Pittsburgh's offensive identity is defined by its ability to run the football and control the game, and third-year running back Rashard Mendenhall has started to develop as one of the league's premier feature backs, a role of which is a dying breed in today's NFL. Mendenhall is fast, elusive, breaks tackles and catches passes, which essentially means he's the complete package.
But the Steelers will remove him from the field on passing downs in favor of Mewelde Moore, who is one of the better third-down backs in the league. Moore, though, is trying to overcome a concussion, and his status is uncertain for the weekend. If Moore can't play, the Patriots might try to test Mendenhall's blitz pickup ability. The Steelers are already weak, having lost both starting tackles — Willie Colon and Max Starks — to injury, so the belief is they should be susceptible on the edge. If the Patriots are going to be successful on defense, they absolutely have to take advantage of Pittsburgh's beatable offensive line.
Sometimes, though, the Steelers go away from Mendenhall for curiously long stretches — similar to the Vikings' strange obsession with forgetting about Adrian Peterson for two or three series at a time — so if the Patriots sense the Steelers are becoming one-dimensional, that will obviously work in their favor.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has played well since returning from suspension four games ago, and the passing game features three talented targets. Wide receiver Mike Wallace might be the fastest player in the league, and he's averaging 23.0 yards per catch. If the Patriots don't jam Wallace at the line, he'll essentially be able to run through the defense, no matter how deep the safeties are playing him. Wallace isn’t a complete wide receiver, but he's a dynamic deep threat who is a threat to run straight down the field on every single play. It helps that Roethlisberger has one of the most explosive arms in the game and can essentially throw the thing out of the stadium.
Wide receiver Hines Ward is a tremendous route runner and possession receiver, and he'll fight for everything he can get. Ward is tough to tackle, and he might also be the best blocking receiver in the league. If the Patriots don’t equal Ward's intensity, he'll beat them every time he's got the ball in his hands. As scary as Wallace's speed can be, Ward is going to be really difficult for the Patriots' cornerbacks to contain.
Heath Miller is a balanced tight end who handles each of the position's responsibilities well. He'll be used to block to provide relief for the offensive line, and he is also a possession receiver who Roethlisberger has always trusted.
The Steelers' defense is ruthless, and they simply won't let anyone run on them. Therefore, the Patriots might be smart to dig out the playbook they used on the run-stingy Vikings in 2006, when Tom Brady threw 43 passes and the Pats only rushed it 15 times in a 31-7 victory. Minnesota's defensive coordinator that day? Current Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Pittsburgh's front-seven is led by its outstanding group of linebackers. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison are the outside guys who lead the pass rush, while James Farrior and Lawrence Timmons are the inside linebackers who spend the brunt of their time in pass coverage. And when the Steelers move into their commonly used 2-4-5 sub package, Woodley and Harrison often get down in a three-point stance and work as defensive linemen.
The Steelers' pressure is usually generated from the outside, and that can filter toward the inside if the protections aren’t executed properly. To mix it up, the Steelers sometimes put Woodley and Harrison on the same side of the field, or they show blitz with safety Troy Polamalu, who starts off at the line on a good chunk of plays. Pittsburgh's zone blitzes — when a down lineman drops back into coverage while a linebacker or defensive back rushes the passer — are another way for the Steelers to mix it up.
Yet, the Steelers, who have generated 24 sacks this season, are 24th in pass defense. They played a Cover-2 scheme that leaves a lot of space in the middle of the field. So, any Patriots who are able to get off the line and behind the inside linebackers will have opportunities to catch passes and do some work. This could yield a productive game for wide receiver Wes Welker and tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Granted, Polamalu and safety Ryan Clark may try to decapitate any receiver who crosses the middle, but the yardage will be there nonetheless.
Teams that beat the Steelers have to be willing to play physical with them, and the Patriots should test the coverage skills of Farrior and Timmons, along with cornerbacks Bryant McFadden, Ike Taylor and William Gay. However, any success the Patriots have in that regard must start with the offensive line and the blocking skills of Gronkowski and tight end Alge Crumpler, who must collectively keep the pass rushers at bay.
