USA TODAY International Edition
Pats’ O- line expects better play
New England puts struggles of last game in past
FOXBOROUGH, MASS. Nate Solder stuffed thigh pads into his pants as he sat on a folding chair in front of his locker when he paused to rattle off the names.
They belonged to the pass rushers of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and once he was done listing them he shrugged as if to accept the challenge and then kept prepping his pants for Wednesday’s practice, which was due to start in about 20 minutes.
“Yeah, I don’t know why that is,” Solder, the left tackle of the New England Patriots, told USA TODAY Sports when asked why Pittsburgh’s pass rush has been more productive recently. “But I agree. They are playing really great right now. Their linebackers are creating pressure, their secondary is creating pressure. They’re getting it from all over, and they’re doing it very well right now.”
As the Patriots prepare to face the Steelers on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game, perhaps the most important matchup of the game is Pittsburgh’s pass rush going up against New England’s offensive line.
During the Steelers’ nine- game winning streak, the defense has sacked opposing quarterbacks 31 times and have put passers on the ground 64 times.
The Steelers tied for ninth in the regular season with 38 sacks. To show just how much the unit improved as the season progressed, 25 sacks came in the final seven games of the year.
The surge has been due to a few factors.
The emergence of second- year linebacker Bud Dupree, who made his season debut Week 11 after recovering from a groin injury, the continued production of 38- year- old veteran James Harrison, the steady development of defensive end Stephon Tuitt and Pittsburgh’s versatility in moving defenders all across the line of scrimmage have made this unit one of the toughest to contain.
“They’ve been dominant,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said Wednesday in his news conference. “Their linebackers are some of the best in the league. Big front, very physical, very mentally tough team, well coached, great scheme, pressure the quarterback — they’re doing a lot of things well.”
This comes at a complicated time for New England.
In Saturday’s 34- 16 Patriots victory against the Houston Texans, it was the New England offensive line that struggled, giving up a couple of sacks and allowing Brady to get hit eight times. The majority of the pressure came through the interior of the unit.
Not coincidentally, the increased pressure was instrumental in forcing Brady to throw two interceptions — matching his total from the regular season.
“There’s nothing more important than taking care of the ball,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “It’s No. 1 on the hit parade.”
But Houston has a formidable defensive front, led by young and ultra- athletic linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus. And it was just one poor showing.
The Patriot offensive line, after all, did rank fifth best in sacks during the regular season, allowing only 24.
“Don’t let one bad game fool you,” Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday after the win against the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. “That offense has been one of the league’s best for a long time. And no doubt everyone wants to talk about Tom Brady.
“But Tom Brady does what he does because that O- line gives him the time and space he needs. It’s not going to be easy.”
So how do the Patriots bounce back?
“It comes down to three things,” Solder said, “our communication, our preparation, and our execution.”
While that might be an overly simplified response, New England’s offensive line knows it’s more than just what comes up on the box score.
“Just ’ cause you didn’t give up any sacks, if you let your quarterback get hit 20 times, it’s not a good day,” center David Andrews told USA TODAY Sports.
“Or if you let guys through and they’re making life tough for Tom, it’s not a good day.
“Sure, the goal is to not give up a sack, but timing is so much of what we do, so, yeah, we’ve got to fight their guys off long enough to let Tom do what he needs to.
“We can’t have a repeat of last week.”