Steelers are a non-issue. Defensive Back Anthony Smith went and ran his mouth and guaranteed a victory on Sunday for the Steelers, and while generally that kind of talk is a bad thing against the Patriots, this time he might be right.

While Pats fans are united in the prayers for 19-0 (after all 16-0 means nothing) the players are a different story. In the big picture, in a season where Brady and Moss are likely to break records, the season means little if the big game at the end of the year is a bust, or worse yet, that they do not make it.

It is for that reason that the Steelers have a legitimate shot on Sunday. Looking at the big picture, Sundays game means almost nothing. The Patriots already have the division locked up. They need 2 wins in the next 4 weeks to lock home field for the playoffs and with games against the Jets, which will have far more meaning for the Pats players, and the 0-12 Dolphins (in the cold of Gilette) another divisional game with more meaning, the Steelers game this Sunday would be a good game to take a break. Why get into a tough smashmouth game of football and risk injury for the post season.

Pride is a tough thing to put aside, but the Patriots have not been playing full out football for the last 2 weeks against the Eagles and the Ravens. Moss was back to running half routes and the play generally looked sloppy. The division was already locked up prior to the Eagles game thanks to the Bills loss earlier that day. So you saw a Patriots team playing at 80% almost lose twice. As much as I wish the Patriots would go full out every game, let’s face it. Bellichick is a big picture coach, Brady is a big picture QB and the whole team is playing big picture ball.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to Patriots to come out there and put up 60 points on the board but it isn’t going to happen until the Jets game. If the Patriots can come out to an early 2 score lead then they win. That would take Parker out of the game and Big Ben is no match for the Patriots secondary. Big Ben likes to loft the ball, he does not exactly have a “laser rocket arm” and he can be defended/picked easily. He’s tough to tackle so putting pressure is not very fruitful. So contain him (at the same time contain the run) and take away his options and you win that battle and the Pats win. I honestly think the Steelers defense is a bit over rated. If you look at strength of schedule, the Steelers D has had a fairly easy schedule, part of the reason they have been a success. And let’s not forget that all 3 of the Steelers losses are away games. Not a great team on the road.

If the game comes down to a smashmouth brawl, then the Patriots lay back and play like they have the last 2 weeks (conservatively) and the Steelers stop another Patriots win streak. Hopefully it will be a good game to watch.