Larger text
Smaller text
Print
E-mail
Steelers ready for rematch with Patriots
Bad memories
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review
But what Steelers running back Jerome Bettis remembers most about last January's AFC Championship game is that the New England Patriots came into Heinz Field and dominated the Steelers physically.
"To be quite honest, they out-toughed us," Bettis said. "In our place. We gotta repay that favor."
Bettis first expressed such a post mortem publicly just prior to the Super Bowl, which New England won over the St. Louis Rams.
That he would reprise such a refrain just days before the rematch on Monday night at Gillette Stadium in New England suggests Bettis was speaking then and again Wednesday with perspective rather than out of frustration.
"They beat up on us a little bit," Bettis said. "You look at the game last year, they were a little more physical than us up front. We know it; they know it.
"It's one of those things where we're going to have to ratchet it up a little bit and be ready."
Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm apparently arrived at the same conclusion as Bettis.
It was either that or a coincidence that resulted in Grimm showing his linemen a tape of the Patriots game on the first day of the Steelers' offseason coaching sessions in May.
"It was tough to watch," guard Alan Faneca said. "It was an eye-opener. It kind of set the tone for the season."
Faneca wasn't willing to agree wholeheartedly with Bettis' assessment that New England's defense "out-toughed" the Steelers but conceded the Patriots outplayed the Steelers in their 24-17 victory for the conference title.
"They beat us," Faneca said. "You have to give them their due credit."
The Patriots held the Steelers to 58 yards rushing on 22 attempts, including 8 yards on nine carries by Bettis.
In doing so, they hit the Steelers with a variety of personnel groups, alignments and approaches that caught the Steelers off guard at times, Faneca said.
"They came out and they played ball," he said. "I think at times they had us on our toes with what they were doing. It always helps to be able to just fly off the ball and not be thinking as much. They had that (the Steelers' relative uncertainty) in their favor.
"They had us guessing a lot on a lot of things. They were moving around and they had us where we were thinking and coming off the ball at the same time."
Offensive tackle Wayne Gandy credited the unfailing consistency with which the Patriots executed their defensive assignments.
"The biggest thing that surprised us about New England was how sound and disciplined they were," Gandy said. "Usually, at some point somebody over-reads or over-reaches or tries to do more than they should, and that's when the big play occurs. But this defense was very secure in that, 'If I'm supposed to be in this gap, I'm going to stay here and let the other guy make the play. I'm not going to risk overlapping or anything and risk the integrity of the defense.'
"We hadn't experienced that all season last year."
The Steelers will know better what to expect from the Patriots this time around, Gandy said.
At least they had better.
"They're going to match us with their intensity," Gandy said. "Don't look at this team for a superstar player. Look at it as a team and a team defense."
Gandy also cautioned against seeking revenge from a game in which only a season-opening victory can be learned.
"I wish sometimes this was a boxing match and by us playing them I could get the title back, but I can't," Gandy said. "They have the ring and there's nothing we can do about it. All we can do is play against them.
"Trying to go out and look for redemption in a game that's not for the Super Bowl is kind of hard. All we can do is go out on Monday night and tee it up."
