Ron Cook: Naturally, Patriots get the last laugh after Deflategate

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. It started with Tom Brady taking the field for warmups, screaming with joy at his loyal fans, pumping his fist in the air. If that weren’t enough to ruin your night, there was owner Robert Kraft walking his team’s fourth Super Bowl trophy, won in February, to midfield for the unveiling of the championship banner.

It continued with Brady throwing not one, not two, but three touchdown passes to All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. How they loved that here, watching Gronk wind up and do his famous spike after each score.

It ended with the New England Patriots doing what they always seem to do at Gillette Stadium, beating the Steelers handily, 28-21. Brady is 4-0 at home against the Steelers.

Nothing was going to ruin the Patriots’ celebration. Not the Steelers, who clearly weren’t good enough. Not the ESPN “Outside The Lines” expose earlier this week that accused them of systematically cheating for years, going back to before Spygate. (The guess here is Mike Tomlin believes every word of the report.) Not the hated Roger Goodell, who elected to stay home rather than attend one of his league’s marquee events. Not even the rain, which stopped about 10 minutes before the pregame ceremonies.

It was the Patriots’ night.

Aren’t you getting tired of that?

Tomlin must be absolutely exhausted from it. He talked of more Patriots subterfuge after the game. It seems as if they have an endless supply.

“We were listening to the Patriots radio broadcast for the majority of the first half on our (coach-to-coach) headsets. ... That’s always the case.”

At Gillette Stadium.

“Yes,” Tomlin said, tersely.

That was frustrating, to be sure, for the Steelers coaches. But that’s not what won the game. Brady and Gronkowski did.

Brady wasn’t supposed to play, suspended for the first four games for his role in Deflategate. But he beat Goodell and the NFL in court, then spent a few wonderful hours beating the Steelers with impunity. From late in the first quarter until early in the fourth, he completed a franchise-record 19 consecutive passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. In his past five starts against the Steelers, he has thrown for 18 touchdowns and no interceptions.

“Sharp as ever,” Ben Roethlisberger said of Brady. “That’s who he is. That’s why he’s the best.”

Brady’s big game was expected against the much-maligned Steelers defense. The secondary couldn’t stop Gronkowski, who broke a tackle by Robert Golden to score his first touchdown, beat Will Allen off the line to get his second and caught a 1-yard lob over Terence Garvin for his third.

What came as a surprise was the way former Pitt running back Dion Lewis gauged the Steelers defense. Did anyone notice Lawrence Timmons in the game? He was credited with just three tackles. Lewis had 120 total yards.

What hurt from the Steelers’ perspective was that their offense made just as many big plays, finishing with a 464-361 edge in yards. Their field goal early in the fourth quarter closed New England’s lead once 21-3 to 21-14 and an 11-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown with two seconds left made it 28-21. But it was too little, too late.

DeAngelo Williams looked good as suspended Le’Veon Bell’s replacement, running for 18 yards on his first carry and finishing with 127 yards on 21 carries. “Awesome,” Roethlisberger said. Added Tomlin, “We not only weren’t surprised, we expect that from him.”

Roethlisberger completed passes of 43 yards to Darrius Heyward-Bey in for suspended Martavis Bryant and 37 and 33 yards to Brown. He also had a gorgeous 26-yard throw to Markus Wheaton, who made a great catch on the sideline.

But the Steelers made too many early mistakes to win. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley deflated (sorry) the first drive, calling for a trick play pass by Brown on first-and-10 at the Patriots 24 after the team had marched down the field. It resulted in an 8-yard sack. Why have a wide receiver throw a pass when you have a $100 million quarterback?

There were two missed field goals (44, 46) by Josh Scobee that were hurtful. Who would have thought injured Shaun Suisham would be missed more than Bell, Bryant and Maurkice Pouncey? “It was not a very good start for me,” Scobee said. “I expect better of myself.”

So did the Steelers offense, which also got a nine-catch, 133-yard game from Brown.

“It’s a small step in a long journey,” Roethlisberger said of the loss.

Brady and Gronkowski gave the big crowd one final special moment to remember midway through the fourth quarter. They combined for Brady’s fourth touchdown, the 1-yard lob.

It felt as if all of New England celebrated.

Goodell wasn’t here, but he hardly was forgotten. The big crowd gleefully chanted, “Where is Roger?” after Gronkowski’s final touchdown.

No word about what Goodell thought of the spectacle. He wasn’t available for comment.

That probably was just as well.

Somehow, in a sickening sort of way, it seemed appropriate that Patriots fans had the last word in Deflategate.

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