Week 8 Preview: Steelers vs Patriots – Clash of the Titans

Quite simply, the NFL regular season is so revered because it's brief. Which means, in a league predicated on competitive balance wherein so much parody is featured each year, every game matters. That statement sounds a bit contrite and direct, though every year in week 17, division standings and playoff berths play out in the final seconds of pivotal situations. I say this to highlight the fact that every week in the NFL, there are marquee matchups that stand on their own as epic encounters between elite franchises. These accolades clearly fall on this occasion to the week 8 showdown between the Steelers and the Patriots. These two teams are highly regarded as two of the top teams in the entire league, as well as the AFC's master class (along with the Steelers' division rival Ravens). Many insiders regard this game as an AFC Championship game preview, and I felt it necessary to break from the usual and give it the attention it deserves beforehand.

Perhaps most notably, this battle is one that showcases two top-flight quarterbacks. The Pats are led by possibly the most recognizable name in football today, Tom Brady. This former NFL MVP holds a 6-1 record over the Steelers, owning them in their previous head-to-head clashes. On the other side of the coin, Pittsburgh touts the playmaking veteran Ben Roethlisberger, who's lead one of the league’s top offenses this season. The parallels here are endless, as these two men hold the two best records and highest winning percentages of any NFL QB's that have played the amount of games these two have. These two individuals are also the only two active quarterbacks in the league with multiple Super Bowl rings (Brady has three in his four Super Bowl appearances; Ben has two rings in three tries).

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This game figures to be high-scoring, so don't blink. These teams generally always end up in the 30's when playing each other, and right now both franchises rank in the top 10 in net yards and total offense. Brady spreads the ball around like crazy and efficiently allows his seemingly no-name players to make plays, while Ben's new pass happy offense has lead to a high-powered attack with his young quick receivers. The Pats pesky catch-racker Wes Welker and the Steelers flash-runner Mike Wallace are both in the top 5 in receiving yards and present problems to the opposing defenses with their route-running and sure hands. Both teams look to make a lot of plays through the air as they both rank in the top 5 in passing yards and yards per attempt. Don't expect a lot from the Steelers' inconsistent Rashard Mendenhall or the Pats bevy of small rushers, as the Pats are much improved in rush D (5th) and the Steelers have only suffered a few hiccups in an otherwise run-stuffing dynasty.

Psychology plays a huge factor here as well. The normally well-protected Brady is going to see tons of different looks from hall of famer Dick Lebeau, as Lamarr Woodley is one of the top 5 in sacks, and you must always account for sneaky Steeler safety Troy Polamalu and recent shutdown corner Ike Taylor. But not only is the Pats' O-Line magnified against the Steeler pressure, but the vaunted mid-range passing attack of the Pats looks to expose Pitt's weak coverage. The Pats tight ends' Hernandez and Gronkowski stretch the field well and look to clear out Pittsburgh's hard hitting safeties and leave the outside matchups isolated, which favors the gameplan of genius coach Bill Belichick.

All-in-all, this match-up should be an NFL fans dream. High-powered offense, tons of blitzing, hard hitting, coaching schemes, and two cream of the crop teams vying for the top spot in the AFC. It wouldn't be professional decorum on my behalf to pick a winner here, so I'll let the stats and match-ups listed above help you decide for yourselves. However, promising a hotly- contested and hard hitting showdown is well within my right and belief system. This Sunday's rivalry faceoff will surely be...a clash of the titans.

By Jason Burke
Pro Football Fans Pittsburgh Steelers Correspondent