FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) LeGarrette Blount burst through the line at the Pittsburgh 19, slipped one tackle and bulled into another defender at the 9.
Defensive back William Gay wrapped him up, but just got pushed backward. Three more Steelers pitched in, still unable to bring the New England running back down. And then three more defenders – along with a whole bunch of Patriots, pushing Blount toward the goal line.
By the time seven Steelers managed to tackle him, Blount had carried 18 yards to the 1-yard line. He finished the job on the next play to give the Patriots a 27-9 lead and the Steelers fell 36-17 in the AFC championship game on Sunday to blow a chance at their first Super Bowl since the 2010 season.
Instead of Ben Roethlisberger going for his third NFL title, Tom Brady will be trying for his fifth.
The Steelers defense allowed Brady to complete 32 of 42 passes for three touchdowns and a career playoff-best 384 yards, making No. 4 receiver Chris Hogan look like an All-Pro in his second postseason game with nine catches for 180 yards and two scores.
Missing Le’Veon Bell after a first-quarter groin injury, the Steelers couldn’t convert in the red zone for the second straight game. A week after kicking six field goals – their only scores – but winning, Pittsburgh twice couldn’t punch the ball in from inside the 2.
But the biggest problem was on defense, where Brady was given too much time to find his open receivers.
And the three-time Super Bowl MVP usually does.
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