NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-1) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-2)
4:15 P.M. ET, CBS, Direct TV (712), SIRIUS (NE-91, Pit-86)
Why Watch
Few true contenders are shaking out of the AFC. The Ravens are inconsistent. The Chargers, Texans and Jets are good but beatable. The clock could strike midnight on the Bills’ and Bengals’ Cinderella seasons at any time.
That leaves the Steelers and Patriots as the class of the conference, and both are on three game winning streaks. You just knew the showdown between these two teams was coming—round one this Sunday may set the stage for a rematch in the postseason.
What To Watch
The Steelers have overcome a slow start to assert themselves the AFC North. Pittsburgh’s defense has been maligned as old and slow, but they still manage to rank third in yards allowed and points per game. Five times in the last seven years, these Steelers have finished with a top-three scoring defense.
The Patriots, however, have had the Steelers’ number. Tom Brady is 6-1 against the Steelers, including wins in his last four starts, and seems to be immune to their defensive powers. In those four wins, the Patriots have scored an average of 34 points. Pittsburgh’s defense allowed only 15.8 points per game in those seasons.
New England’s defense may be suspect, and may be weakened by the surprising release today of cornerback Leigh Bodden, but their offense is still tops. The league has a genuine concern for player safety. So, they have new rules for hitting defenseless players, especially those named Tom Brady. LB James Harrison will be spared any fines, though. He will miss the game as he recovers from surgery.
Who Will Win
Call it a hunch, but Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers will have more success against the Patriots defense than Brady against the Steelers defense. Steelers in a nail biter.
