New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Players Who Must Have a Big Game

This upcoming week brings a matchup between two of the league's top teams: the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. 

Both have players that will eventually make it to the Hall of Fame, and both are looking to hold the Lombardi trophy at the end of the year. 

There will always be those marquee players who have big games: Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Wes Welker. However, what is more important are those players who are not talked about as much.

The Patriots and Steelers matchup will come down to the small plays, and players who do their job correctly and without penalty.  Those players will be the ones to help tip the scale in their team's favor.  

Troy Polamalu

The Patriots have without a doubt one of the best offenses in the league.  They are led by arguably the league's best quarterback, Tom Brady.  The coaching staff has a system that has been working at a high efficiency.

Troy Polamalu has to come into this game and be ready to break up plays and prevent Brady from getting into a rhythm.  Luckily for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they have the No. 1 pass defense in the league. 

Polamalu has the team’s second-highest number of tackles—only two behind James Farrior.

After suffering a concussion, it will be interesting to see how Polamalu responds to a high-octane offense and a team that is a legitimate Super Bowl contender.  Brady will try to use his tight ends and Welker in most of his short routes, which Polamalu will have to prevent.

Throughout the years in the league, Polamalu has been known to be an excellent snap count reader.  He has jumped more snaps and tackled for losses than almost every other player in the league. 

The talent is there and the determination is there, the only thing left is preparation and execution.

Gronkowski/ Hernandez

As good as Wes Welker is with Tom Brady, much of the damage has come from the tight ends of the New England Patriots. 

With eight touchdowns, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have combined for half of the total thrown by Brady.  They are highlighted more so in the red zone where Brady is able to find those big targets against the smaller defensive backs. 

Both these players have the skills of a wide receiver and both can block.  Hernandez, as showcased on the game-winning drive against the Cowboys, has the ability to run routes, get open and even make some fantastic catches.

Gronkowski is a big target and a reliable pass-catcher.  He rarely drops the ball and is a low turnover player, just what Belichick wants in his players. 

Obviously Brady will try to find Welker more so throughout the game, but whether it is the Belichick system or Brady’s vision, the tight ends always find a way to get their catches. 

Especially when playing a tough Steelers defense whose pass defense is No. 1 in the league, look for Brady to find quick plays for the tight ends and get the ball out of his hand.  

Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace leads his team in total receiving yards with 730 and five touchdown catches.  He is arguably the fastest player in the league and has an innate ability to get open. 

Look out for Ben Roethlisberger targeting Wallace for most of the game, especially playing against the league's worst overall defense.

With the combined effectiveness of Wallace and the poor performance of the Patriot's defense, it looks like the Steelers are poised to put up some big numbers on the scoreboard.  

Rashard Mendenhall

Rashard Mendenhall is the primary back for the Pittsburgh Steelers and has been the working horse for most of the year.  Due to Roethlisberger’s not-so-hot start, it was imperative that Mendenhall have a good start to the year.

He already leads the team with 351 yards rushing and three touchdowns.  However, with the Patriots' pathetic last-ranked defense, it is highly likely the fans will be able to see another great game by Mendenhall. 

The Patriots will have a big front line in Vince Wilfork and Albert Haynesworth.  This may make it slightly more difficult for Mendenhall to have a big game, but if Roethlisberger can do some damage in the passing game, it will open up huge holes for the Steelers' running back.

Look out for Mendenhall to have a great game and maintain long possessions for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Patriots Offensive Line

The key to the New England Patriots offense is keeping Tom Brady upright.  When Brady goes untouched and is able to maintain that pocket, he can find any of his receivers and throw an accurate pass.

With the tough defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it will be a challenge to give Brady as much time as he has been afforded thus far. 

Players like Troy Polamalu, James Farrior and Ryan Clark are going to make it a long day for the Patriots' offensive line. 

The line will have to be audible to make sure that no extra defender comes in and takes out Brady.  It is vital for the offensive line to do its job correctly and efficiently in Sunday’s matchup against the Steelers.

With the Patriots having the worst defense in the league, it will be necessary for them to put up points on the board for them to have a chance at the win.