It’s the most stressful time of the year. It seems like it’s an annual occurrence, but once again, it’s Patriots week for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the heartbreak of last season’s loss, only because the NFL did not know how to define a catch until 2018, the Steelers find themselves in another matchup with the Patriots that has playoff implications. The only difference is instead of fighting for a potential number one seed in the AFC like it was a season ago, now the Steelers are fighting for their playoff lives.
It’s not even fair to say the Patriots have been a thorn in the Steelers’ side. The Patriots have just been better in almost every single bout between the two AFC powerhouses. The Steelers are 2-7 against the Patriots under head coach Mike Tomlin, including a win in Foxboro when Matt Cassel was the Patriots quarterback instead of Tom Brady due to a season-ending knee injury.
No Steeler fan likes to hear these things, but this is a matchup that has always been one that the Steelers can never seem to win, especially when the stakes are high. The Patriots, albeit winning the AFC East yet again, are fighting for seeding in the AFC playoff picture, trying to get a first-round bye to help their older players stay fresh for yet another Super Bowl run. The stakes will be high in Heinz Field on Sunday yet again.
Let’s familiarize ourselves with who the Steelers will need to stop in order to stay alive in the playoff picture.