Zolak: Here are the Patriots’ keys to victory against the Steelers

I’m starting to get fired up for week 2 with the Patriots in Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. First of all, I’m glad to get back to my hometown. I had season tickets for the Steelers with my dad in the glory days, the seventies and eighties during their first four Super Bowls.

I was a big Terry Bradshaw fan. That was one of the things that led me to want to play quarterback. Anyway, onto the game…

• Looking For More Spice

  

  Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

  New England is coming off of a pretty vanilla week one. Nothing exotic was done on offense, no exotic things were done on defense. I do think that the Patriots defense was pretty solid against Miami. You know, points came off a strip sack. That’s seven right there. So you’re still down in the teens as far as giving up points defensively.

• Things to Build Off

  

  Andres Leiva/The Palm Beach Post – USA Today Network

  I saw some things that the Patriots can build off in week one. I think the young kids can play more, guys like Jack Jones getting his feet wet. I thought Jonathan Jones did an outstanding job on Tyreek Hill. Hill is one of the premier receivers in the NFL. I think Jones gets matched up with Steelers receiver Chase Claypool Sunday.

• Contain Trubisky

  Trubisky making it happen on a free play in OT!
  
  📺: #PITvsCIN on CBS
  📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/pHwdeoOMZE pic.twitter.com/5t1AGidod9

  — NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

  The big thing with Mitch Trubisky is his ability with his legs to get outside the pocket and extend the play. That’s something that Roethlisberger did in his early days but we haven’t seen that element from the Steelers recently. The ability to keep Trubisky in the pocket and force him to be a pocket passer is crucial. I think he’s better when he’s on the move. He’s an athletic quarterback and he hurt us in 2018 with his legs when he played for the Chicago Bears.

• More Downfield Passing

  A wild Kendrick Bourne has appeared! pic.twitter.com/u42wKbCEJ2

  — Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) September 11, 2022

  Offensively, we need to start advancing and pushing the ball downfield a little bit more. We’ll probably see more of Kendrick Bourne after reports this week around Boston that Bourne will have more of an impact on the offense. You got to get him out there. He’s one of your speed guys. You know, last week against Miami, it was basically Jakobi Meyers and Devante Parker. Those are not speed guys. I hope Bourne gets at least 20 snaps this week and they start to get the tight ends involved. I’d also like to see more play action passes. That means Mac Jones throwing the football and having more of a handle on the game. If you do those things and protect the ball I think that’s a good recipe for a chance to pop the Steelers in Pittsburgh to get your first win of the season.