Feel better?

We’ve told you this story before: Former longtime Londonderry High School coach Tom Sawyer always said that football is about two things: “Blockin’ and tacklin’.”

No doubt in today’s complex NFL with veer shifts and trips right, trips left, etc. etc., sometimes that gets overlooked.

It didn’t in Sunday’s New England Patriots 17-14 win at Pittsburgh. The Patriots made sure they made the tackles when it counted the most. And they made sure they blocked like crazy when it mattered the most, the offensive line basically plowing straight ahead as the Patriots held the ball for the final six minutes of the game, with Damien Harris and Rahmondre Stevenson plowing ahead.

That’s the way games are won against the Steelers. You go in knowing that’s how it normally is going to be, you’re going to have to beat them at their own game. The Patriots knew the Steelers weren’t going to sling the ball all over the field, not with Mitchell Trubisky.

The Patriots got themselves a field goal, Nelson Agholor – remember when some in the media felt he might be traded during the preseason – won a 50-50 ball on a play that perhaps DeVante Parker may want to take a few notes from, and they took advantage of old friend Gunner Olszewski’s foolish muffed punt.

But the key is what the Patriots did, holding on to the ball for as long as they did. With no T.J. Watt to worry about, the Patriots went toe-to-toe with a still tough defensive front and did what not many teams in the NFL were able to do on Sunday – close out the opponent. See Jets-Browns, Dolphins-Ravens, and almost Rams-Falcons. Just ask Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, and Browns coach Kevin Stefansky how important it is to have the ball in your hands at the end with the lead. Gulp.

As Harris said when asked what the mindset was on that final drive, “Just win the game. Win the game.”

Amen.

“It was great to be able to hang onto the ball at the end there,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “And our backs ran hard. And our line gave them some space to run. We were able to control on, what was it, three first downs or whatever it was. I think it was a little over six minutes when we got the ball.

“That’s the way you want it. Kneeling the ball. That’s the best way to win. So they did a great job.”

You know that Patriots center David Andrews was happy. The Patriots much-maligned offensive line – not so much criticized for lack of talent as it was lack of a good scheme to follow – had a much, much better week.

“This offensive line, man,” Andrews said after. “We got to third and 3 at the end of the game right there, you are going back to the huddle thinking ‘Oh, man, I hope they call a run here.’ Then we went back to it and finished it.

“As an offensive line, it felt really good to finish the game that way.”

It’s been a tough near-two months for Andrews and his beefy cohorts up front with a perceived change in the offense and blocking scheme.

“Everything in football is schemed up,” Andrews said. “It’s game plans, and pulling guards are a part of football. They have been for a hundred years. We did some things, some good things today.”

They blocked. They tackled. And they won..

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.