PITTSBURGH — Everything you need to know about the Patriots’ win over the Steelers in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
This is why they’re the Patriots:Yeah, I’ve never been a big believer in the whole, “They’re mentally tougher than everyone else, they are the best at situational football” conversation when it comes to the Patriots’ success. (I mean, when you play for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, what other choice do you have?) But I might have become a believer in this game. The Patriots really had no business winning this thing. The Steelers largely played exactly the way they needed to, and they still came up short. That’s because the Patriots never stopped fighting, and they executed in situations where most teams crumble (inside the 10 with 34 seconds left after giving up a 69-yard pass). You really have to hand it to their whole operation. Just a tremendous victory that showed, again, that they're the Patriots.
Pittsburgh and the country will be talking about that non-TD for weeks: The Steelers looked like they had the game won when TE Jesse James caught a pass at the goal line with 28 seconds remaining. But the play went to a booth review and it was overturned. Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception two plays later as the Patriots went from a potential loss to a victory in the span of just a couple of minutes. Similar to Super Bowl 49, really. A lot of people are going to think that was a catch, but the rule is the (Dez Bryant) rule: If you go to the ground, you have to maintain possession all the way through. "It's really irrelevant how I feel about it to be honest with you," said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. "It's not going to change the outcome of the game. I'm not going to cry over spilled milk and all of that crap and talk about replay. I ain't doing it." The NFL quickly put out a video to head off the controversy. When it involves the Patriots, good luck.
The video is an explanation from @NFL SVP of Officiating Al Riveron on the reversal at the end of the #NEvsPIT game. pic.twitter.com/hm5EeoZTER
— NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) December 18, 2017
Duron Harmon snags the INTERCEPTION to win the game for the Patriots! #NFLKnights @dharm32 pic.twitter.com/HHZ3njDkTc
— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) December 18, 2017
- Failing to double cover Gronkowski on the final drive.
- After two penalties on LT Alejandro Villanueva forced the Steelers into 2nd-and-23 early in the fourth quarter, they handed off to third-stringer RB Fitzgerald Toussaint for 3 yards, then ran a 6-yard crosser to Martavis Bryant. The Steelers were killing the Patriots with the pass to that point and they would have been better off letting Roethlisberger throw the ball twice.