New England Patriots: 5 keys to beating the Pittsburgh Steelers

The New England Patriots will need to find success in a number of different areas if they want to win on Sunday at Heinz Field.

If you’re a New England Patriots fan and you’re sick of seeing the hashtag #MiamiMiracle, you’re not alone. It seems anywhere you look on TV or the Internet, there’s a talking head calling the Dolphins’ win “historic.” Many Patriots fans probably wish they could erase all footage and analysis of that fateful play from their memory banks forever, and it’s hard to blame them.

The good news for those who need it comes in the form of the Pats’ next opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Normally a December road game against a formidable conference foe would represent a daunting challenge, but the Patriots have traditionally owned the Steelers in the Brady/Belichick era. New England boasts a ridiculous 11-2 record against Pittsburgh in all regular season and postseason meetings.

Of course, statistics and historical facts are just that, and no one’s going to gift-wrap a ‘W’ for the Patriots just because they usually have the Steelers’ number. But it’s got to be encouraging for the team as they board a plane for Pennsylvania, knowing the mental and emotional edge they have coming in based off the results of the last decade plus.

So what are five keys to victory this weekend as the Patriots travel to take on a team that’s lost its last three consecutive games?