Patriots to test Steelers' mettle

Much of New England's recent success started in 2002 against Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The New England Patriots return today to the place where it all started.
No, not their unprecedented run of 21 consecutive victories or their NFL-record 18 regular season wins in a row -- streaks that could be severely tested by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 4-0 with rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger starting.
When Tom Brady and Ty Law, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi and the other regulars who've played on the Patriots' two Super Bowl championship teams step on the Heinz Field turf, they can't help but feel they're back on friendly ground.
Pivotal game
Three seasons ago, the Patriots came together as a championship club by upsetting the double-digit favorite Steelers 24-17 in the AFC title game. The Patriots went on to surprise the Rams in the Super Bowl, and have since won 34 of 43 games, another Super Bowl and league-wide respect as one of the NFL's best teams in the last quarter-century.
Law's response to all that? Thanks for the memories.
"That is a closed chapter to us," Law said. "People are talking about us defending the championship. We aren't defending anything. That is a done deal. You can't take that away from us. We are starting fresh and right now, it's still too early in the season."
While that Jan. 27, 2002, game now is just a distant memory for a team that is halfway to equaling Pittsburgh's four Super Bowl championships of the 1970s, it remains a painfully fresh one to many Steelers.
Wide receiver Hines Ward, for one, still won't concede the Patriots were better that day, pointing to two special teams breakdowns that resulted in New England touchdowns and the Steelers' third loss in four AFC championship games since the 1994 season.
"We actually won the ball game," Ward said. "We didn't win, but giving up 14 points off special teams, that's tough to overcome on anybody. When you get there you've got to seize the moment, and that's why this [game] has a totally different makeup."
Finding perspective
Despite Ward's observation that Pittsburgh can "dethrone" New England by stopping the streaks, today's matchup won't decide anything, even if the Steelers (5-1) deal the Patriots (6-0) their first loss since Sept. 28, 2003.
Or will it?
For the Patriots, it's an opportunity to build even more momentum to the mountain they've already created by defeating a quality opponent on the road. So far, they've beaten only the Cardinals (2-4) and Bills (1-5) away from home.
For the Steelers, it could potentially be a season-making game. Beating a team that hasn't lost in 13 months would further validate Roethlisberger's ever-building status and push the Steelers into the league's elite class heading into next week's game against also-unbeaten Philadelphia.
Maybe it wouldn't be a defining victory like that the Patriots achieved in the Steelers' own stadium 33 months ago, but by regular season standards it would be close.
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