A Steely resolve
Pittsburgh dives into cauldron with fire
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers know they’ve lacked success against the Tom Brady-led Patriots.
They also don’t care. Pittsburgh is focused on doing something tonight that it has never done in order to reach Super Bowl LI — defeating Brady at Gillette Stadium.
“(The Patriots) need no endorsement from me,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said last week. “They have the hardware that speaks to that. That’s why we all do this. . . . The reality of the moments are the reality of the moments. I imagine that the guys are inspired and have natural human responses to circumstances.
“But it doesn’t change our approach or our processes by which we prepare.”
The last time Pittsburgh met the Pats in the AFC Championship Game, star receiver Antonio Brown was a 16-year-old high school student, while running back Le’Veon Bell, who is four years younger, was barely in middle school. Outside of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who sustained his first NFL loss at Heinz Field after winning his first 14 starts in that game, most Steelers aren’t affected by that 41-27 loss on Jan. 23, 2005.
But the Steelers know the history, and most of them were on the wrong side of a 28-21 loss in Foxboro in last year’s season opener. In that game, Brady shredded the Pittsburgh defense by completing 25-of-32 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns.
Roethlisberger has compared defeating the Patriots on the road to “going into the lion’s den” and “slaying the dragon.”
Said Roethlisberger: “They’re the best in the world. They’re the gold standard, if you will. So, you want to have the opportunity to go out there and play the best. It’ll be an awesome challenge for us.”
The Steelers didn’t force Brady into an interception in that 2015 game, or in Week 7 this season, when he threw two touchdowns in the Pats’ 27-16 win in Pittsburgh.
In fact, Brady has never thrown an interception against a Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh team, but he has thrown 19 touchdowns.
Linebacker James Harrison said the Pats’ schemes have made a significant difference.
“I don’t feel like they’ve beaten us physically,” Harrison said. “They play above the shoulders. They play very well. (Brady) reads your mail and gets the ball where he wants to go. His receivers do a good job of getting the ball and getting yards after the catch. “
Despite all of that, the Steelers don’t feel there is a mystique that comes with facing the Patriots on the road in the postseason.
“If you’re mentally weak enough to buy into it and feel like that’s the deciding factor, then you shouldn’t be playing this sport,” guard Ramon Foster said. “You definitely shouldn’t be playing for our team. So, I don’t think any of that matters. What matters (tonight) is our level on the field at the time beating their level on the field.
“I think that’s where teams mess up with putting a crown on this stadium does that and this stadium does this. None of that matters, except for the 11 guys on the field.”
When asked about the Patriots’ perceived “win at all costs” mentality, Foster said that’s something the two teams share.
“I feel the same way about us,” Foster said. “Honestly. It all depends on who you’re asking and what fan base you’re a part of. I feel like we’re in the same ranks. So be it.”
Pittsburgh last defeated the Pats on Oct. 30, 2011, when they held Brady to 198 yards in a 25-17 win at Heinz Field.
The Steelers’ only other win against Brady came on Halloween in Roethlisberger’s 2004 rookie season — a 34-20 victory at Heinz Field that ended the Patriots’ record 21-game winning streak. Pittsburgh has beaten the Pats just once at Gillette Stadium, and that 33-10 victory came against quarterback Matt Cassel in 2008 when Brady was on injured reserve.
But the Steelers, and Harrison in particular, aren’t focused on revenge. They’re just focused on winning.
“It don’t matter,” Harrison said. “It means the same as the first year as I ever played. It’s no different now. I’m excited for every game. I just know how to contain my emotions. It’s just easy. I’m not a very emotional person.”