How bad will it be this week?

[Starlifter]

I expect the pats will show what a playoff team does against a team that it is supposed to beat. they won't rely on excuses or platitudes (any given sunday, ect). they will also not miss the chance to make a 'statement' against a team they may see again in foxboro this january. i'm hoping for the best - but history tells me otherwise.

[Ghost]

Gronk goes for over 200 and possibly the all time record for receiving yards by a TE in a single game.

[SteelCrazy]

Gronk goes for over 200 and possibly the all time record for receiving yards by a TE in a single game.

I'd agree with that, but Martellus Bennett has become a huge cog in the gear wheel of the Patriots offense. Maybe a record day for 2 TE's on one team.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers hope to mix it up against Gronkowski and Bennett
October 22, 2016 12:02 AM
By Ray Fittipaldo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Before he was a four-time All-Pro, before he was known simply by the first syllable of last his name, before he kept defensive coordinators up at night, Rob Gronkowski was just a rookie trying to make his way in the NFL in 2010.

In the first eight games of his rookie season, Gronkowski never had 50 yards receiving in a game. He only had 14 receptions and was hardly someone opposing defenses had to game-plan around.

That all changed when the New England Patriots played the Steelers in a mid-November game that would help decide the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. On Nov. 14, Gronkowski had his coming out party at Heinz Field.

The 21-year old tight end, four years removed from his playing days at Woodland Hills High School, Gronkowski caught three touchdowns in a 39-26 Patriots victory.

Since then, Gronkowski has become a nearly unstoppable force. He enters a game Sunday against the Steelers with 66 touchdown receptions, two shy of setting the franchise record held by Stanley Morgan. He is seven catches shy of 400 for his career and could pass 6,000 receiving yards with a big game against the Steelers, something he has made a habit of over the past six seasons.

In four games against the Steelers, Gronkowski has 26 receptions for 403 and seven touchdowns. The seven touchdowns are the second-most against an NFL opponent for Gronkowski.

And now, as if the Steelers didn’t have enough problems covering one tight end, the Patriots added Martellus Bennett to the equation this season. Bennett leads the Patriots in receiving yards (362) and touchdowns (4).

With Gronkowski coming on after an early season injury hampered his production, quarterback Tom Brady now has two huge targets in the passing game.

“They have presence out there,” Brady said. “They enjoy playing with one another. They’re just tough matchups. They’re 275-pound guys that can run. That’s a hard matchup for any safety or linebacker.”

The Steelers know that all too well, but they did receive some good news this week with the return of inside linebacker Ryan Shazier, who missed the past three games with a knee injury. Shazier’s speed and his ability to run with Gronkowski and Bennett will help, especially with safeties Mike Mitchell and Robert Golden banged up with knee and foot injuries.

The Gronkowski-Bennett tandem is similar to what Brady had earlier in his career with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez before Hernandez was imprisoned for murder.

“They have the tandem they want at tight end,” Shazier said. “Now they can use tight ends the way they want. You have to respect everyone on the field. Both of them are good blockers, good pass threats and great at running after the catch.”

After recording just one reception though the first four games while dealing with a hamstring injury, Gronkowski has resembled his All-Pro form the past two games. He had five catches for 109 yards against Cleveland and seven catches for a career high 162 yards and his first touchdown of the season last week against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Having Shazier back in the lineup will help, but defensive coordinator Keith Butler harped on the mental mistakes that derailed the Steelers last week in Miami. If those mistakes are not corrected Sunday, it won’t matter who is playing, he said.

“We have to be able to play more than one defense,” Butler said. “They’re very good and they’ll pick you apart if they can figure out what you’re doing. We just have to execute the defense more than anything else. If we can do that … that’s been our problem for the most part. Some of the things that went on last week, we missed some things we should have made mentally.”

Butler and defensive backs coach Carnell Lake talked up Sean Davis’ ability to cover tight ends when the Steelers drafted him in the second round this spring, but Davis’ role has been reduced in recent weeks, and he might only see the field if Mitchell and Golden are injured again.

That will leave it up to Shazier and a variety of others to get the job done against Gronkowski and the rest of Brady’s receiving corps.

“You have to continue to mix it up against him,” linebacker Arthur Moats said of defending Gronkowski. “You can’t give him the same look over and over. He has success on guys like that. If we disrupt him, and rush Brady and speed up his clock, I definitely think that will help out.”

[phillyesq]

The Cubs are in the World Series. Penn State beat Ohio State. Anything can happen, and while I'd love to be optimistic, I'm just can't see this turning out well.

I'm afraid the defense, with it's anemic pass rush, gets absolutely gashed. I think NE wins and I don't think it will be close.

[pfelix73]

I think if they can muster a ground game, with the short passes, control the clock TOP game, and avoid interceptions/ fumbles, we should do just fine. But if we get down early....I'll find something else to watch..

[feltdizz]

Well, if we can control the turnover margin we may have a shot. Great play by Jarvis to start the game.

[feltdizz]

Ugh... I blame Landry and Brown on that one. Brown got muscled on a slightly under thrown ball.