PITTSBURGH – Its momentum gone and the Steelers surging behind backup quarterback Landry Jones, New England needed something to get it going.
The Patriots found inspiration in the usual places: LeGarrette Blount's churning legs, Tom Brady's accurate right arm and Rob Gronkowski's massive hands.
Twice the Steelers needed one stop to give their offense the ball with a chance to take the lead Sunday.
And twice the 6-1 Patriots instead went right down the field, pulling away for a 27-16 victory that left little doubt as to where the balance of power in the AFC sits at the halfway point.
The Steelers trailed 14-13 when Blount broke runs of 11 and 25 yards to set up a 36-yard touchdown from Brady to Gronkowski in the third quarter.
When another Pittsburgh field goal brought it within four, the Patriots responded with another long touchdown drive fueled by a 37-yard catch-and-run by Gronkowski that set up Blount's second touchdown.
"It was good to score like that and good to make plays in the second half that we needed to," Brady said. "They certainly made it tough on us."
Maybe, but the Steelers (4-3) also made it tough on themselves. Pittsburgh scored one touchdown in four trips to the red zone and was flagged 10 times for 85 yards, including a holding call in the second quarter that wiped out a TD pass that would have tied the score.
