With WR Chris Hogan out, opportunity for newcomer Kenny Britt to contribute

PITTSBURGH — The news that wide receiver Chris Hogan (shoulder) won’t play Sunday against the Steelers opens the door for newcomer Kenny Britt to be a part of the Patriots’ passing game in his debut.

Don’t look for Britt to be an overwhelming part of the offensive game plan — that will still fall on the shoulders of individuals like tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back Dion Lewis, both of whom will be asked to shoulder the bulk of the load against Pittsburgh. But the former Cleveland pass catcher will almost certainly be asked to step in and provide depth for a group that includes Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks less than a week after he was acquired.

By the sound of his teammates, Britt has gotten off to a positive start in New England.

"He’s just kind of come in and worked hard the last couple days, trying to understand all the things we’ve got going," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said when asked about Britt this past week. "Hopefully, (he) can add something to the mix here in a short period of time. It’s always challenging for a guy to come in late and pick up everything at once, but hopefully he can figure out a role. He’s had a lot of production, and he’s going to have to go out and earn it, earn everybody’s trust to get out there. But he’s done a good job the first couple days."

Hogan was ineffective in his return last week following a shoulder injury he sustained in late October against the Chargers. He sounded an optimistic note prior to the loss against the Dolphins in Miami, but it sounds like he’ll miss another week of action. That should thrill the Steelers, who saw Hogan finish with nine catches for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns the previous time these two teams met in last year’s AFC title game.

Hogan joins defensive lineman Alan Branch, linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive back Brandon King as those who are are already sidelined for Sunday’s action.