Game Day 8: Steelers at New England

What are the chinks in the Patriots' armor? The 6-2 Patriots have had injuries on both lines and are starting a group of young receivers whose productivity has been uneven.

One stat catches the eye: Tom Brady has been sacked 23 times in eight games. That's an unusually high number for Brady. The Steelers' defense, however, has collected just 10 sacks; by comparison, the Patriots' defense has 24 sacks.

The Steelers also don't take the ball away. The Steelers have intercepted just four passes vs. 10 by New England's defense.

The Patriots rarely lose at home to AFC opponents. With Brady at quarterback, the Patriots have 34 consecutive home games vs. AFC opponents.

All of the above doesn't bode well for a Steelers team that desperately needs a win.

For what it's worth, here's a bit of history:

• A win today by the Steelers would mark the second consecutive and the third in the last four games against the Patriots.
• Since 2000, Pittsburgh is 3-4 vs. the Patriots.
• The Steelers are 14-8 vs. against New England in the regular season, including 4-2 on the road (1-2 at Gilette Stadium).
• Ben Roethlisberger is 3-3 vs. the Patriots in the regular season, including a win at Gilette Stadium in 2008.