Sunday Night Fantasy Matchup: New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 10 Matchup:  New England Patriots (6-2) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

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New England Patriots (Patriots Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Pittsburgh Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 24th - TDs Allowed T-3rd

Pittsburgh Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 1st – TDs Allowed T-3rd

New England Offensive Cast

Tom Brady (QB Week 10 Ranking: No. 15) 2010 Season: 166/261 – for 1,826 yards & 14 TDs

Brady’s stats since Randy Moss left have gone down across the board (Shocker!).  However, both he and Belichick know what a game against the Steelers means in the grand scheme of things, so you can bet they’ll both be doing their best to buck the current trend.  230-250 plus a TD or two is probably what you’ll see out of the Stetson Man this Sunday night.

BenJarvis Green-Ellis (RB Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 94 carries for 385 yards & six TDs || Two receptions for 17 yards & zero TDs

The Firm won’t be solving the case of the Pittsburgh Steelers rush D this weekend.  Leave him on your bench.

Danny Woodhead (RB Week 10 Ranking: No. 29) 2010 Season: 45 carries for 232 yards & two TDs || 16 receptions for 174 yards & one TD

I am going to repeat this statement until he’s a household name:  The records this kid set at both his High School in North Platte, Wisconsin and at his D-II school at Chadron State College are simply staggering.  I mean Madden 2011-style staggering.  As in the kid averaged 183 rushing yards/game over FOUR YEARS at Chadron State (212.0 was his highest average – Junior Year) and had 109 total TDs during that time (38 was his most – Junior Year).  He rushed for more than 200 yards in a game 19 of his 39 appearances and scored in 37 straight contests, both NCAA records.  Just to top it all off, Woodhead also ran track in High School for one year and broke his school’s 100-meter record with a time of 10.5 seconds.  Undrafted in the NFL or not, this kid is special. 

Fred Taylor (RB Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 25 carries for 98 yards & zero TDs || Two receptions for six yards & zero TDs

Taylor will be fondling his paycheck on the bench yet again this week.

Wes Welker (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 40) 2010 Season: 44 receptions for 355 yards & three TDs

Welker’s role has diminished significantly since the Mossman left town and it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to repeat his 100-catch years from the past three seasons.  However, Brady will have to throw to somebody this weekend as the Steelers sure as hell won’t let the Pats run the ball, so Welker may be in for a ton of targets this Sunday.

Deion Branch (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 47) 2010 Season: 29 receptions for 291 yards & two TDs

Brady and the Patriots are going to have to throw the ball if they want to beat the Steelers, so Branch will definitely have the opportunity to come out of his slump this Sunday.  It’s a long shot, but you never know with Mr. Gisele Bundchen running the show.

Brandon Tate (WR Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 16 receptions for 251 yards & one TD

Tate just isn’t getting enough targets to be worth playing.

Aaron Hernandez (TE Week 10 Ranking: No. 11) 2010 Season: 34 receptions for 436 yards & two TDs

Hernandez had the game of his life last weekend catching two TDs against the Browns.  He also racked up the most targets he’s had all year with nine.  However, the Steelers have only given up one TD to a tight end this year, so don’t expect a repeat performance.

Rob Gronkowski (TE Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 14 receptions for 148 yards & three TDs

Hernandez may have the catches and yards, but Rob still has him beat in TDs…barely.

Pittsburgh Steelers (Steelers Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

New England Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 29th - TDs Allowed T-21st

New England Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 21st – TDs Allowed T-21st

Pittsburgh Offensive Cast

Ben Roethlisberger (QB Week 10 Ranking: No. 4) 2010 Season: 69/109 – for 917 yards & six TDs

Big Ben didn’t go off the way I thought he might last week, but at home against a crap New England pass D, the tides will change in his favor.  The Patriots give up 269 passing yards/game (29th in the NFL), which Roethlisberger should eclipse, while also allowing an opposing QB Rating of 94.0 (28th).  Mike Wallace is a hungry youngster and Hines Ward is a savvy veteran, so Big Ben shouldn’t have a problem eating this defense alive on Sunday night.

Rashard Mendenhall (RB Week 10 Ranking: No. 8) 2010 Season: 168 carries for 702 yards & seven TDs || 14 receptions for 93 yards & zero TDs

Rashard was used too much early in the season, but they took it easy on him before this last Monday night game.  Turns out they were right to do so as he rattled off 99 yards and a TD against the Bengals.  Not bad, but it could be better… and might be against the Patriots.

Hines Ward (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 18) 2010 Season: 30 receptions for 375 yards & four TDs

Ward still gets his targets, but he’s taken a backseat to Mike Wallace in terms of the TDs and yards with Big Ben at the helm.  However, against a New England defense that doesn’t defend the pass very well (29th in the NFL), he should be able to approach some of his finer numbers of the year in Week 9.

Mike Wallace (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 10) 2010 Season: 22 receptions for 507 yards & five TDs

Wallace and Big Ben have quite a rapport going on.  In fact, Wallace has caught a TD pass and led the Steelers in receiving yards during three of the four games Roethlisberger has played in this year.  The Patriots pass D is pretty bad (29th in the NFL), so Wallace could have a field day this weekend.

Heath Miller (TE Week 10 Ranking: No. 14) 2010 Season: 20 receptions for 243 yards & one TD

Miller has been awful this year, but a sieve like the Patriots pass D could be all that he needs to break out of it as the Pats have already surrendered four TDs to tight ends this season.