Steelers must beat Patriots’ mystique

like it’s the deciding factor, then you shouldn’t be playing this sport,” veteran offensive lineman Ramon Foster said. “You definitely shouldn’t be playing for our team. I don’t think any of that matters. What matters on Sunday is our 11 on the field beating their 11 on the field. I think that’s where teams mess up. None of that matters except for the 11 guys on the field.”

Many of the young Steelers players exuded a quiet confidence this week. While a few Steelers veterans have endured bad losses to the Patriots, the young players are not burdened by any of the history between the two teams. They’re simply embracing the opportunity.

“We’re 60 minutes away,” defensive end Stephon Tuitt said. “Trust me, guys’ eyes will be so wide. You’ll hear heartbeats. You’ll hear pins drop. That will be the fun part. We’re going against the Patriots. Who else would you want to go through than go through the Patriots? We’re going to give everything we have to go through them.”

Linebacker Arthur Moats used to play against the Patriots twice a year when he played for the Buffalo Bills. He said there is nothing mystical about them.

In his four seasons with the Bills, Moats beat Brady just once.

“You have to get pressure and hits on him and ultimately play one of your best games,” Moats said. “That’s what it comes down to.

“They won’t be overly flashy. You know all those guys will do their job to do the best of their ability. That’s the issue beating them. They’re not going to beat themselves.”

For the Steelers, the issue in recent meetings against the Patriots has been their starts. In their past three games against the Patriots, the Steelers fell behind, 14-0. In their most recent victory over the Patriots, in 2011, the Steelers jumped to a 10-0 lead.

“A lot of teams go up there and do fall behind for whatever reason,” Moats said.

“They do a great job of starting fast. It’s going to be important for us in all three phases to get off to a fast start because you can’t fall behind them, especially in a game like this.”

The Patriots are 16-3 at home in the playoffs since Brady became the starting quarterback in 2001. But they have not been as dominant in recent years, losing at Gillette Stadium in the playoffs in 2009, 2010 and 2012.

The Patriots lost against the Ravens in the AFC championship in 2012, the first time Belichick and Brady lost on their home field with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

“The only perfect team there was, was the ’72 Dolphins,” Foster said.

“Anyone is beatable. Any Given Sunday has a lot of truth to it. That’s exactly how you have to treat it.”