Steelers Scouting Report: Patriots Key Pieces
The 1-0 Pittsburgh Steelers will face off against the New England Patriots in Week 2, a week after knocking off the AFC champs on the road to begin the season.
While there's no Ben Roethlisberger or Tom Brady, there should be plenty of fireworks between the two teams. With a couple of stout defenses with new signal callers, this piece breaks down everything you need to know about the visiting team from Foxborough.
Key Contributors
QB Mac Jones - Who would've guessed that the Alabama prodigy and fifth quarterback off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft would go on to have the most productive rookie season of them all? After leading the Patriots back to the playoffs while tossing 22 touchdown passes, New England surely expects even more in year two.
Lacking impressive arm strength or flashy mobility, Jones relies on throwing with precise accuracy and has shown flashes of aggression in pushing the ball down the field to his receivers. Week 1 didn't exactly go the way that he envisioned, as the offense scored just seven points, but he showed full command of the Patriots' new offense by changing protections and moving personnel around with ease.
RT Isaiah Wynn - Wynn's spent time at both left and right tackle after being selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. There were rumors swirling around Boston that he could be available on the trade market, putting his future there in question.
Availability has been the biggest question mark throughout his career but make no mistake about it, he can ball when healthy and is one of the better young right tackles in the league.
Despite being one of the shortest players at his position, standing just 6-2, Wynn wins as a technician who's capable of showcasing plus power and play strength in the run game.
WR Jakobi Meyers - The big-bodied wideout from NC State is now considered the security blanket for Mac Jones after leading the Patriots in multiple receiving categories last season. Despite not having the desired athleticism that teams often covet, Meyers has transformed himself into quite a weapon for the New England offense.
Jones clearly trusts Meyers in crucial situations and he'll give him opportunities to win even in tight coverage. Meyers's best attributes revolve around his hands and ability to win in traffic. Since the dawn of 2020, he's been targeted 208 times and has only dropped four passes which explains why his signal caller trusts him so much in critical moments.
TE Hunter Henry - Antonio Gates former successor in San Diego made the move to New England last season and quickly became one of Mac Jones's most trusted targets. There wasn't a single tight end around the league who scored more red zone touchdowns (9) last season than Henry, proving why the Patriots invested so heavily in him during free agency.
New England loves to deploy 12 personnel, positioning him on the field with fellow tight end, Jonnu Smith. What makes this grouping so dangerous is that both are capable run blockers in addition to being reliable receiving threats. Because of this versatility, the Patriots are able to keep defenses on their heels with the threat of pounding the rock or opting to use their aerial attack.
DL Deatrich Wise - Now a captain for the first time in his career, Wise seems like a potential breakout candidate along the Patriots' defensive front.
Wise has a bag of tricks up his sleeve that involve multiple effective pass rushing moves such as a silky smooth cross-chop to go along with some quick two-handed swipes to slide past potential pass protectors. He also comes equipped with an incredibly long wingspan for a pass rusher which he uses on long arm moves to make the first significant contact on the way to the quarterback.
New England will move him all over their front as they'll occasionally kick him inside to where he's able to use his quickness against guards. His performance last week against the Miami Dolphins was superb, registering three pressures and forcing a strip sack on Tua Tagovailoa.
EDGE Matthew Judon - A name that the Steelers are certainly familiar with, as Judon began his career in Baltimore before bolting to New England in free agency last season. In 2021, Judon enjoyed a career year in terms of sack production, piling up 12.5 sacks for the Patriots' defense.
As a former fifth-round pick, Judon has seemingly done the impossible for lowly heralded players coming out and turned himself into one of the premier edge rushers in all of football. Judon can win in multiple ways, whether with speed or power, as a pass rusher but he's honestly an even more effective run defender as he's extremely stout at the point of attack.
S Kyle Dugger - While he's listed as a safety, Dugger is much more than that and has transformed himself into one of the more integral chess pieces for Bill Belichick's defense.
Dugger's an athletic freak who's explosive as any safety you'll find and displays linebacker-like physicality in the box. New England employs a lot of three safety sets to match 21 and 12 personnel offensive groupings and Dugger's versatility is a big reason for that.
It doesn't take long to notice his athleticism on film as he tracked down the speedy Tyreek Hill in space on multiple occasions last week which is obviously no easy task for any defender.
CB Johnathan Jones - No team in the NFL has made a habit of finding gems at the cornerback position quite like the New England Patriots in the past decade. First, it was Malcolm Butler then J.C. Jackson and next up is Jonathan Jones, none of which were selected at any point during the NFL Draft.
Mike Tomlin went out of his way during his press conference this week to compliment Jones, touting him as the next Patriots shutdown corner. Jones has a rather diminutive frame but has the necessary foot speed to keep up with just about any wideout that lines up across from him.
The Patriots love to play man-to-man coverage with a post safety in the middle of the field, trusting their boundary players, like Jones, to win their one-on-one matchups.
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