DeJa Dudes: Brady, Vinatieri do it again

The Patriots took what could have been another game against a Super Bowl contender and let it get away from them, as they did last week against Carolina, but instead held firm and threw a perfect 4th quarter on offense for the 23-20 win.

Even after losing his left side security blanket, Tom Brady completed his last 12 passes. Brady went 31-of-41 for 372 yards against a constant pass rush and blitz packages from the "Blitzburg" D. Corey Dillon scored twice on short runs to help end Pittsburgh's 16-game winning streak. Dillon's 7-yard run early in the fourth, which was the same play call as his 20 yard TD run in the 2004 AFC title game, made it 17-13.

On the other side of the ball the Patriots D put together their best game of the year, even after loosing their leader Rodney Harrison (WEEI reported that Harrison is done for the year). Subtract the 85-yard TD pass from Roethlisandwich to Hines (not Heinz) Ward, the D held Pittsburgh to 131 yards passing and Willie Parker to 55 yards rushing. They even survived two horrible pass interference calls against Chad Scott that resulted in 10 points for the Steelers.

What was also sweet in the final drive, right behind Adam Vinatieri's 43 yard game winner (18th of his career by the way), was watching first Kevin Faulk and second Patrick Pass burn Steelers big mouth James Farrior (#51) for about an extra 30 yards combined during the final drive. Farrior, you'll remember, was wired for sound by the geniuses at NFL Films during last season's AFC Championship, forcing Patriots fans to have to listen to him while watching NFL Films highlight videos in the off season. The Patriots throw a long bomb, James your reaction, "We can't ha dat!" The Patriots pick off Roethlisandwich and take it to the house for a 24-3 lead, James your thoughts, "Keep playin, keep playin!" Deion Branch scores on a end-around to put the game away 41-20, James your thoughts, "...." Oh, yeah that shut him up. I just hope NFL Films wired him up again, I can't wait to hear him on Sunday's final drive...

Pittsburgh Steelers streaks that ended with their 23-20 loss this Sunday to the New England Patriots:

16 consecutive regular-season victories. The longest streak in NFL history is 18 games by the Patriots.

11 consecutive regular-season home victories. Patriots currently hold a 21 game home winning streak.

15 consecutive regular-season victories by quarterback Ben Roethlisandwich, the longest streak to start a career in NFL history. Roethlisandwich failed to become the first QB to win his first 16 starts, the equivalent of a full season. Counting postseason play, Roethlisberger is 16-2 as an NFL starter, both losses to New England.