Mike Tomlin and staff versus B.B. and his staff.
Big Ben is playing really well. AB is having a beyond amazing season. Steelers have a lot of good things going on, and a very sad event with Shazier.
Pats have a lot of injuries, have been banged up. Many holes. Some say this year might be the hoodie's best coaching ever.
Don't judge the Pats based on last week. Seriously. If you are a Pats hater, by all means do so and pile on. Gronk is back, and he is just a terrible matchup for the Steelers. Their linebackers and safeties can't handle him. That's very good for Brady. Gronk plays his best football against this team. Brady has always played well at Heinz.
I like how Big Ben plays. He's just no Brady. And, please don't anybody utter the most stupid words in NFL fandom, "system quarterback." Brady seems to always win the big ones. And he can stink up the point in the ones that don't matter.
On the flip side, even if B.B. and Patricia slow down AB, the Pats defensive line is not good right now. Nor are their linebackers. Steelers could run at will and hold onto the ball for long periods of time.
Should be the best NFL game of the year. I think the Patriots can win. In a nail biter. Won't be surprised either way, though. Two VERY good teams. Winner should be in the SB. Playing twice in Pittsburgh is not what the Patriots want.
AFC championship game in Pittsburgh, in what might be Ben's last season? That one makes the Steelers prohibitive favorites.
And BB, his staff and his team are all aware of that. Most important game of the season. I bet both teams were gameplanning this one in August.
Look forward to it.