The Patriots and Steelers played in one of the best games of the NFL regular season back in Week 15, with the Pats emerging victorious under some dubious circumstances to swipe the top spot in the AFC.
A win on Sunday against the Jets will lock up the top seed in the AFC playoffs and home field advantage throughout, while the Steelers need a win and a Pats loss to earn that right. Those two teams are clearly the class of the AFC this season, with only the Jaguars (10-5) at double digit wins entering Week 17.
So, it makes sense that either team would be doing whatever it takes to gain an edge on the other, on the field or mentally. This weekend’s games will be intriguing for both sides as they jockey for the top seed, but the Pats made waves on Tuesday to try and gain that mental advantage on the Steelers by signing veteran linebacker James Harrison who was recently released by the Steelers.
Source: the Patriots are expected to sign former Steelers LB James Harrison.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 26, 2017
Former Steelers' LB James Harrison is signing with the New England Patriots, per @FieldYates.
Could lead to potential matchup of Harrison vs. Steelers in postseason.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 26, 2017
Harrison was a non-factor for the Steelers this season, having played in only five games and recording three tackles, but he can provide valuable insight for the Patriots in preparing for a Pittsburgh defense that held New England relatively in check in their regular season meeting.
Harrison’s just excited to have a teammate older than he is.
If nothing else, this gives us an excuse to dive into the wonderful world of James Harrison workout videos on Instagram.
