Life without LeGarrette Blount in New England means an easier road for Pittsburgh Steelers

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had one major roadblock on their path to the Super Bowl; the New England Patriots.

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Although most people say, Tom Brady is the reason Pittsburgh can’t escape the AFC, which is entirely accurate, having a dominant running back like LeGarrette Blount wasn’t helping the situation.

Now, Pittsburgh has one aspect of the New England offense to worry about, and it’s through the air. Yes, the Steelers would rather have to stop a running game, but when you play Tom Brady, it’s easier to focus all your attention on him then having to worry about a breakout running back.

Blount’s departure from the team, in which he has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, doesn’t provide anything extra for Pittsburgh. All it does is eliminate a player who rushed 16 times for 47 yards and a touchdown the last time they played.

What’s being said, is that Blount wasn’t a huge factor in New England’s AFC Championship win, but when you have to stop someone from rushing the ball 16 times, you need to pull some of your focus away from the passing game that picked you apart.

Right now, the Patriots biggest running back threat is Dion Lewis and James White. Neither of which are serious contributors on the ground. Meaning, Pittsburgh’s attention to the running game should be stopping Lewis and White from catching the ball out of the backfield.

In order to beat New England and Tom Brady, the Steelers need to improve their secondary. With a full year of experience together and some significant development over the offseason, this may be a task Pittsburgh has completed. Not that they are talented enough to stop Brady, no one is, but they can at least slow his numbers.

Life without Blount guarantees nothing but leaves hope for an easier game against the Pats. Without him, Pittsburgh could see what they’re defense truly can do against the greatest quarterback of all-time. A test of how good this team really is.

Chances are the Steelers find the Patriots in the AFC Championship once again. They meet during the regular season, but when it comes to beating New England, the playoffs is the only place it counts.

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The game will be different. There will be a lot less running and a lot more Brady. This is when the Pittsburgh Steelers can define their legacy as either “the team who couldn’t beat the Patriots,” or “the team who beat Tom Brady.”

Hopefully, there’s a change of legacy in 2017.

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