Fast Facts is a weekly series featuring a quick glance at the upcoming Steelers game, including odds, records, things to watch for, and how to watch/listen to the game.

Series Notes

• Leader: Steelers lead all-time series, 15-12
• Streaks: Patriots have won 4 of past 5
• Last Game: 12/16/18: Patriots 10 at Steelers 17
• Last Game At Site: 9/10/15: Patriots 28, Steelers 21

Gameday Information

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019
• Time: 8:20 PM ET
• Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
• TV: NBC (8:20 PM ET) Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (field reporter)
• National Radio: Westwood One: Kevin Kugler, Jason Taylor
• Sirius: 81 (Pit), 83 (NE) | XM: 225 (Pit), 226 (NE)
• Referee: Clete Blakeman

Game Capsule

	Steelers	Patriots
Last Week	–	–
Coach vs. Opp.	Mike Tomlin: 3-6	Bill Belichick: 11-11
Pts. For/Against	26.8/22.5	27.3/20.3
Offense	403.3	393.4
Passing	Ben Roethlisberger: 452-675-5129 (1L)-34-16-96.5	Tom Brady: 375-570-4355-29-11-97.7
Rushing	James Conner: 215-973-4.5-12	Sony Michel: 209-931-4.5-6
Receiving	JuJu Smith-Schuster: 111-1426-12.8-7	James White (RB): 87-751-8.6-7
Defense	327.2	359.1
Sacks	T.J. Watt: 13	Michael Bennett (Phi.): 9
INTs	Joe Haden: 2	Duron Harmon: 4
Take/Give	-11 (15/26)	+10 (28/18)
Punting (Net)	Jordan Berry: 43.7 (38.8)	Jake Bailey (R) (Pre.): 47.4 (43.3)
Kicking	Chris Boswell: 82 (43/48 PAT; 13/20 FG)	Stephen Gostowski: 130 (49/50 PAT; 27/32 FG)

Steelers Notes

QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER led NFL with 5,129 pass yards in 2018 (also tied for 1st in 2014, with 4,952). Has 144 wins as a starting QB & needs 3 to tie No. 6 on the all-time list, HOFer DAN MARINO (147). Also ranks 7th in NFL history with 363 career TD passes & 6th with 56,194 pass yards.

RB JAMES CONNER had 4 games with 100+ rush yards, 50+ rec. yards and 1+ TDs, most such single-season games in NFL history. In 1st 8 games last year, had 1,085 scrimmage yards (706 rush, 379 rec.) & 10 total TDs (9 rush, 1 rec.). RB JAYLEN SAMUELS had 142 yards on 19 carries (7.5 avg.) in last meeting, 17-10 win in Pit., 12/16.

WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER became youngest player ever to catch 100 passes in season, breaking LARRY FITZGERALD’s record, & finished with 111, tied-6th in NFL. Ranked 5th with 1,426 rec. yards, including season’s longest reception, 97- yard TD at Den., 11/25 (also had NFL’s longest reception in 2017). Ranked 5th in NFL with 648 YAC last year. WR DONTE MONCRIEF makes Pit. debut. TE VANCE MCDONALD had 75- yard TD rec. at TB, 9/24, tied for 2nd-longest rec. by TE in 2018 (GEORGE KITTLE, 85). Caught TD in last meeting vs. NE.

LB T.J. WATT is 1 of 3 players (AARON DONALD, KHALIL MACK) with 20+ sacks & 7+ FF since 2017. DT CAMERON HEYWARD has 2 career sacks vs. NE. DE STEPHON TUITT has sack in 3 of last 4 games. LB BUD DUPREE posted sack in NFL debut, at NE, 9/10/15.

Patriots Notes

PATRIOTS bid to extend NFL record with 11th straight playoff berth & establish 2 other marks: 7 SB titles (Pit. also has 6) & 10+ wins in 17th straight year, breaking tie with SF (1983-98).

QB TOM BRADY begins 20th NE season, tying HOFers DARRELL GREEN (Was.) & JACKIE SLATER (LA/StLR) for 2nd- most years with 1 team in NFL history (JASON HANSON, 21). Passed for 4,355 yards in 2018 & joined PEYTON MANNING (14), DREW BREES (12) and PHILIP RIVERS (10) as only QBs with 10+ seasons of 4,000+ pass yards. Has 517 pass TDs, joining Manning (539), Brees (520) & HOFer BRETT FAVRE

(508) as only QBs ever with 500+. Has 237 wins, including postseason, most all-time.

RB SONY MICHEL had 6 100-yard rush games as 2018 rookie, including 2 in postseason (Patriots were 6-0 in those games). RB JAMES WHITE was 1 of 3 players in 2018 with 5+ rush TDs (5) & 5+ rec. TDs (7).

WR JULIAN EDELMAN needs 1 catch for 500 career, & 23 to surpass No. 4 ROB GRONKOWSKI (521) in NE history. WR PHILLIP DORSETT had career-best 7 rec. in Week 1 last year, vs. Hou. WR JOSH GORDON has more rec. (53) & rec. yards

(569) vs. Pit. than against any opponent.

CB STEPHON GILMORE was only CB in ‘18 w/2+ INTs, 2+ FFs, 1+ FRs & 1+ sacks in ‘18. LB DONT’A HIGHTOWER had 2 sacks in SB LIII. DE MICHAEL BENNETT makes NE debut. S DEVIN MCCOURTY has 21 INTs since ‘10, tied-4th among safeties.

 

Statistics and game information courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or National Football League.