Heinz Field To Host Huge Patriots-Steelers Showdown In Week 7, Tickets Soaring On Secondary Market
Through six games, there’s no denying that the Steelers and Patriots are the two best teams in the AFC. Therefore, the winner of this game will gain a distinct advantage in the race for home-field advantage, if the Patriots and Steelers indeed continue on their pace as the conference’s two best teams.
Since Ben Roethlisberger debuted in 2004, these two teams have engaged in some highly entertaining matchups over the year, though it is Tom Brady who has gotten the better of the rivalry, holding a 6-2 edge in head-to-head matchups opposite Big Ben. In fact, Brady is even 3-1 against Roethlisberger at Heinz Field, which is a trend that may not even come into play after the veteran Pittsburgh quarterback went down with an injury in Week 5 versus the Miami Dolphins that is expected to keep him on the sidelines for at least the next few weeks. That being known, the Patriots will be looking to capitalize on the situation.
No matter who is under center for the Steelers come Sunday, tickets to see the Patriots and Steelers are trending mighty high, having a whopping average price of $421.58 on the secondary market, according to Razorgator. Furthermore, the get-in price for Patriots vs. Steelers tickets is going for as high as $151, though perhaps this isn’t too surprising, considering the teams involved in this anticipated clash between top AFC contenders. Fortunately, fans going to the game can at least save a little bit of money by acquiring their Heinz Field parking on ParkWhiz.com, which features numerous cheap parking options all around the stadium. In addition, ParkWhiz.com boasts parking at any sports venue in the country.
New England’s offense, with Brady back leading the way, appears to already be back in elite form, as the future Hall-of-Famer can choose to feed the likes of Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, and Martellus Bennett regularly. Of note, Gronkowski scored three touchdowns in last year’s season-opening 28-21 victory over the Steelers, and after Gronk’s monster game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, expect to be heavily involved.
Another intriguing storyline will be comprised of how Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount fares against his old club. Blount has been out to a solid start in 2016, and there’s no question he’ll be extra motivated when he returns to his old stomping grounds.
For Pittsburgh, it looks like Landry Jones will be suiting up as quarterback, but the game plan should still be focused around superstars Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Brown caught nine passes for 133 yards and one touchdown in the aforementioned opener a season ago, but he might have a tough time duplicating that strong performance without Big Ben throwing him passes. New England also may elect to stack the box to minimize the damage done by Bell, but of course, the Steelers have also been using their stud running back at receiver as well, so that should make for an interesting dynamic in terms of how the Patriots cover him.
Although fans might prefer to wait until ticket prices go down, you should still expect to pay premiums, as this showdown between the Patriots and Steelers looks like it will end up as the priciest game of Week 7.