Steelers QB Roethlisberger gives Belichick taste of his own 'buttering up'

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is the king of praising an upcoming opponent to death. So it was entertaining to hear him jokingly call out Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for doing the same leading up to Thursday’s opener.

Asked in a conference call Sunday about the Patriots keeping 10 defensive linemen on their 53-man roster, Roethlisberger said “their motors never stop” and the Steelers are trying to prepare for the way Belichick rotates them and keeps them fresh.

“I think that sounds like Ben buttering us up pretty good,” Belichick said with a smirk during a media conference Monday. “Half these guys have never played against him. But that’s very complimentary of Ben to say that. We’ll see.”

Of those 10 Patriots defensive linemen, just two – Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich – were with the team when it sacked Roethlisberger five times in the last meeting, a 55-31 New England triumph here on Nov. 3, 2013.

There’s no doubt finishing plays is a challenge against Roethlisberger, whose 6-foot-5, 241-pound frame is hard to bring down. (Belichick joked Sunday that Big Ben probably weighed the same in the eighth grade; Roethlisberger countered that he graduated high school at 185.)

Roethlisberger faces his own challenge this week: opening the season with two playmakers, all-pro running back Le’Veon Bell and receiver Martavis Bryant, serving suspensions and center Maurkice Pouncey on short-term injured reserve following ankle surgery.

Gillette Stadium figures to be rocking as the Patriots raise their latest Super Bowl banner on national TV and star quarterback Tom Brady takes the field after his four-game Deflategate suspension was vacated by a federal judge last week.

“It’s the opening game of the year. It’s Thursday night,” Belichick said. “I think everybody’s motor will be running.”

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