FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots enter Sunday’s AFC showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers ranked last in the NFL in opponents’ average yards per rush (5.0).
That’s not the place any team wants to be, particularly when running back Le'Veon Bell -- who leads the NFL in total yards from scrimmage -- is the next top running back to defend on the schedule.
On the surface, this looks like a bad matchup for the Patriots.
But talk to prideful members of the defense, which will be without one of its top run-stuffers in defensive tackle Alan Branch (knee injury) and possibly without two other top players in the front seven in linebacker Kyle Van Noy (calf) and defensive end Trey Flowers (ribs), and they don’t flinch. The stats might not be in their favor, but they still believe in themselves.
They are also fully aware of the massive task ahead of them, and how they want to approach it.
“The big challenge is that you can’t treat Le'Veon Bell like Melvin Gordon or any other back like that. He’s very unique to himself. He’s very patient,” Patriots rookie defensive lineman Adam Butler said. “The way I’ve taken the approach of preparing for him is matching patience with aggression. Making sure I’m aggressive, defeating blockers, because we’re not just dealing with him, but one of the biggest offensive lines in the NFL. So you have to be aggressive with them, but patient with him.”
Butler related that Bell’s patient style means he won’t be immediately making a decision, as “he’s going to creep up, jump from side to side for a little bit, and then make his move.”
That’s what the Patriots (10-3) have tried to duplicate in practice this week, with coach Bill Belichick saying, “He leads the league in yards from scrimmage and that’s about really all you need to know. ... The guy doesn’t lead the league in yards from scrimmage by doing one thing, doing it a little bit. He does everything.”
The way Bell does it is unique.
“It is as patient as you can get with Bell. At times we’ve done a good job of being patient and understanding how he wants to run. That’s something you have to do,” said safety Devin McCourty, one of the team’s captains. “Then, even though [James] Conner doesn’t play much, he’s a good change of pace, and when he gets in, he’s more downhill, hitting it.
“So it’s always a big thing for us understanding the run game, and who’s in the game, and how they’re blocking. I think we’re getting to the point where we know it, but against these guys, you can know it as much as anything but you have to tackle Bell in the open field. Tackling will be key.”
Bell has 283 rushes for 1,105 yards (3.9 average), with seven touchdowns this season. He hurt his groin early in last season AFC Championship Game against the Patriots, and has already spoken this week about how excited he is to have a crack at New England once again.
Conner, a rookie, has 29 carries for 131 yards (4.5 average).
Part of the stress that the Steelers (11-2) put on a defense is that if more resources are devoted to stop Bell, they can attack through the air. Then if there is a lighter box against the run, they can pound it.
“It’s always a challenge coming in every week trying to fix the run game," defensive tackle Malcom Brown said, "and then you add an athletic and skillful guy like that in the backfield who can pick apart your defense, and pick apart the holes that he needs to hit."
Asked how the Patriots can combat Bell & Co., he stopped short and said he didn’t want to give away the game plan.
“I guess we’ll all see Sunday."