Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Players that must show up big vs. Patriots in Week 1

3. The inside linebackers

Vince Williams and Mark Barron will have their hands full against the Patriots. Brady has picked the Steelers apart in the past and a lot of that has relied on Pittsburgh’s linebackers being caught in unfavorable mismatches. Rob Gronkowski caused Steelers fans trauma for years because the defense had no way to stop him. Even with Gronkowski gone, Pittsburgh’s inside linebackers will face new tactics that will push the limits of their coverage capabilities.

It’s unknown how much we’ll see Devin Bush play. The Steelers have a habit of being patient with their first round linebackers and sometimes the rookies are eased into playing more as the season progresses. If that’s the case Sunday night, then we’ll hardly see Bush at all. That’s a luxury the Steelers can afford since they have experienced veterans like Barron and Williams to rely on.

However, Bush’s rare speed and athleticism would make him an asset when dealing with all of New England’s versatile running backs.

Last season, Patriots running and full backs accounted for 12 targets of Brady’s 36 pass attempts. New England loves to sneak James White out of the backfield on short routes for easy completions and huge yards after the catch totals. Like Ryan Shazier was a few years ago, Bush could be Pittsburgh’s counter to these tactics.