What the Pittsburgh Steelers have to do to Beat the New England Patriots

[BigNastyDefense]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/908665-what-the-steelers-have-to-do-to-beat-the-patriots

What the Pittsburgh Steelers Have to Do to Beat the New England Patriots
By Thomas Hanlon (Contributor) on October 24, 2011 38 reads 0
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more storiesPrevious 1 of 9 Next
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
This week the Pittsburgh Steelers play the team that seems to have their number, the New England Patriots.

More often than not, the Patriots come out on top in these contests. The Patriots have beat the Steelers twice in AFC Championship Games in Pittsburgh. We've only beat Tom Brady once, in 2004 to end a record winning streak the Patriots were on at the time. In 2008, the Steelers went to Foxborough, Massachusetts and stomped a Patriots team who was being lead by Matt Cassel since Tom Brady was out with a season ending knee injury.

Last season, the Patriots came in and absolutely killed the Steelers 39-26, and the score is much closer than the game actually was. The Steelers scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, but the Patriots also added 16 points to the 23 they already had through the first three quarters. You can really say that the Steelers scored their fourth quarter points in garbage time.

Now the Patriots come back to the Steel City, and the Steelers are hoping for a different outcome. Here is what needs to happen for the Steelers to walk off the field victorious over their kryptonite the New England Patriots.

[suitanim]

As I said elsewhere, all we have to do on offense is execute the gameplan. NE is putrid on D.

On defense, we need to A) Play more man-to-man and B) Use that to free up more blitzes. Brady is a fag, and if he gets a little dirty and banged up, he'll fold. Easier said then done, but the Steelers need to remember who they are and where they came from. Brady has single-handedly help pussify this league, and it's time for payback.

[tube517]

The only way Pittsburgh can beat New England is if they outscore them. -Beano Cook


But Haynesworth has turned out to be a huge bust, so far only recording two tackles this season. :rofl2:

[Dino 6 Rings]

Play our best game against a good team and play for 60 minutes and never take our foot off the gas for any reason.

and never ever rush only 3.

[SteelerEmpire]

This game is gonna be the proverbial 'yellow canary' to see where this team really is... We're 3td in our division for God's sake. Can't afford losses... The Pats are 1st in their weak division - and sitting pretty ... time to hit em in the head.

[polamalubeast]

HIT BRADY Many time,a la 2007 giants

http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Tom+Brady+Jay+Alford+Super+Bowl+XLII+_c52zzn5qqCl. jpg

[suitanim]

Oh...and while we're hitting him, we also have to hope that the NFL doesn't invent new rules during the game which prevent us hitting him.

[Count Steeler]

Pressure Brady and capitalize on opportunities. Don't leave points on the field. Ben and Bruce have to stay patient and widdle away with the short passing game. The bomb opportunities will come.

Lebeau, throw away everything you know about the prevent. It sucks and I hate it.

[st33lersguy]

Pressure Brady instead of using the b.s. prevent defense against him

[dislocatedday]

Pressure Brady and capitalize on opportunities. Don't leave points on the field. Ben and Bruce have to stay patient and widdle away with the short passing game. The bomb opportunities will come.

Lebeau, throw away everything you know about the prevent. It sucks and I hate it.

+1.....I like your thinking.

[HometownGal]

Don't even breathe on A$$ Chin or the flag will come a flyin'. :jerkit:

On O - execute, execute, execute the game plan. On D - pressure Brady consistently as he doesn't like anyone in his face.

Play smart and no dumb penalties.

[ALLD]

The Dolphins used prevent against the Broncos and let Tim friggen Tebow beat them.

[Psycho Ward 86]

The Dolphins used prevent against the Broncos and let Tim friggen Tebow beat them.

these arent the Broncos.

[smokin3000gt]

As I said elsewhere, all we have to do on offense is execute the gameplan. NE is putrid on D.

On defense, we need to A) Play more man-to-man and B) Use that to free up more blitzes. Brady is a fag, and if he gets a little dirty and banged up, he'll fold. Easier said then done, but the Steelers need to remember who they are and where they came from. Brady has single-handedly help pussify this league, and it's time for payback.

It never gets that far. Defense plays aggressive until the first 15yd flag comes out. Then everyone dances around him not knowing what to do.

[GoSlash27]

HIT BRADY Many time,a la 2007 giants

http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Tom+Brady+Jay+Alford+Super+Bowl+XLII+_c52zzn5qqCl. jpg

That's a 15 yard penalty and a 1st round pick for even suggesting that we should hit Brady.

[zulater]

Ooh I know, I know, I know!!! What the Steelers have to do to beat the Patriots is score more points than them!! :p

Where's my cookie?:pop2:

[The Duke]

Oh...and while we're hitting him, we also have to hope that the NFL doesn't invent new rules during the game which prevent us hitting him.

good luck with that

I expect 10+ flags on our defense. And at least 2 fines

4 if Silverback plays

[BigNastyDefense]

Ooh I know, I know, I know!!! What the Steelers have to do to beat the Patriots is score more points than them!! :p

Where's my cookie?:pop2:

At the grocery store, you're allowed to get the really big one!

[salamander]

Pressure Brady and pray we don't get 10 penalties in the process.

[O'Malley]

I'll take the penalties as long as Marsha is out of the game!

[tube517]

good luck with that

I expect 10+ flags on our defense. And at least 2 fines

4 if Silverback plays

Silverback will get a flag and a fine even if he doesn't play.

[Edman]

Offense: Ben and Arians need to be patient. The Patriots D is not that good. They'll have their chances to burn them. They gotta be patient and let themselves get into a rhythm. If Mendenhall is starting (he probably is), screw the run game. He can't do it. Short passing game is the way to go.

Defense: Depends on what philosophy Lebeau comes in with. If he comes in yet again with the idea of sitting back in a passive zone defense, the game is lost before it has begun. It hasn't worked and will never work against the Pats. Sometimes you have to just say F it, throw all semblance of caution out the window and take your risks. Pressure the fuck out of Brady and start doing lockdown coverage on his recievers. Even if it means flags. Tom Brady will get his yards and points, but make him earn them. Don't give it to him.

[suitanim]

good luck with that

I expect 10+ flags on our defense. And at least 2 fines

4 if Silverback plays

And 3 obscure calls like the Tuck Rule and "An athletic move" deployed against us.

God, I hate the Cheatriots..."Goodell's Team"...

[Dino 6 Rings]

Blitz 6 guys on every single play with Ill Intentions every time until Tom decides he's had enough and limps off the field with "an ankle".

That'll do nicely

[BigNastyDefense]

Blitz 6 guys on every single play with Ill Intentions every time until Tom decides he's had enough and limps off the field with "an ankle".

That'll do nicely

Actually, I am all for Woodley ripping his head off of his neck and then sticking his body in the ground like a spear using the spine that sticking out of his neck.

[suitanim]

Actually, I am all for Woodley ripping his head off of his neck and then sticking his body in the ground like a spear using the spine that sticking out of his neck.

He would be fined (in my best Dr Evil voice) 1 TRILLION dollars and kicked out of the United States if he did that.

Probably be worth it, though...

[fansince'76]

good luck with that

I expect 10+ flags on our defense. And at least 2 fines

4 if Silverback plays

Didn't get close enough to Brady last year to even draw a flag. I hope we jam their receivers at the line this time around and dump the 10-yard cushion bullshit. The Patriots have the patience to dink and dunk us to death.

[steel9guy]

It's the easiest gameplan in the world. Hit brady, pressure brady, make brady mad, tear brady's acl

[O'Malley]

Play man to man with Troy roving, stack the box and hit Brady.. I don't know we haven't tried that yet...

[GodfatherofSoul]

Fire up a smoker on the sidelines with pork butt simmering inside. That'll distract Haynesworth. Man the smoker with a Chippendale's dancer. That'd distract Brady. Both sides of the ball covered! I consult on the weekends, Mr. Rooney.

[The Duke]

Didn't get close enough to Brady last year to even draw a flag. I hope we jam their receivers at the line this time around and dump the 10-yard cushion bullshit. The Patriots have the patience to dink and dunk us to death.

Yeah but the defense will still be breathing the same air he is. Instant penalty ;)

[SteelGhost]

The Cryboys made Brady look bad .... The Cryboys !!!! Shame they only did that fo 58 minutes :heh:

[Spike]

Defense: Depends on what philosophy Lebeau comes in with. If he comes in yet again with the idea of sitting back in a passive zone defense, the game is lost before it has begun. It hasn't worked and will never work against the Pats. Sometimes you have to just say F it, throw all semblance of caution out the window and take your risks. Pressure the fuck out of Brady and start doing lockdown coverage on his recievers. Even if it means flags. Tom Brady will get his yards and points, but make him earn them. Don't give it to him.

amen

Pats blitz Ben every time we play...and what do the Steelers do on defense playing Brady?

NO blitzing....they fall back into a zone and let Brady hit wide open receivers with 10yd cushions on the outside and leave their TE's wide open against LB's over the middle.

the Steelers NEVER get a push up the middle - it's outside pressure NEVER even comes close to Brady - time for LeBeau to change up SOMETHING, or they just let them march up and down the field all day again

[86WARD]

Simple.

Smart Football. No turnovers, No dumb penalties, Play smart, capitalize on opportunities. Stop the pats on third downs. Easy win.

[fansince'76]

Simple.

Smart Football. No turnovers....

Turnovers - they've been as much of a killer to us as anything else when we've played them. Ben had an untimely pick-six last year against them as well, if memory serves. We were trailing 17-3 in the 2004 AFCCG and were deep in their territory when Rodney Harrison picked off another one Ben threw in the flat and took to the house to effectively ice that game too.

[polamalubeast]

Simple.

Smart Football. No turnovers, No dumb penalties, Play smart, capitalize on opportunities. Stop the pats on third downs. Easy win.

and give good protection for Ben

[Steeldude]

have a good game plan. no al davis ball.

[polamalubeast]

http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=466208



We know the formula to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots. The problem is executing that formula. The Patriots have basically owned the Steelers during the Brady era. They have whooped up on us like we have the Ravens over the years. (Pre smack talk for next week)

Here's the recipe:

Phase I: Ball control on offense. Keep the ball out of Brady's hands. This will limit the opportunities that he has to hurt you. Typically you would want to slow down the pace by being able to run. The Steelers have had little success running the ball consistently or when it mattered against the Patriots save 2004 with Duece and Bettis and the 2008 game without Tom. The offense must be able to sustain drives and eat up the clock. This is not the week for three and out.

Phase II: No turnovers on offense or special teams. Look at our history against the Patriots and in most games going back to the AFC Championship in 2001, the Steelers have turned the ball over. No fumbles, errant passes or issues on special teams (blocked punts or FG's, reuturns on KO or punts). This takes us out of our game plan and makes us play from behind which we have sucked in doing against the Patriots.

Phase III: Mess up Tom's pretty hair. Put pressure in his face and hit him and he will be a different QB. When was the last time that the Steelers got to Brady? He has never experienced true Blitzburgh pressure. Tom can read a defense, he is cool and pin-point accurate, but if you make him or any QB uncomfortable, they will make mistakes. Ask Big Ben! Ben is bigger, stronger, tougher and more mobile and it rattles him. That is not Tom's game. Get him out of his comfort zone. Woodley, Harrison, Timmons, Farrior and Foote have to put pressure on him. It hasn't happened very often.

Phase IV. Change up the match-ups. You will be better served using Lewis, McFadden, Brown or Allen on Gronkowski and Hernandez. They are both big agile TE's and you will need a more physical CB and not a LB, small CB like William Gay or SS Troy on them. Keep the safeties deep to keep everyone in front. In every loss, a Patriot WR has scorched us for a deep pass. Use William Gay to blitz. He has shown a knack for being a decent blitzer and his tackling has improved. Blitz Gay from the left, right and middle at various times.

Phase V: Take advantage of Patriot mistakes. It is going to be hard to do since, the Steelers don't have many takeaways and Tom doesn't generally give the ball away. If he or any other Patriot make a mistake, the Steelers have to take advantage. We can't drop inerceptions or miss falling on a fumble. Tose are game changers.

Phase VI: Be Physical. The Patriots do not like getting beat up. The Ravens, Jets, Browns, Giants in the SB and Lions in the pre-season have put the beatdown on the Patriots. In these games, the Pats not only lost, they got beat up. We have not been able to match the intensisty that these teams did in beating New England. No mental mistakes. We can't give them chances like they did the Jags and Cards. The Patriots are to good.

This is how you beat the Brady's, Bree's, Mannings, and Rogers.
Last year the Steelers lost to New England, New Orleans, and Green Bay. In all three games the Steelers turned the ball over. With the exception of the Saints game, the Steelers did not force a turnover, and in all three they got little pressure on the QB

[fansince'76]

Ooh I know, I know, I know!!! What the Steelers have to do to beat the Patriots is score more points than them!! :p

Where's my cookie?:pop2:

:cookie: :cookie: :cookie:

:chuckle:

[polamalubeast]

Turnovers differenciel for the steelers against the patriots since 2001(vs Brady)

on the 6 loss:-12
on the win:+ 4