Bill Belichick talks to the media while preparing for the Steelers this Sunday.
Well, we've started to get into the Steelers and they look about like they always do: [they're] real good on defense; [they're] top of the league in takeaways [and] run defense; [they] don't allow many points; [they're a] tough, physical team. As usual, on offense, they have a real good running game. [Ben] Roethlisberger has done a real good job working back into it, throwing the ball deep, spreading it around, getting it to all the receivers and balancing it up with the running game. So they are very impressive all the way around. They can do pretty much everything they need to do: run it, throw it, stop the run, take it away, rush the passer [and they're] good in the kicking game. So, they're just a real solid football team. We know [Pittsburgh] is a real tough place to play, so we've got a lot of work to do this week. [There's] a big challenge ahead of us and [we're] looking forward to going up there and competing with them. [We] know that they're one of the best teams in the league and certainly a team that will be a big challenge for us to play Sunday night.
Nick Caserio answers how he feels the young players will be able to respond to the Steelers aggressive, "in your face" style.
I think every week is a challenge. We're going to face good teams every week regardless of who we play. Whoever the opponent is that week they're going to be a good team. They're going to be competitive. It's going to be a competitive game, no question about it. Pittsburgh historically, they've been a tough, physical team and that's their history. That goes back to the '70s and '80s. The Pittsburgh Steelers are who they are. They've been a successful team, they've had a successful program, they're good on offense, and they're good on defense. It's a challenge for us this week and our players are going to have to respond to the challenge this week just like they do any other week.
TEAM TALK
- Game Preview: Patriots at Steelers. Broadcast info, series history, rivalry breakdown, team connections and more.
- Patriots WR Wes Welker and Purple Heart recipient Michael Downing visited the Falls Elementary School in North Attleboro to discuss the true meaning of heroism.
- Ask PFW: Trapped up in Cleveland.
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Tuesday Conference Calls: Bill Belichick (10.40 min. audio) and Nick Caserio (6.41 min. audio) plus transcripts.
- Patriots Today - NFL Play 60 Super School. (3 min. video)
- Patriots Playbook - Where the Pats went wrong in their 34-14 loss at Cleveland, Sunday and a look ahead to Pittsburgh. (2 hour audio)
LOCAL LINKS
- Greg A. Bedard discusses the Patriots' ranking compared with the rest of the NFL and says it's not a pretty picture.
- Christopher Price reports Stephen Gostkowski was placed on IR today.
- Ian Rapoport reports 10-year veteran Shayne Graham will replace Stephen Gostkowski until his injury is healed.
- Tom E. Curran wonders if the Patriots new kicker can overcome his 'demons'.
- Karen Guregian reports Wes Welker still has trust issues with his knee.
- Karen Guregian lists some Wes Welker stats showing how his numbers have declined dramatically this season.
- ESPNBoston posts a statistical analysis by Football Insiders, with the result that the Patriots miss Moss.
- Christopher Price offers five things from Tuesday.
- Monique Walker talks about members of the New England Patriots visiting a Hyde Park elementary school that won a grant from NFL Play 60 to buy equipment.
- Karen Guregian offers a few of the kids' questions to Wes Welker while he was visiting the Falls Elementary School in North Attleboro.
- Christopher Price notes that in retrospect, practice wasn't perfect for Patriots last week.
- Mike Reiss notes WR Matthew Slater returned to action Sunday, and looks at the special teams leaderboard.
- Mike Reiss looks at the Patriots' tackle leaderboard at the midpoint of the season, with Jerod Mayo's 103 tackles at the top.
- Mike Reiss breaks down Tom Brady's targets and their percentages so far this season.
- Mike Reiss looks at Bill Belichick and his challenge flags.
- Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag. Terrific insight here as usual.
- Shalise Manza Young answers Patriots questions in her weekly reader mailbag.
- Tom E. Curran notes Fred Taylor says he's closer to returning.
- Boston Herald Patriots Notebook: Robert Kraft is "happy" Logan Mankins is with the team; Tom Brady, Deion Branch and others joined Kraft for the Henry Grew event, which is part of the NFL Play 60 program; Roster changes made yesterday; Belichick shows QB Ben Roethlisberger respect as the team prepares for Pittsburgh; Wes Welker visited an elementary school with U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Downing, who lost both legs in Afghanistan, talking to students about true heroism.
- Inside Track reports Tom Brady talked to Henry Grew elementary school students yesterday, and the topic of hair came up.
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The Herald sports writers individually respond to the question of whether the Patriots are the tops in the league or not.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Patriots offense misses Randy Moss.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Power Rankings: Jets jockey past Patriots.
- Alex Marvez (Fox Sports) AFC midseason report cards.
- Steve Wyche (NFL.com) Separating the pretenders from the contenders in playoff push.
- Andrew Brandt (Nat'l Football Post) NFL parity thriving midseason.
- Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) 2010 Midseason All-Pro team.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets at Browns filled with juicy plots.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB Tuesday Edition: How Falcons' Ryan was nearly a Raven; Cincy ego trouble?
- Don Banks (SI) As 2010 evidence suggests, NFL overdid it with overtime tweaks.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) AFC East Week 9 decisive moment.
- Michael Rosenberg (SI) Timing is everything in coaching, as the Wade Phillips firing just proved.