Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Mike Mitchell, talks New England Patriots

The Pittsburgh Steelers are thinking but not thinking of their Week 15 matchup with the New England Patriots.

The biggest topic of discussion surrounding the Steelers this week has been whether or not they’re looking three games ahead to the New England Patriots. While head coach, Mike Tomlin, says they’re ready, some players aren’t even thinking about it.

It seems that half the team is already ready to take on New England while others are sticking to the one game at a time method. For some, they just want to claim their spot at the top of the AFC, and for others, they want to make sure they’re still on top by the time Week 15 rolls around.

For safety, Mike Mitchell, he’s ready for both. The Cincinnati Bengals are next on the list, but that doesn’t mean he’s been thinking of the Patriots. When asked about the Patriots in the locker room this week, Mitchell made it clear that he’s definitely ready and has been thinking about the moment.

"“I’m going to prepare for the Cincinnati Bengals because that’s who we’re playing this week. But you’re an [expletive] – uh, excuse me – you’re not the smartest human in the world if you’re not thinking about them.”"

Pittsburgh versus New England has a strong chance of deciding the AFC playoff standings. Unless either team falls more than once by the end of the season, the winner of this game will own the AFC heading into the postseason.

Next: The Steelers have been thinking of Patriots

Right now, neither team has signs of slowing down, and as everyone has seen before, this rivalry is as intense as any. New England got the best of Pittsburgh in the playoffs last season, and you can guarantee they haven’t forgotten about it.

No matter what happens, this Week 15 matchup is going to be one of the best of the season.