Statement time for Patricia’s ‘D’
FOXBORO — For the past two months, the Patriots defense has been steadily improving. Only the improvement has been tempered with an asterisk.
It’s been hard to completely convince anyone, or prove Matt Patricia’s unit is legitimate, given this season’s competition.
There’s been plenty of evidence in numbers. Having the best scoring defense is nice, but it gets blown up with the succession of marginal quarterbacks who have been paraded in front of the Pats.
Jared Goff, Trevor Siemian, Bryce Petty, Matt Moore and Brock Osweiler aren’t on anyone’s list of top 20 quarterbacks. They don’t move the needle on the difficulty meter. Hence, the asterisk.
But that’s about to change. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who didn’t play when the teams met during the regular season, is legitimate. He’s the best quarterback the Patriots have faced since Russell Wilson came to town Week 10 with the Seahawks.
Roethlisberger is legitimate, and so is the Steelers offense. He has two Super Bowl victories on his resume and has a reputation for fighting off hits, making plays and doing whatever it takes to win.
So while the primary objective for the Pats defense might be to take away Le’Veon Bell, Roethlisberger still is there to do damage along with Antonio Brown, arguably the best receiver in the game.
Let’s just say you won’t see Roethlisberger miss receivers by another zip code like Osweiler did Saturday night in the divisional round game.
“Pittsburgh’s offense is very dangerous,” Matt Patricia said Monday. “This will be different for us than obviously the first time (against Pittsburgh) with Ben being back. They have very explosive guys at all the skill positions.
“They’re able to push the ball both vertically and horizontally. Antonio Brown is a great wide receiver, a huge threat to get the ball. Once it’s in his hands, he can turn small plays into big plays.”
If the Patriots defense manages to contain Big Ben and do what the Chiefs did Sunday night by allowing field goals and not touchdowns, you really have to give Patricia’s boys credit.
That’s the best way to finally shut everyone up and remove any asterisks. That’s the best way to eliminate all doubters.
Better still, no matter which quarterback, be it Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers or Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, the Patriots go on to play in the Super Bowl, assuming Tom Brady can outscore a Steelers team reduced to kicking field goals, it really doesn’t make a difference. People are going to feel much better about the defense holding down either one if it delivers against Roethlisberger.
“No doubt it’s our biggest test,” said defensive end Trey Flowers, who is hoping to make an impact Sunday. “Ben Roethlisberger is a great quarterback, and the guys he can facilitate to, you got Bell, you got Brown, all those guys in the skill positions that can make plays at any point in the game, so it’s going to be a big test for us. We’re going to prepare for them, and hopefully get the win.”
Even though Bill Belichick tends to pump up every team, he didn’t have to work too hard for this group.
“They do a lot of things well, (they) can run it, can throw it,” he said. “Brown’s the main guy, but all of the receivers, tight ends, backs, I mean they’re all a problem.”
If the defense can effectively contain Roethlisberger and his array of weapons, if it shuts down this group, there’s every reason to think a trip to Houston and a fifth Lombardi Trophy will soon be on the way.