Steelers Believe Defense Will be Savior

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis, already slowed by injuries, knows he’ll be challenged Sunday not only by the New England Patriots’ well-rested defense, but by the re-sodded turf at Foxboro Stadium, a surface that is usually pocked with more divots than a bad municipal golf course.

No matter, Bettis stressed.

“I don’t feel like I have to have a big game for us to win,” he said.

Indeed, thanks to an inconsistent offense that hasn’t surpassed 17 points in four of the past five games, that burden usually is borne by the Steelers’ smothering defense, a corps of bashing linemen and swarming linebackers that has evoked memories of the team’s “Steel Curtain” units of the 1970s.

In a 42-14 wild-card thrashing of the Colts last Sunday, Pittsburgh held Indianapolis to 146 yards, including 22 on 23 second-half plays, registering four sacks and not giving up a rushing first down.

“I don’t care who we’re playing,” defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. “I’m very confident that we can match up with anybody that we play.”

That would be helpful Sunday, when the Patriots, hosting a postseason game for the first time since 1978, trot out a high-charged offense that averages 335 yards per game, 39 more than the Colts. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe spearheads the league’s third-ranked passing assault, which averages 243.8 yards and boasts eight players with 20 or more catches. Receiver Terry Glenn set a rookie record with 90 receptions, and running back Curtis Martin is riding back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

The Patriots (11-5) have allowed 30 sacks, seventh-fewest in the league, and only 16 in the past 12 games. Pittsburgh (11-6), which bloodied Colt quarterback Jim Harbaugh last week, has 55 this season, including three last week by linebacker Chad Brown.

“The teams that have trouble are the teams that look like they’re a little bit confused,” said Bledsoe, 39 of 60 for 336 yards in a 41-27 loss to the Steelers last season. “I have confidence that I’m going to be able to drop back and throw.”

After all, said Patriot offensive tackle Bruce Armstrong, “Harbaugh’s been getting hit all year, hasn’t he? Am I saying something that’s not true? It’s not like we watch that team in awe and say, ‘Well, we can’t beat those guys.’ Remember, they’re coming to our place.”

For the Steelers, though, that unwelcome road trip ranks as a pebble on their rocky path to a return to the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh’s defense suffered bruising hits when Ray Seals, who led the line in sacks the previous two seasons, and linebacker Greg Lloyd sustained season-ending injuries barely a week apart last summer. It lost another linebacker, Pro Bowler Kevin Greene, to free agency.

But instead of braking to a halt, the Steelers gunned it, with All-Pro linebacker (Brown) and another Pro Bowl linebacker (Levon Kirkland) filling the shoes of Lloyd and Greene, respectively. The defense ended the season ranked second in the league.

“It was a situation where the defense never had a bad game,” fifth-year Coach Bill Cowher said. “From that standpoint, it was probably our most consistent year.”

Pittsburgh needed it. With an offense knocked off balance by season-ending injuries to receiver Yancey Thigpen and running back Erric Pegram, a dizzying quarterback shuffle between veteran Mike Tomczak and emerging Kordell Stewart and nagging ankle and groin injuries to Bettis, the AFC’s second-leading rusher, the Steelers had to get defensive, and fast.

“This is playoff time and we played with Steelers mentality for this time of the year,” cornerback Rod Woodson said. “That’s something we can guarantee every week of the playoffs.”