Tim Benz: Steelers' Javon Hargrave could be a blockbuster against patriots

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14 minutes ago

Mike Tomlin's analogy is not the most obvious of all times. But I see where he goes with that.

At his weekly press conference Tuesday, I questioned Tomlin about the nose plating Javon Hargrave. In my mind, if the Steelers offend against the New England Patriots on Sunday night, Hargrave will be a big contributor.

Why? I'll get there in a second.

Tomlin's description of Hargrave's development during his three years in Pittsburgh was … unique.

"I like the way he continues to add to his portfolio," said Tomlin. "I often make him believe that a nose guard is like a blockbuster video. He would do better to diversify. A nose does not have the opportunity to play a lot, so it has to reinvent itself as a subpacker. And he has done so in the last two years because of this challenge. So, he made himself more useful to us.

I then asked Tomlin if it meant that Hargrave looked more like Netflix and less like a VHS tape.

"Certainly, and he would do better."

Yeah. Especially this weekend in Foxborough.

Watch how Hargrave manages the Patriot Center. It will be a crucial match.

In general, it's David Andrews. But he is fighting clots in the lungs and has been placed on a reserve for the wounded. Andrews is a captain of the team who played in 19 games last year. Athletic reports that Andrews "gave a bag, four quarter hits and four presses, all of which were less likely among the Patriots."

Ted Karras is the substitute presumptive. He has been a domestic relief lineman in New England for three years. Karras played 45 games in the regular season with five starts. The team also acquired the former Cincinnati Bengals lineman and Buffalo Bills lineman Russell Bodine.

It's a guy Hargrave has moved a few times during his days at Cincy.

No matter who starts with Bill Belichick on the other side of the fray, Hargrave has the opportunity to write some highlights in the first game of his season in free agencies.

"Really, I do not think so," Hargrave said of his uncertain contract situation. "That's the least of my concerns right now. What must happen will happen. I'm just ready to continue and have a good year. "

A good start for the Steelers on Steelers Base # 1 and Top 10 will go a long way towards that end.

Especially against the patriots. New England averaged 31.2 peak attempts per game last season. This was the third highest total in the NFL. The Steelers limited New England to 19 shots last season, en route to a 17-10 defeat of future Super Bowl champions. But the Patats averaged 5.1 yards per attempt along the way.

And although the central position is a matter of question – like the rest of the tackle Isaiah Wynn – the two starting guards (Shaq Mason and Joe Thuney) have started at the Super Bowl in the last three years.

"We really do not look at that," Hargrave said of the Patriots depth map in front. "We are just ready to go out and show what we have. Whoever is there, we try to dominate. "

Dominating can be a good way to describe what the Steelers did to New England last year at Heinz Field. But they seemed to move Brady away from his usual pace more often than they normally do. He was sacked only once, but he was hit seven times and was troubled in a score of 89.9 for the match. In eleven starts in the regular season against the Steelers, his quarterback score is 109.9. In three playoff wins, that number jumps to 118.6.

This brings us back to Tomlin's starting point that Hargrave should be present in the middle of the passing race, as well as against the race. This task normally falls to Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward. But any help that Hargrave could provide – especially if the Patriots were in first place and 10 on base defense – would be huge.

"It's only the changing roles in this game and opportunities," said Tomlin about Hargrave's skill enhancement. "You'd better have other things you can do to add value to your cause and ours."

Hargrave has a brady scalp to his credit, returning the star quarterback during the 2016 AFC championship game.

Steelers fans hope Hargrave is "nice and rewind" so they'll see him again on Sunday night.

Tim Benz is an editor of Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be republished. All emails are subject to publication unless otherwise noted.

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