Patriots Gridiron News 10/23: Malcolm Butler Looking To Limit Antonio Brown

New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler is looking to limit the production of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Malcolm Butler still remembers the 2015 regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although the New England Patriots won the game, Steelers receiver Antonio Brown got the best of Butler.

As the two teams face off this time around, Butler is looking to avenge the 124 reception yards he gave up to Brown. He will be out to prove that he learned a lot from the schooling the dynamic wide receiver handed him the first time around.

"“Just go out there and be competitive to the best of my ability,” Butler said via the Boston Herald. “He’s a great player. We’ll see how it turns out. We played once before, so there’s film on that but the game will tell it all.”"

More from New England Patriots

The game and matchup will also tell if Butler is really the kind of top corner he was proving to be last season. Thus far this season, the third-year cornerback seems to be struggling a bit although he is coming off one of his best games this season.

Against Cincinnati last Sunday, he broke up four passes and allowed just three catches on eight targets, but did give up a touchdown. That is the kind of game he will need against Antonio Brown minus the touchdown.

"“Every time I go out there, I want to be perfect,” he said. “Of course, I was kind of upset by giving up a touchdown, which any other corner, any other player, would feel. But you can’t sit there and think about it too much. You’ve got to keep playing. There was too much of the game left, and things like that are going to happen.”"

What stands out about Malcolm Butler is his mental capacity to forget a bad play and bring it on the next play. In the case of Antonio Brown, he is looking to make their first matchup a forgetful memory by limiting the Steelers wide receiver in this matchup.

It’s a thin line: The defensive line will be thin on Sunday. The team announced Saturday that defensive linemen Woodrow Hamilton and Vincent Valentine has been rule out for the game against the Steelers. This means Alan Branch and Malcom Brown will see more of a workload. How they hold up may factor huge in the team’s ability to stop the Steelers’ running attack of Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams.

Jamie Collins: Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins, who missed last Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a hip injury, made the trip with the team to Pittsburgh for Sunday’s showdown against the Steelers.

Collins has been limited in practice so it is a good sign that he has made the trip. He currently ranks third on the team with 32 tackles and leads the team with two interceptions.

Next: Boston Bruins Cannot Beat The Montreal Canadiens In Boston

For more news and roster updates on your favorite NFL team, keep it locked here at Chowder and Champions.

Home/New England Patriots