Steelers’ Tomlin expecting ‘fireworks’ in ‘Part I’ matchup with Patriots
"I'm going to embrace the elephant in the room."
Despite the matchup being a few weeks away, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is already looking to what he’s calling “Part I” of the rivalry with the Patriots.
In an interview with NBC’s Tony Dungy (which aired during Sunday Night Football), Tomlin acknowledged the “elephant in the room,” discussing the Dec. 17 game against the AFC rival Patriots.
“I’m going to embrace the elephant in the room,” Tomlin said of the Patriots matchup in Week 15. “[The game is] going to be fireworks. And it’s probably going to be Part 1. That’s going to be a big game.”
Tomlin offered a further explanation as to what he meant by “Part I,” noting that it sets up a potential rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game.
“But probably, if we’re both doing what we’re supposed to, the second one is really going to be a big game,” Tomlin explained to Dungy. “Then what happens in the first is going to set up the second one, which is going to determine the location of the second one.”
The Patriots (9-2) and Steelers (9-2) are currently leading the race to secure home field advantage in the playoffs. New England and Pittsburgh enjoy a two-game lead over other competitors to get a first round bye, but are vying to get the number one seed.
“We can win it all. We should win it all,” Tomlin told Dungy. “I sense that about the group. In terms of talent, in terms of having enough competition, depth, I think we check all those boxes. But checking the boxes doesn’t run the race.”
A season ago, the Steelers had to travel to Gillette Stadium to play the Patriots in the AFC title game. New England won, 36-17, and advanced to the Super Bowl.
