The Pittsburgh Steelers are best known for their high-powered offense, but New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick sees a complete team.
During his Friday press conference, Belichick said that every time he watches film, the more impressed he is with the Steelers. Belichick commended the Pittsburgh offense, defense, special teams and coaching staff for its execution this season.
“You need to play a good 60-minute, complete football game, all three phases, to be competitive with these guys. They’re good at everything.
It’s fair to suggest the NFL will be closely monitoring the showdown between the AFC powers Sunday afternoon. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is really looking forward to it.
Yes, the clash be broadcast in every market except for three scattered parts of the United States, so most viewers don’t have a choice anyway. But the Steelers and Patriots are widely considered the AFC’s two best teams.
Depending on the result of the Jacksonsville Jaguars matchup with the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh could move within one victory of sealing home-field advantage in the AFC. A win over New England plus a Jacksonville loss would seal it for the Steelers.
That would be a critical accomplishment, since New England won the Super Bowl each of the last two seasons it earned home field. Plus, Pittsburgh hasn’t defeated the Patriots since 2011. This is a prove-it game for the 11-2 squad.
Otherwise, the 10-3 Patriots will surge to the AFC’s No. 1 spot thanks to the tiebreaker. The Steelers are a complete team, but Belichick’s crew is capable of derailing them.