Pats vs. Steelers - Positional Breakdown

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Here is a Pats vs. Steelers positional breakdown for this Sunday's game. As always, I welcome your comments and analysis.

Pats players/groups are listed first.

ADPF
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QB: Tom Brady vs. Ben Roethlisberger

Tom Brady is still the guy I want on the field to get a win. He is better than any other QB in the league at that, still. I am chalking his horrid performance in Cleveland up to a coaching staff that knew him too well and prepared for him and the Pats better than any team has so far this year. Roethlisberger seems to be rounding into form after his rape suspension, but he's not there yet.

Advantage: Patriots
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RB: BJGE, Morris, Woodhead, Taylor vs. Mendenhall, Moore, Redman

How crazy is it that the Pats' best running back right now is Danny Woodhead?!?!? If Fred Taylor can ever get on the field again, he could help out this week. I want BJGE to be our guy so bad, and he has shown flashes of it, but in the end, he still has not shown enough. We're in the market for a RB in the off-season. Mark Ingram anyone? Mendenhall is a talented back who can slash you or run you right over and he will give the Pats a lot of problems, especially if the Steelers follow the Browns lead and take Mayo & Wilfork out of the picture with double teams. Moore is a great change-of-pace back.

Advantage: Steelers
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WR: Welker, Branch, Edelman, Tate vs. Ward, Wallace, ARE, Battle

Clear edge to the Steelers here. Welker clearly has not recovered all the way from his knee, as evidenced by his drastic drop in YAC this year. Hines Ward is still one of the most dependable possession receivers in the league. Hey, Coach Belichick, did you hear Chad Ochocinco wants out of Cincy? I'm just sayin'

Advantage: Steelers
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TE: Hernandez, Crumpler, Gronk vs. Johnson, Miller, Spaeth

I like the Pats TE here. They are better all-around pass catchers and blockers. Johnson is a stud in Pitt and Miller can hurt you, but I still like our guys.

Advantage: Pats
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OLine: Light, Mankins/Connolly, Koppen, Neal, Vollmer vs. Adams, Essex, Pouncey, Kemeatu, Starks

The fact that you have never heard of any Pittsburgh's lineman outside of Pouncey tells you a great deal. The Steelers are hurting at O-Line. The Pats were pretty good before Logan Mankins came back, but look like they might have even stepped it up a notch from there with the return of #70. Again, throw away their performance in the Cleveland game (which wasn't even that horrible) because the whole team just got taken out to the "we got outcoached like a MTHAFKR" woodshed.

Advantage: Pats
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DLine: Warren, Wilfork, Wright, Pryor, Deaderick, Brace vs. Hood, Hampton, Keisel, McLendon, Hoke, Smith

Pittsburgh has been playing better than the sum of their parts here. I am still amazed that NE has been able to keep this together after losing Ty Warren for the season. Deaderick & Pryor have been nice surprises.

Advantage: Even
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LB: Mayo, Spikes, Ninkovich, Cunningham, Guyton vs. Woodley, Timmons, Farrior, Harrison

Harrison is the baddest OLB in the league right now and you can expect to try and knock the snot out of Tommy Boy and the crew. Farrior is still serviceable. I love the Pats young LBs, led by Mayo and Spikes. Ninkovich and Cunningham have played great in spots and pretty well most of the rest of the time. Harrison makes the difference here though. The Steelers will stop the run and then have all day to tee off on Brady.

Advantage: Steelers
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CB: (Starters) McCourty & Arrington vs. McFadden & Taylor

McCourty has been very impressive. Arrington not so much. That said, no one is remembering Mike Haynes when watch McFadden & Taylor either. I wish Darius Butler could get his doo-doo together.

Advantage: Even
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S: (Starters) Meriweather & Sanders vs. Polamalu & Clark

Troy Polamalu is arguably the best safety in the NFL and definitely the hardest hitting safety in the NFL, which means nightmares for Wes Welker and Deion Branch. The Pats would be smart to throw a lot to their big tight ends who are better equipped to absorb Troy's bone-rattlers. If Chung can start over Sanders, the Pats situation obviously gets better. Either way, Troy is the guy to watch out there.

Advantage: Steelers
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Special Teams: Graham, Mesko, et al vs. Reed, Sepulveda et al.

The Pats send in Shayne Graham at kicker to replace Stephen Gostkowski, who will be out for 2-4 weeks with a leg injury. Graham is a dependable vet, so we should be ok. "You Don't Mess With" Zoltan Mesko is a decent punter. Brandon Tate is a dynamic KR who will dazzle the Steelers if they kick him the ball. Jeff Reed is a dependable veteran who knows how to kick in the funky winds of Heinz Field. ARE is a flashy punt returner. All things considered, I think the Pats have an edge here.

Advantage: Pats
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I think New England will bounce back from their all-around worst performance of the season against Cleveland and play well against the Steelers on the road. I just think the Steelers are a little bit better right now. Not by much, but better still.

Prediction: Steelers 24, Patriots 20

 

[QB12]

Score is right, just flip the teams. Pats win 24-20.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Score is right, just flip the teams. Pats win 24-20.

Your lips to God's ears, brother!

 

[QB12]

The Patriots always win these type of games. I think this game will be very similar to week 3 in 2005, where the Patriots, coming off a stinker in Carolina, and as the two-time defending Super Bowl champs with a record of 1-1, in danger of going 1-2, traveled to Pittsburgh and slugged it out in an epic battle, winning with a Vinateri field goal as time expired.

After we beat Pittsburgh, the performance at Cleveland will be even more mystifying.

Oh, on the subject of Cleveland, I'm not sure they'll beat the Jets, but that game will be very close also, and will be anyone's game late in the 4th Quarter.

 

[mgteich]

You have the corners "even". You might include nickel backs in the consideration of corners.

 

[The Brandon Five]

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RB: BJGE, Morris, Woodhead, Taylor vs. Mendenhall, Moore, Redman

How crazy is it that the Pats' best running back right now is Danny Woodhead?!?!? If Fred Taylor can ever get on the field again, he could help out this week. I want BJGE to be our guy so bad, and he has shown flashes of it, but in the end, he still has not shown enough. We're in the market for a RB in the off-season. Mark Ingram anyone? Mendenhall is a talented back who can slash you or run you right over and he will give the Pats a lot of problems, especially if the Steelers follow the Browns lead and take Mayo & Wilfork out of the picture with double teams. Moore is a great change-of-pace back.

Advantage: Steelers

Moore and Redman are concussed.

Three Steelers sustain concussions against Bengals - NFL - SI.com

OLine: Light, Mankins/Connolly, Koppen, Neal, Vollmer vs. Adams, Essex, Pouncey, Kemeatu, Starks

The fact that you have never heard of any Pittsburgh's lineman outside of Pouncey tells you a great deal. The Steelers are hurting at O-Line. The Pats were pretty good before Logan Mankins came back, but look like they might have even stepped it up a notch from there with the return of #70. Again, throw away their performance in the Cleveland game (which wasn't even that horrible) because the whole team just got taken out to the "we got outcoached like a MTHAFKR" woodshed.

Advantage: Pats

Their LT just got IR'd.

Pittsburgh Steelers place starting left tackle Max Starks on IR - ESPN

S: (Starters) Meriweather & Sanders vs. Polamalu & Clark

Troy Polamalu is arguably the best safety in the NFL and definitely the hardest hitting safety in the NFL, which means nightmares for Wes Welker and Deion Branch. The Pats would be smart to throw a lot to their big tight ends who are better equipped to absorb Troy's bone-rattlers. If Chung can start over Sanders, the Pats situation obviously gets better. Either way, Troy is the guy to watch out there.

Advantage: Steelers

Allen is the other Steeler who is concussed.

We'll know more this afternoon, I suppose.

 

[QB12]

Breakout game for TBC with Starks on IR?

 

[Sicilian]

Nice work Armen, I appreciate the effort in putting this together.

One critique I would have though is that, while this is a good indicator at the beginning of a season to see who might do better overall, a better way to compare two teams before a game would be to compare unit versus the opposing unit they'll face. For example, Pats receivers vs. Steelers secondary, or Pats front seven vs. Steelers O-Line, etc.

 

[bigcountry75]

Also Chris Kemeotu sp? The steelers RG left the game Monday night with a leg injury...He is a guy that is never talked about but is very solid and at times can look like one of the best in the game.....If he is out with starks being IR'ed, I love our chances against there O-line....

 

[serifyn]

The Steelers O-line was devastated last week against the bengals, the steelers lost both starting tackles and their center pouncey was dinged up a bit as well, the patriots have got to take advantage of this and pressure Rothlisberger.

The Patriots should have an easier time (for the love of god i hope so) against Mendenhall because of their banged up O-line.

The patriots can have some success in the air, but probably nothing on the ground. its going to be a big woodhead game as the steelers will copy the browns in dropping back into coverage and rushing 3-4.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

You have the corners "even". You might include nickel backs in the consideration of corners.

I was thinking about that, but it got too deep because there are so many possible combos and situational scenarios. That's why I just went with starters.

I would love it if someone would take that angle, though. I am interested in that analysis.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Moore and Redman are concussed.

Three Steelers sustain concussions against Bengals - NFL - SI.com



Their LT just got IR'd.

Pittsburgh Steelers place starting left tackle Max Starks on IR - ESPN



Allen is the other Steeler who is concussed.

We'll know more this afternoon, I suppose.

WOW! They really got beat up against the Bengals, huh?

Thanks for the info, brah. I missed all of that. Those injuries could certainly change that.

 

[jmt57]

Nice work breaking that down.


If anybody has the time and the insight, I would love to see something similar, but instead of "QB vs QB", something along the lines of "NEP passing game vs PIT pass defense" or "NEP receivers vs PIT defensive backs", etc.

 

[jmt57]

WOW! They really got beat up against the Bengals, huh?

Thanks for the info, brah. I missed all of that. Those injuries could certainly change that.

Some more on Pittsburgh's injuries: Kemoeatu questionable with knee, ankle injuries - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The good news for the Steelers' battered offensive line: an MRI confirmed that knee and ankle injuries suffered by Chris Kemoeatu on the same play last Monday night are not serious.

The bad news for Kemoeatu and the Steelers is that the starting left guard is questionable at best to play Sunday night against the visiting Patriots.

Kemoeatu, who sprained both his knee and ankle when teammate Trai Essex fell on his lower right leg, said he will not try to practice until Friday. If Kemoeatu is not able to go, then he almost will certainly miss Sunday night's game.

"I'm not feeling too good," Kemoeatu said. "It's nothing major. I think it just needs a little rest."

Kemoeatu re-injured the same knee he hurt earlier this season in the Steelers' 27-21 win over the Bengals. If he is unable to play Sunday night, Ramon Foster likely will start in his place.

"I'm just happy it's not as bad as it felt and the MRI looked pretty good on it," Kemoeatu said, "so if it's not ready, we'll take this week and get it right and hopefully come back next week."

There's also this on other Steeler injuries:

Center Maurkice Pouncey, who returned against Cincinnati after bruising his tibia early in the game, practiced yesterday. Tight end Heath Miller (fluid on knee) and defensive end Brett Keisel (hamstring) did not practice. Running backs Mewelde Moore and Isaac Redman and safety Will Allen, who were diagnosed with concussions against Cincinnati, were cleared to practice.

By the way, Roethlisberger also comments on Tom Brady in the column.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

Some more on Pittsburgh's injuries: Kemoeatu questionable with knee, ankle injuries - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
By the way, Roethlisberger also comments on Tom Brady in the column.

It doesn't surprise me that Roethlesberger would look up to Brady more than Manning. Their styles of play are different, definitely, but they're both "find a way" players.
Besides, why would he look up to a guy who's got less rings than him

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Reiss tweets that after talking to Chung today he thinks he's back.