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2018 NFL Playoff Watch: Week 15 preview on 6 key games

By Ian Wharton

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 21: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Vikings defeated the Jets 37-17. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 21: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Vikings defeated the Jets 37-17. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 02: head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts in the first half during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Heinz Field on December 2, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 02: head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts in the first half during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Heinz Field on December 2, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

Patriots at Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been killing themselves lately, namely mismanagement issues with Mike Tomlin and a leaky defense. And now they’re running into the one-team that epitomizes what they haven’t been in far too long: the New England Patriots.

New England tailors their game plans to their foes weekly, and aside from some bizarre red zone stats (they’re 14th in touchdown rate), get the most out of an average roster. Their defense has struggled to create meaningful turnovers and negative plays behind the line of scrimmage, though, so this Patriots team looks more vulnerable than ever.

If Pittsburgh shows up and continues to heavily favor Cover 2 and Cover 4 looks, as usual, the Patriots will once again outclass them. Josh Gordon, Julien Edelman, James White, and Sonny Michel will dominate the zone pockets the Steelers love to give, and Tom Brady knows what to expect pre-snap every time they play. So this must change for the Steelers to win and save their AFC North lead.

While the Steelers’ secondary stinks, it still makes the most sense to be aggressive up front and hope that it baits Brady into throwing before he wants to. Miami was able to get to Brady and it led to multiple mental mistakes that kept the door open for Miami to pull off their miracle. Zone blitzes and sending a secondary member like Mike Hilton can provide a spark they need.

A Pittsburgh win would get them close to clinching their division, but a loss would be devastating. Their Week 16 visit to New Orleans would be a critical moment depending on how Baltimore fares over the same stretch. But a loss to New England puts all the pressure on Pittsburgh to beat the Saints.

Ultimately, Gordon and the duo of White and Michel have brought a lot of balance to the Patriots offense without sacrificing their big-play potential. Gordon’s been a great fit with Brady, and the Steelers have no one to slow the individual talent on New England. They’ll continue their slide into four-straight losses despite their offensive skill talent.

Prediction: Patriots 38-28

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