Patriots-Steelers preview with four matchups to watch in Week 3 showdown – NBC Boston

FOXBORO — It has been some time.

The Patriots have an opportunity at a profitable streak on Sunday when the Steelers go to Gillette Stadium. It could be their first time profitable consecutive video games since they received three in a row — a victory over Sam Ehlinger and the Colts bookended by two wins over Zach Wilson’s Jets — in the midst of the 2022 season.

How can they transfer their file to 2-1 on Sunday? The important thing matchups are, consider it or not, quite favorable…

Matchup that can decide the end result

Patriots’ rookie linemen vs. Steelers protection

There was all types of web ink spilled on the “how” and “why” of Drake Maye’s Week 2 performance. And rightfully so. That recreation featured nearly each aspect of the second-year signal-caller’s recreation: pre-snap orchestration, post-snap prognosis, accuracy down the sector, accuracy on the transfer, athleticism to select up key yards together with his legs.

However to focus solely on Maye’s exhibiting is to disregard the first motive Maye was within the down-and-distance eventualities that allowed these expertise to point out: It is the offensive line, silly. 

In Week 1, the Patriots ran for just 3.3 yards per carry. Understanding it had turn out to be an inefficient play for them, they deserted that portion of their offense within the second half, forcing Maye into conditions the place he needed to persistently execute a dropback passing recreation.

In Week 2, the Patriots made a concerted effort to run the soccer, rising their common to 4.2 yards per carry thanks to higher connectivity alongside the road and higher motion on the line of scrimmage. Their backs took benefit, choosing up a median of 1.94 yards past the road of scrimmage earlier than contact, which was the sixth-best mark within the league.

In opposition to the Steelers on Sunday, they’re going to have one other alternative to be the type of balanced soccer crew Mike Vrabel desires.

The Steelers have allowed 100-yard rushers in back-to-back weeks. They’re fifth-worst within the NFL in rush yards allowed, they usually’ve given up 15-yard runs on 9 separate events in two video games. In keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats, groups have usually run away from star edge-defender T.J. Watt — who has performed 90 % of his performs on the offensive proper — to the tune of 6.0 yards per carry.

If the Patriots take the same strategy, which means all eyes shall be on New England’s rookie linemen on the left aspect. Left deal with Will Campbell ranks fifteenth amongst all NFL tackles in run-blocking grade by two video games, per Professional Soccer Focus. Jared Wilson, in the meantime, checks in at 58th amongst guards, however he showed power and athleticism in flashes in Miami that made him seem like a match for each zone and gap-scheme calls. 

If the Patriots need to make life simpler on their younger quarterback for a second straight week, they need to run the ball. And in the event that they need to run the ball on the Steelers, their finest guess is to take action behind their first and third-round picks within the trenches. 

Matchup that can make your Sunday

Drake Maye vs. Steelers linebackers

The one crew that is been worse than the Patriots by two weeks in terms of giving up explosive performs? The Steelers, who enable what Vrabel calls an “X play” on a whopping 17.1 % of snaps. In addition they occur to be worst within the league in EPA per play when going through 12-personnel packages.

Know who loves himself some 12-personnel packages?

Josh McDaniels has his Maye-led offense using that grouping on the ninth-highest fee within the league. (The Steelers offense beneath Vrabel’s former tight ends coach and offensive coordinator in Tennessee, Arthur Smith, makes use of it greater than anybody at 51.3 % of snaps.) And McDaniels retains turning to it as a result of it has labored by two weeks. New England is the fifth-best in soccer with that grouping, choosing up 0.20 EPA per play with Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper on the sector.

One of many causes the Steelers is likely to be so prone to giving up massive performs with two tight ends on the sector is that their linebacker group seems to be one that may be manipulated. If the Patriots can run the soccer and McDaniels can dip into his play-action bag, he may have second-level defenders like Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson — each of whom have nice athletic traits — chasing their tails.

After placing collectively the very best recreation of his professional profession thanks partially to a recreation plan that featured schemed-up throws to tight ends and operating backs, Maye may do the identical as soon as once more Sunday towards Pittsburgh’s ‘backers. He ought to have a reasonably good concept of what he is taking a look at pre-snap — and have the ability to diagnose the place these linebackers shall be — as a result of the Steelers run single-high security coverages at a well-above-average fee (65.5 %, fourth-highest within the NFL).

Matchup that can take years off your life

Carlton Davis III vs. DK Metcalf

Christian Gonzalez’s hamstring responded properly to the work he received early in the week at Patriots follow, however we’ll have to attend and see if he is in any respect accessible for Sunday. They may use him if the Patriots need to reduce into their Thirty first-ranked protection in explosive play share (15.4 %). 

Utilizing Gonzalez this week may additionally make sense matchup-wise for the reason that Steelers so hardly ever throw deep. May that imply much less floor to cowl for a nook coming off a hamstring subject? In keeping with Sumer Sports activities, nearly 77 % of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ throws do not make it past 10 yards of the road of scrimmage by the air, the third-highest share within the league.

If Gonzalez is not on the market, the DK Metcalf matchup would doubtless fall to Carlton Davis III. And if that is the case, the Patriots should hope issues go extra easily for Davis than they did a 12 months in the past when Metcalf was operating up and down the sector on the Lions.

Davis was credited for giving up seven catches for 104 yards in his early-season showdown with the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder. Davis additionally picked up three flags whereas attempting to examine Metcalf.

Matchup that can shock you

Mike Vrabel vs. Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers nearly refuses to chuck it deep. Solely 6.2 % of his makes an attempt journey 20 yards past the road of scrimmage (Thirty first within the NFL), per Sumer Sports activities. His common depth of goal (5.8) is final amongst qualifying passers, per PFF. 

However he is had a relatively-efficient first couple of video games, averaging 7.1 yards per try, with a greater than 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (5 touchdowns, two picks) and a quarterback ranking of 97.8, which ranks him twelfth within the NFL.