Steelers @ Patriots: Official Game Thread

In the preseason, the Steelers went 3-1 with wins in both home games. Now the Steelers travel to Gillette Stadium to play the Patriots.

For the Steelers to win:
The Steelers need to play a complete game (Offense, Defense, Special Teams for 60 min.).
The Steelers defense needs to pressure Tom Brady up the middle.
The Steelers need to run the ball effectively - this also helps to limit the number of chance the Patriots offense gets.
Ben Roethlisberger needs to play well.
The Steelers need to score TDs when in the red zone (and when not).
Chris Boswell needs to play well (hopefully only attempting XP on many TD)
The Steelers need to protect the ball. They need to win the turnover battle.
Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, and Matt Feiler need to play well as a unit.

From Steelers Depot:
Steelers Versus Patriots Week 1 Projected Inactive List

Sean Davis – Davis officially ended the week listed as doubtful for Sunday night on the team’s injury report due to an ankle injury that he suffered during the third preseason game. Davis failed to practice all week so he’s very unlikely to play against the Patriots. With Davis expected to be inactive Sunday night, safety Kameron Kelly is expected to start in his place.

Joshua Dobbs – Dobbs, the Steelers backup quarterback to starter Ben Roethlisberger all last season, starts the 2019 regular season as the team’s No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. This means that second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph will open the 2019 regular season as Roethlisberger’s backup and thus Dobbs is expected to be one of the Steelers seven inactive players Sunday night against the Patriots.

Zach Banner – Banner was on the Steelers inactive list for all 16 games last season and he’s expected to open the 2019 regular season on it as well as one of two offensive linemen not expected to dress Sunday night against the Patriots. The Steelers generally only like to dress seven offensive linemen in total every week so baring any injuries, Banner is likely to be on the inactive list quite a bit in 2019.

Fred Johnson – Like Banner, Johnson, a rookie undrafted free agent this year out of Florida, is also expected to be an inactive offensive lineman Sunday night against the Patriots. Johnson is a guard by trade, so he’s likely be on the Steelers inactive list quite a bit in 2019 barring any injuries to other offensive linemen taking place.

Isaiah Buggs – The Steelers usually only dress five defensive linemen for games and if that holds true again on Sunday, Buggs, one of the team’s three sixth-round draft picks this year, will more than likely be the odd man out and thus one of the team’s seven inactive players against the Patriots. Buggs being inactive should result in backup defensive tackle Daniel McCullers getting a helmet along with the team’s other backup defensive lineman, Tyson Alualu.

Diontae Johnson – The Steelers promoted wide receiver Johnny Holton to their 53-man roster on Saturday so that’s a good sign that he will be active Sunday night and play mainly on special teams. His promotion is probably a good sign that rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson might be one of the seven inactive players. Skipper was waived to make room for Holton.

Justin Layne – The final inactive player for Sunday night is a bit of a tough guess. It’s likely to be a rookie, but which one? With only five total wide receivers, three total tight ends and three true total running backs on the week 1 53-man roster, it would make sense for rookies Diontae Johnson, Zach Gentry and Benny Snell Jr. to all dress. It would also make sense for the Steelers to dress Adeniyi as a fourth outside linebacker and rookie inside linebacker Ulysses Gilbert III and especially the latter as he looks like an above-average special teams player. Adeniy, however, hasn’t played since the Steelers first preseason game, but wasn’t listed on the injury report this week just the same. Layne worked as a gunner along with fellow cornerback Artie Burns most of the preseason. That said, there are likely a few other options to play the gunner role Sunday night should Layne sit with fellow cornerback Cameron Sutton possibly being one of them. By process of speculation elimination, I will go with Layne as my choice for the seventh and final inactive for Week 1.

 

Keys to the game:
Arthur Moats: Wrap Up Running Backs (Steelers ILBs vs Patriots RBs)
Tunch Ilkin: Stop The Run
Missi Matthews: Special Teams (play mistake free)

 

Will AB be on the field during pregame warmups yapping and causing a distraction to our beloveds?

Regarding pressuring Brady up the middle, I’ll take pressure from anywhere. I heard that NE was scrambling around for OL last week and signed 3 new lineman to the roster just this week. Not sure how true that is.

 

I think the Steelers will move the ball. It comes down to the D. Last two games have been close and the Steelers were a rule enforced dropped pass wway from winning both.

I expect a close game.

 

Smile
Jimmy Durante
"Smile,
Though your heart is achin'
Smile,
Even though it's breakin'
When there are are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile,
And maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shinin' through,
For you...
Light up your face with gladness
Hide, every trace of sadness
Although a tear
may be ever so near
That's the time, You must keep on tryin'
Smile, what's the use of cryin'
You'll find that life is still worth while
If you just smile
If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile, and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shinin' through
for you...…"

 

via Imgflip Meme Generator

 

Techheart's Take:

Tuzar - The most rabid and uncontrolled by the league who hasn't gotten his reality check yet that it is the WWE was just put on practice squad....can't have a free radical injuring Brady boy ....

AB now a Patriot .... scripted

NFL = WWE

Will be fun to watch this soap opera play out hour by hour .... lol ... soap opera's used to only take up an hour a day of someone's life....these unfold minute by minute in "Weird World" - TM Techheart

 

How many Patriots fans does it take to change a light bulb?
NONE! They'll just suck that dick in the dark.

 

Believe they have 4/5 of their starters playing, the center went on IR a week or two ago. Believe the moves were mostly for depth. Bodine is the only one that is projected to start, but not until next week. Kassan (I think is his name) is supposedly headed back to being the top backup once Bodine gets up to speed with the offense.

 

LETS FUCKING GO!!!!!!!!

 

Well Patriots draw first blood, Haden can’t make the tackle on Gordon, and Edmunds blew by.

 

That wasn’t a hold, Villanueva got blown up

 

This is going to be a long night

 

I don’t understand why every time they play at NE they are thoroughly out coached and out played. It’s insufferable watching them play in NE

 

I thought Chung got popped for coke

 

Here We Go Steelers!!!

 

They’ll wait until after the season to suspend him. Believe he’s on bail awaiting trial

 

Wtf was that? Why a toss on 3rd and short?!

 

lets be honest, Patrick Chung is rich and wont serve a single minute. Police found coke at his residence while checking out a tripped house alarm. Tough to prove it's his and it doesnt seem to be enough to be considered intent to sell.
this isnt a Patriots thing, this is a rich American thing and thats why he wont have to deal with negative repercussions.

 

This is pathetic. I usually watch an entire game no matter how bad or good the game is going but this one is a candidate to be turned off by end of 3rd quarter.

All that excitement and optimism for the season feels like it just went down the toilet with their performance so far