Super Bowl trophies. Unfortunately, many of the rules have changed in the NFL over the years, and the Steelers seem to be one of the only teams not catching up with the times. Here are four outdated philosophies that the Pittsburgh Steelers need to scrap in order to become a true contender in the postseason once again.

1. Playing mistake-free football to be a contender

Taking care of the football is very important in the NFL. Nobody values this more than Mike Tomlin and Pittsbugh's ownership. As a result, the Steelers have been excellent at not giving the ball away recently. But this doesn't come without a severe cost to the team.

In an effort to play mistake-free, Pittsburgh has gotten incredibly conservative with the football. This has resulted in fewer big plays down the field and less ability for receivers to make plays in space. It's also resulted in fewer points on the board.

What good is it to take care of the football if it greatly limits the upside of the offense? Sure, this game plan has been proven to work against unspectacular teams in the regular season, but if the Steelers get into the postseason and don't know how to put up points against some of the best teams in the league, they will fizzle out just like they have over the past five years.

There is a time and a place to take chances with the football, and every explosive offense in the NFL knows this. The Steelers can't play this timid and expect to be a true contender.