Patriots defeat Steelers, advance to Super Bowl LI against Falcons

Take it from Wade Phillips, slowing down Tom Brady is a goal often sought but seldom achieved. He came into Sunday’s game having already broken the Steelers’ record for most rushing yards in a postseason, so he’ll be looking to add to that total.

The defense, no matter how good it is, takes a back seat.

And that’s coming from a guy who’s had at least some recent success bothering Tom Terrific. After the way the Patriots dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers and given their popularity, I would not be surprised to see New England wind up being favored by more. They’ve won four, the last time in 2015 over the Seattle Seahawks. Julian Edelman caught a short pass over the middle and turned it into a 41-yard play before a Pittsburgh defender breathed on him.

So you’re telling me that Belichick, a man with a habit of using the name of his next opponent to filibuster against questions he doesn’t want to answer, was ignorant to his next opponent? The pressure you get you have to get it 1-on-1. “The Pats had guys running free all day”.

Yes, the Ravens did beat the Steelers in November, then came heartbreakingly close to completing a sweep on Christmas. “He sees everybody. He’s special that way, too”.

Look for the Steelers to try to do something similar. Brady didn’t throw an interception and competed six passes of 20 yards or more.

But Brady will face a much healthier Steelers pass rush than he did in Week 7’s 27-16 road win. “I kept getting chances and taking advantage of all of these opportunities”. It had 31 sacks during the nine-game winning streak – most in the National Football League during that time – and forced 18 turnovers.

“I just don’t understand Pittsburgh at all”, Francesa said at the start of his WFAN show.

For the Steelers, it’s almost impossible to win in Foxborough, where they are 1-5 since 2002; Brady was injured for the one Pittsburgh victory in 2008. “The game was… we wished we could have played them one more time, we wish it was like the National Basketball Association and we could play them seven times because, obviously, we didn’t put a good performance out there”. It doesn’t get any better than (No.) 12.

This was all during a TV timeout with 2:44 still left to play in the third quarter, but by this point, they were merely waiting on formalities.

Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals and missed an extra point in the win, the Patriots’ ninth in a row and 13th in 14 games since Brady’s return.

Hogan had only 38 catches for 680 yards and four touchdowns, but his average of 17.9 yards per catch was tops in the NFL.

“He’s got that team playing well”, Brady said on sports radio WEEI on January 9.

“They’ve been dominant”, he said. Without Bell, the Patriots were able to double-team the Steelers’ other biggest threat, leaving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looking for Eli Rogers (seven catches) just as much as the Pro Bowler Brown. “We have to address those challenges better”.