A few thoughts about the first half:
1. The score is tied but Steelers win the first half.The Patriots controlled the play for most of the half, but the score didn’t show it, which gives the edge to the Steelers who clawed their way back from being down possibly 14-3, holding the Patriots to FG and then scoring a TD of their own. The fact that the Patriots had two opportunities to score touchdowns at the end of the half, one a bad throw by Cassel and two a drop by Randy Moss were made even worse when Stephen Gostkowski missed a 27-yarder at the end of the game.
2. The Steelers have decided to successfully attack Patriots cornerback Delta O’Neal, who was not even close to covering Santonio Holmes on the 19-yard TD pass from Ben Roethlisberger. O’Neal was burned earlier in the game, but Holmes dropped a ball at the Patriots 5. Expect more that in the second half.
3. The Patriots have decided to blitz. This has not be the norm this season. But Roethlisberger is too good when allotted a lot of time. The Patriots have successfully had corner blitzes, one (Hobbs) getting a sack and the other forcing an errant third down pass. With the Steelers running game so-so (14 rushes, 48 yards), they will probably throw the ball 2 out of every 3 plays the rest of the game.
4. Matt Cassel is not sharp. Cassel has missed some wide open receivers and he hasn’t gotten help from his ace, Randy Moss, who has two bad drops, one of which would have been an easy touchdown. He has not yet adjusted to the wet balls and has thrown behind receivers at least five times.
5. Pats special teams hasn’t been special.
The Patriots can’t afford to give this part of the game away. The Steelers have been all over Patriots returners, killing any attempts at field position. They’ve also had a decent kickoff return, which got them just short of the 40-yard line. Gostkowski’s miss was very bad. It stayed right of the uprights and never moved. The Patriots could use a big return.
6. Patriots are running the ball with success. But don’t be fooled, most of those “big runs” have come while in the shotgun, in passing mode. Faulk has 46 yards on just three carries, including a 41-yarder on that last drive which didn’t amount to anything.
