The Pittsburgh Steelers are no strangers to opening an NFL season against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, but that experience doesn't make the challenge any easier.
"It's not fun," Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told reporters Wednesday. "They're the best for a reason -- coaches and players. It's not like (only) we've had a problem with them. The league's had a problem with them. They're that dominant. I've said it before, playing (the Patriots) at home is hard enough. To go to their place is almost impossible. I guess the only positive is it's not an AFC North team."
The Steelers opened the 2002 and 2015 seasons at Gillette Stadium, and before each of those Week 1 games the Patriots unveiled a new Super Bowl championship banner. Normally, those ceremonies can be annoying for visiting players, especially when the team celebrating is a fierce rival.
Roethlisberger approaches it a little differently. He wants to use the event as motivation to get back to the Super Bowl and win another championship for Pittsburgh.
"I think it's cool to be a part of, honestly," Roethlisberger said. "You go out there and you watch it. You sit there and you try to channel it to say, 'OK, that needs to be us next year.' That's the way I look at it."
Roethlisberger is 0-5 in his career against Tom Brady and the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. His only win in Foxboro came in 2008 when Brady was injured and Matt Cassel was New England's starting quarterback.
New England Patriots
Squaring off against Brady and the Patriots is a stage Roethlisberger relishes, and he's looking forward to the opportunity for the Steelers to make a statement to the league with an impressive win in a hostile road environment.
"It's the first game of the year," Roethlisberger said. "They're the world champs, and we're just trying to get to where they've been, so it'll be exciting for all of us. And I know the crowd will be excited, "Sunday Night Football" -- it's not a 1 o'clock game. All those things add up to an exciting night."
Roethlisberger: Sharing field with Tom Brady is 'an honor'>>>
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