So what kind of grade should Mike Tomlin receive in his first year as the Steelers' head coach?

Some may give him an A for winning 10 games and getting to the playoffs.

Others may give him a C for losing four of the final five games.

Still others may give him a D for losing to teams like Denver, the New York Jets and Baltimore, costing the team a higher playoff seed.

The grade given Tomlin here is an I or incomplete.

Clearly, the Steelers peaked early this year, when they blew out the Baltimore Ravens 38-7 on a Monday night to start the latter on a nine-game losing streak that cost Brian Billick his head coaching job.

Though Tomlin— to his credit — refused to use injuries as an excuse, injuries clearly caught up to the Black and Gold.

Troy Polamalu played hurt when he was in there. Toss in NFLrushing leader Willie Parker breaking his leg, the loss of defensive end Aaron Smith, safety Ryan Clark and tackle Marvel Smith to season-ending injuries, and, well, it was too much to overcome.

While suspect play-calling and questionable two-point conversion tries are fresh on our minds from the playoff loss, Tomlin did bring some welcome changes to the table in 2007:

• The reins were taken off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and he turned in a Pro Bowl season.

• Tight end is no longer a one-dimensional position.

• Wide receiver depth grew to the point where Hines Ward is no longer considered the sole go-to guy.

Yes, all of those positives are on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensive struggles and woeful special teams play plagued the 2007 Steelers.

But give Tomlin time to repair things. He's only been here a year.

Outside linebacker Clark Haggans likely will leave via free agency, but LaMarr Woodley should prove an adequate replacement. A healthy Polamalu and Clark should make a world of difference in the secondary.

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is coming back and he'll help to make the necessary adjustments. Remember, Jacksonville rushed for 224 yards against the Steelers four weeks ago, then were held below 100 on the ground until David Garrard broke his infamous 32-yard run on a quarterback draw late in the playoff game.

The Steelers' biggest loss will be guard Alan Faneca. Clearly the anchor of an offensive line that faded badly, Faneca will likely be dropping anchor in another NFL city.

Replacing him and retooling the line is the biggest challenge facing Tomlin in the coming months.

The Steelers are aging at some key positions on both sides of the ball. But there's enough there for the team to put together another run for a postseason berth.

Whether his team gets there or not rests on the shoulders of its head coach.

And what happens next year will determine Tomlin's passing or failing grade.