It wouldn't be completely accurate to say Mike Tomlin has had a bump-free ride as Steelers coach even though his team won the Super Bowl last year in just his second season. It wasn't easy for him to replace Bill Cowher after Cowher had so much success in his 15 seasons here. He was under the microscope from the start, the scrutiny even more intense than normal because he was a first-time head coach and because he is black. Many in the city felt he got the job instead of one of Cowher's top lieutenants -- Ken Whisenhunt or Russ Grimm ­-- because of the Rooney Rule, which is named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney and is designed to encourage minority hirings at the NFL's highest levels.

Tomlin was up for all challenges.

Man, was he.

His work has been brilliant. The Steelers won his first three games before losing at Arizona, prompting him to say with just the right touch, "Contrary to popular belief, I never thought I was going to win every game." The team won six of the next eight games to secure control of the AFC North Division and get back to the playoffs after an 8-8 implosion in Cowher's final season. Then, it won Super Bowl XLIII last season.

Brilliant is exactly the right word to describe Tomlin's success.

But as much as we learned about the man the past two seasons, we're about to learn a lot more. The Steelers appear to be reeling a bit and suddenly look vulnerable after consecutive losses at Cincinnati and Chicago left them with a 1-2 record going into the game tonight at Heinz Field against the San Diego Chargers, a team many have picked to win Super Bowl XLIV. Another loss might not ruin the season, but it would put the Steelers into a deep, dark hole in the top-heavy AFC where four teams are 3-0 and three are 2-1.

To say this is the first serious on-field adversity that Tomlin has faced is completely accurate. As safety Tyrone Carter so aptly put it after the loss in Cincinnati last Sunday, "We're finding ways to lose games instead of win games."

This is just the second time the Steelers have lost two in a row under Tomlin, the first losing streak coming late in the '07 season. It seems so much more serious now because of the team's high expectations coming off a Super Bowl year, because it couldn't finish against the Bengals and Bears despite 11- and 7-point leads in the fourth quarter, because All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu still is out with a knee injury, and because the Baltimore Ravens are one of the 3-0 teams and look mighty strong in the AFC North.

Clearly, Tomlin has to coach, now more than ever.

"We have to get on the details," he said last week. "When you're on the details, you find ways to win close games."

Tomlin's public demeanor appeared to be just right. There was no sign of panic, yet he made it clear to his players that he expects so much more from them. He didn't hesitate to tell the world that running back Rashard Mendenhall was benched on offense against the Bengals because of poor preparation for the game. He also called out wide receiver Limas Sweed after he dropped another touchdown pass, all but saying it could be a long time before he gets on the field again, "if" he gets there.

Know this:

Tomlin will not tolerate complacency or settle quietly for mediocrity.

Tomlin has taken criticism for running a soft training camp this summer, but that's nonsense. He knows his players better than anyone. His first season, when he was the new sheriff in town and wanted to establish order, he drove the players too hard and they ran out of steam long before January. He learned from that mistake last season and his veteran players responded. It's fair to think they will respond again.

Many of those same veterans will help Tomlin get through this turbulence. Linebacker James Farrior is a terrific captain and leader and will keep his defense together even as it struggles to adjust and cope without the great Polamalu. It's Farrior's team more than anybody's. Wide receiver Hines Ward and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have become better offensive captains. This is not a team that lacks for strong leadership.

The Steelers might lose tonight and drift far back in the playoff chase -- the Chargers are loaded, after all ­-- but it won't be because of any Super Bowl hangover.

"We just have to make critical plays at critical moments," Tomlin said. "We have people who are capable of doing that."

The Steelers also have a coach who is capable of making sure the job gets done.

There is absolutely nothing on Tomlin's resume so far to make anyone think otherwise.