mesaSteeler
11-28-2008, 02:10 PM
http://www.sportsline.com/print/nfl/story/11138457
(See story link for a pretty good video discussion of the game. - mesa)
Game of the week
By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Pittsburgh at New England, 4:15 p.m. ET | Endzone
The line: Patriots by 1
The story: This comes down to three keys: Protection, protection, protection. If you have it, you win.
Pittsburgh hasn't had it, and neither have the Patriots. Poor Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 32 times, which ties him with the 49ers' J.T. O'Sullivan for second in the league. Any idea who leads? If you answered "Matt Cassel" you win three rounds with Gregg Doyel at his next amateur boxing night.
The problem here is the Patriots are up against the best pass rushing team in the AFC and one of the best in the business. The key will be how New England's tackles, tight ends and blocking backs handle the flurry of blitzes Cassel is bound to see -- with linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley leading the charge. All they have done this season is combine for 22.5 sacks and countless quarterback pressures. If the Patriots can't handle them, they can't handle the Steelers.
So, you say, maybe they keep them off balance with the run. Forget it. There's a better chance of Tom Brady playing in December. The Steelers held the Jacksonville Jaguars to 38 yards rushing and the Giants to 83 in 35 attempts. Running against these guys is a waste of time.
That takes us to the Steelers. They can run and probably will here ... Willie Parker or no Willie Parker. Pittsburgh didn't have him for games against Baltimore and Jacksonville, yet still won -- and won because it had the smarts to pick up Mewelde Moore. But if the Steelers can't, look for Roethlisberger to pick apart the Patriots' secondary.
The key, as we have said, is protection, protection, protection. The Steelers don't give it to Roethlisberger, who has absorbed almost as many blows this season as the Dow. But Big Ben catches a break with the Pats' defense because: 1) There is no Adalius Thomas, and 2) they have trouble getting to the quarterback. They have 21 sacks all season.
Give Roethlisberger time, and he will find receivers. Give Cassel time, and he might find receivers. The difference: One quarterback will have less time to find open targets, and it's not Big Ben.
Something to consider: Including the playoffs, the Patriots are 5-1 vs. the Steelers since 2000
(See story link for a pretty good video discussion of the game. - mesa)
Game of the week
By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Pittsburgh at New England, 4:15 p.m. ET | Endzone
The line: Patriots by 1
The story: This comes down to three keys: Protection, protection, protection. If you have it, you win.
Pittsburgh hasn't had it, and neither have the Patriots. Poor Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 32 times, which ties him with the 49ers' J.T. O'Sullivan for second in the league. Any idea who leads? If you answered "Matt Cassel" you win three rounds with Gregg Doyel at his next amateur boxing night.
The problem here is the Patriots are up against the best pass rushing team in the AFC and one of the best in the business. The key will be how New England's tackles, tight ends and blocking backs handle the flurry of blitzes Cassel is bound to see -- with linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley leading the charge. All they have done this season is combine for 22.5 sacks and countless quarterback pressures. If the Patriots can't handle them, they can't handle the Steelers.
So, you say, maybe they keep them off balance with the run. Forget it. There's a better chance of Tom Brady playing in December. The Steelers held the Jacksonville Jaguars to 38 yards rushing and the Giants to 83 in 35 attempts. Running against these guys is a waste of time.
That takes us to the Steelers. They can run and probably will here ... Willie Parker or no Willie Parker. Pittsburgh didn't have him for games against Baltimore and Jacksonville, yet still won -- and won because it had the smarts to pick up Mewelde Moore. But if the Steelers can't, look for Roethlisberger to pick apart the Patriots' secondary.
The key, as we have said, is protection, protection, protection. The Steelers don't give it to Roethlisberger, who has absorbed almost as many blows this season as the Dow. But Big Ben catches a break with the Pats' defense because: 1) There is no Adalius Thomas, and 2) they have trouble getting to the quarterback. They have 21 sacks all season.
Give Roethlisberger time, and he will find receivers. Give Cassel time, and he might find receivers. The difference: One quarterback will have less time to find open targets, and it's not Big Ben.
Something to consider: Including the playoffs, the Patriots are 5-1 vs. the Steelers since 2000