Finally, Week 1 is here.
After raising their sixth Super Bowl banner, the Patriots will host the Steelers on Sunday Night Football. While it's not a true rivalry, the Patriots and Steelers have had some classic games over the years.
Overall, the Patriots have won six out of the last eight meetings.
Steelers vs. PatriotsSunday, Sept. 8, 2019 8:20 p.m., NBCPatriots -5.5, over/under 49
3 keys to the game
Stay strong up front
One of the biggest matchups within the matchup will be the Patriots' offensive line against the Steelers' defensive line. Following losing David Andrews for the season and Isaiah Wynn making his first NFL start, there are plenty of questions up front for the Patriots, and the Pittsburgh front-seven has gotten much better in the offseason. With the Patriots likely to run the ball a lot, this could be a major factor when it comes to who wins the game.
Keeping JuJu Smith-Schuster in check
There's no question Smith-Schuster is the No. 1 offensive threat for the Steelers and the Patriots need to do whatever it takes to take him out of the game. Besides him, the Steelers don't have any other players that are a true threat in the passing game. Last year, J.C. Jackson covered him, but Stephon Gilmore had Antonio Brown. It will be worth watching how the defense approaches it. From this viewpoint, Gilmore makes most sense — anything else is over thinking it.
Get Sony Michel going
The second-year back has the potential to have a monster season and it could start Sunday night. In the meeting last year, Michel was limited to just 59 yards on 13 carries. The Patriots will be looking for a much better performance this time around. With so many questions in the passing game, look for Josh McDaniels to call Michel's number more than you think.
Fun facts
1. In the regular season, the Patriots are 39-0 at home when Tom Brady and Julian Edelman are in the lineup together.
2. The Super Bowl winner from the previous season is 15-3 in the last 18 Week 1's.
3. Against the Steelers at home (including playoffs), Brady is 5-0, has completed 72 percent of his passes for 1,797 yards, 18 touchdowns and zero interceptions for a QB rating of 130.8.
4. In the history of Gillette Stadium, the Patriots are 96-1 when leading at the half.
5. Since 2001, in the regular season, the Patriots are 85-2 when they have a positive turnover margin.
Prediction
Patriots 21, Steelers 17
This could turn into a battle of the defenses with both offenses working to find their identities following losing star players this offseason. The Patriots defense has the potential to be very good and the Steelers defense seems to be better than it has been in the past, which is why we don't expect a lot of points to be scored. Overall, it's hard to bet against Brady and the Patriots in this spot, although this has the potential to be a fascinating game.
