FOXBOROUGH, Mass.—Tom Brady can deny it all he wants. But the New England Patriots quarterback has figured out the defense employed by respected defensive mind and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

The wildly success Steelers scheme has been the subject of repeated dismantling projects by Brady, including in last season's 39-26 win. Brady is 4-1 in Pittsburgh in his career, and his passer rating is 105 against the Steelers.

How does he do it? Brady knows where the protection is needed, he unloads the ball quickly and he is more than comfortable taking five-yard gains. That patience allows him to pick apart the Steelers, even with rangy safety Troy Polamalu roaming.

Perhaps even more devastating, Brady knows when to attack deep after lulling defenders to sleep, which is why he used tight end Rob Gronkowski over the top last season. Pittsburgh could be in trouble, even at home.

Notes: Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is moving closer to being full speed after a back injury, which means his snaps could increase. For now, Haynesworth has been a push-the-pocket rusher on third downs, but if he's able to play on an every-down basis, the Patriots front four could look like the group that was intended during the preseason.