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Patriots may have dropped shot at playoffs


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“You heard a lot of talk about it being a rivalry,” said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. “It hasn’t been much of a rivalry because they’ve gotten after us. For it to be a rivalry we’ve got to win some and that’s what we set out to do when we came up here today.”

The Steelers forced New England into mistakes. Playing against a team who would give them little margin for error, the Patriots went way outside the margins. And it wasn’t just the turnovers. Wide receiver Randy Moss had four drops — two in the end zone on a drive that ended with a missed field goal just before the half.

“I am speaking for myself, I am very disappointed in my play,” said Moss. “Bill (Belichick) says time and again, ‘Do your job.’ My job as a wide receiver is to get open, catch the ball and score touchdowns. The balls were there, they just weren’t caught.”

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Moss said that the first drop may have gotten inside his head. “Once you drop the ball and you drop another ball, I think it does start to affect you mentally. That is why they call us professionals because we are supposed to let the bad go and get back to playing football. … The balls were hitting my hands and hitting my body. I just couldn’t secure the catch.”

The door hasn’t slammed on the Patriots. But reality’s risen up and been recognized a bit. Their five losses have come to the Jets, Steelers, Colts, Chargers and Dolphins. All — except San Diego — are AFC playoff contenders. There’s ample evidence that the Patriots are not an upper tier team this season. Their seven wins are over teams that are a combined 35-48. Their losses are to teams that are a combined 36-22. Mediocre and fighting for their playoff lives is not an accustomed place for the Patriots to be.

Said Moss, “Hopefully, this is something we can rebound from. But it does hurt. It is a bad taste.”

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