Underneath all the schematics of personnel matchups, coverage schemes and route combinations is the foundation that dictates the control of every football game, and that's the battle in the trenches between each team's linemen.
When facing a team like the Patriots led by Tom Brady, controlling the line of scrimmage is essential to limiting what aspects of the offense Brady can rely on throughout the game.
Brady will dictate the pace of the passing game and check down into run plays when he sees opportunities for his line to open up a gap for his running backs to run through. He's also adept at identifying blitzes to help his linemen with communication in pass protection.
But even with the pre-snap adjustments and communication at the line of scrimmage, it still requires execution across the board from the Patriots' offensive line. The Steelers' defensive front has been dominant in their first two playoff victories, so let's look at what they can do to continue that trend against the Patriots:
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