NFL Week 8: The Steelers Must Do the Unusual to Beat the Patriots

The schedule makers have done their part to feature this match-up almost every year. Steelers and Patriots - a game that should be one of the epic regular season games on the NFL schedule each year.  Both teams usually have good win-loss records and both teams come into the game with lots of hype. 

But, over the years, this game has been a disappointment - rarely competitive, and usually not ending in a Steelers victory.

Steelers fans and writers can blame turnovers, the secondary or lack of pressure on Brady. Those are good in-game analysis points. However, it is my opinion that the root cause of Steelers' losses to the Patriots is the lack of change, and not enough of the unusual.

It is not good enough to line up your talent and play your best game against the Patriots. The Steelers have to differentiate from their tape, find creativity to truly leverage their talent, and finally produce a win against their regular season and playoff nemesis, the New England Patriots.

Offensive Key (I): Protect Big Ben & Let the WR Talent Do Their Thing

Regardless of how well the Defense plays, the Steelers' Offense has to outscore the Patriot scoring machine. I am thinking it will take 30-35 points to get this victory. To accomplish this, the Steelers' line, TEs and RBs have to give Ben Roethlisberger time to use all of his offensive weapons - firepower he didn't have the past few years against the Patriots. I have written a little about this point on pocket protection before, and to beat the Patriots, Ben Roethlisberger needs a pocket like Tom Brady.

The Patriots are by no means a team loaded with top-tier DBs & LBs, so the Steelers’ collective receiving talent (WRs, Heath Miller, and RBs) should be able find space if Big Ben gets 4-5 seconds more often than not.

The Patriots will no doubt be most worried about Mike Wallace, and assign their best coverage DB to him. So, the Steelers need to spread out and let their other WR talent find open spaces.

Bottom line on this point – play like the Packers. Give Ben Roethlisberger time with good OL play and designed roll-outs. Cut the WRs loose, and the Patriots will not be able to cover them all.

Offense (II): No-Huddle, Early & Often

Big Ben thrives in the no-huddle and the Steelers seem to find their best rhythm and move the ball better from a no-huddle offense. 

The no-huddle offense will also enable the Steelers to take advantage of their many offensive weapons.  Let's keep the Patriots guessing, chasing and tired. I know this will take us away from our beloved power football, but the League and the Patriots are forcing this kind of play.

To add the element of change, maybe the Steelers can try going no-huddle on every other series.

Offense (III): Bruce Arians, Change from the Tape

Bill Belichick loves to identify teams’ tendencies on tape. He feasts on teams who rely on their favorite plays and preferences. He resets his defensive chess pieces to match up with what the other team’s offense is trying to do.

Besides penalties, turnovers and the Steelers' own execution issues, the only way this high-powered offense can be slowed down by the Patriots Defense is if Bruce Arians calls the game like he normally does. The Steelers have seven games on tape; this is the perfect time to mix it up and make those tapes useless for Bill Belichick. There are too many old memories of Asante Samuel jumping routes and going the other way.

So, let’s run to the left when we normally run to the right and use the pass to setup the run. Let’s run multiple plays out of the same formation or even do the opposite of what our formations are normally designed do show/do.

Defense (I): Pressure Brady with Mix of Base & Blitz D

I am sure defensive wizard Dick LeBeau knows what to do, but I hope he has some new things up his sleeve for Tom Brady. 

I’d like to see Timmons, Sylvestor, Farrior and Woodley run some stunts, creating pressure from the middle rather than the outside. 

The Steelers also need an inspired game from the DL - Hampton, Hood, Kiesel, Heyward, McLendon and Hoke. Tom Brady is able to beat outside rushers by stepping up in the middle of his pocket and getting the ball out quickly. He needs to feel some heat in front of his face.

Blitzing DBs from the outside is a dangerous, double-edged sword against Brady and his quick receivers, but if the Steelers do it, I hope Coach LeBeau can disguise it well, with Polamalu or Gay coming in from the slot.

Defense (II): Let Woodley Be Woodley

LaMarr Woodley is a BEAST!  A talented, strong pass-rusher like him should not drop in coverage - ever.  The Zone Blitz is nice, but against the quick passing attack of the Patriots, Woodley’s talents are best utilized in hunting and harassing Brady all day – from left, from right and up the middle.

LaMarr Woodley gets his sacks in bunches, and he is currently on a hot streak. Let Tom Brady feel this heat from all sides. Brady and his OL should not have the comfort of finding Woodley in the same spot before the snap.

Defense (III): Wilcard Call to Have Hines Ward Guard Wes Welker

Before Hines injured his ankle, I thought it would be cool and unusual to have Hines practice on defense. Call me crazy, but I thought of Hines as the ideal candidate to bump, shadow and hit Wes Welker all day. Hines knows the receiver position, is known as a vicious hitter, loves the challenge, and could also come off the edge for an unusual blitz.

Now, this would be a new look - one the Patriots could not predict. If Hines’ ankle injury does not allow this, then maybe young and fast Curtis Brown could be assigned to guard Wes Welker – and guard him closely, like a basketball player.

Ike Taylor's talents are better used on another receiver, or possibly even on one of those dangerous TE’s when they line up wide.

This type of change would be the ultimate, and possibly effective, surprise. Wes Welker has not been stopped by his opponents' usual techniques. The little guy with average speed somehow has big days against every team. Maybe it's time to try something different.

Summary: Change, Change, & More Change for Victory

The usual points written by other writers also apply....Don’t turn the ball over, create turnovers, run the football and keep Tom Brady off the field.  

But, I feel the Steelers and their coaches must bring the element of surprise to beat these Patriots. This is not one of those games where simply rising to the challenge and beating the man in front of you is going to be enough. That’s a Baltimore-Pittsburgh divisional matchup (next week). 

This is of those match-ups where history has proven that doing what we normally do gets us killed. Blaming turnovers is too simple.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick love to pick a team apart, and are quite confident when it comes to film study. Let film study be their weakness – let them study one team, but face another.

I view this game as a critical, must-have game for the Steelers. We don’t get another shot at this team during the season (as we do with the Ravens next week), and I would the think the Steelers want to send the Patriots, the league and their own locker room a message that they can beat anyone when it's playoff time.