Patriots vs. Steelers: How's This Going to Play Out?

It's ridiculous to try and predict the outcome of this game but the coffee I'm drinking is pretty ridiculous as well.

Our O vs. Their D

The vaunted Steeler pass-defense this year is inflated.   If you know the names of the QBs who faced Pittsburgh when they played the Seahawks, the Titans, the Jaguars, the Colts, and the Cardinals then you know more than most NFL fans.   Some known names, some overrated, and some no-names as well.  Consider the 3-4 defense; this is a defense tailored to stop the run game.  The Steelers haven't been able to do that at all.   Their defense is ranked what it is because of the level of competition they've faced, with maybe Shaub or Flacco as the best QBs they've faced.   Those two are good QBs but have yet to prove greatness, and despite that the still took on the Steeler's D with ease.   Oh, Polamalu was looking concussed in his last game and their linebacking corps is in shambles   The Patriots offense, coming off the bye, are going to be healthy and eager to take advantage.

Our D vs. Their O

Big Ben is a great QB.  He is.   But his O-line is in shambles.  Albert Haynesworth is getting lined up across from some backup guy named Kemosomething.    Double team him, sure, but what about Vince Wilfork?   Who's that guy with the dreads behind him?   Mhm.   Like their O-line, their run-game has question marks on it.   I don't think the Steelers will have much like grounding it and pounding it against what the Pats will unveil on Sunday.   In the backfield, Belichick seems to feel confident about the guys he has in the secondary given the Bodden release.    The front-line and the backfield tend to feed into one another, and while I expect Ben to produce despite the unlikelihood of Ward playing(see; Wallace, Brown) I don't think it will be consistent enough.

Overall, this should be a tight game.  On paper that's what it should be.   But stats lie.  Pats 31, Steelers 14.