LIVE: Danny Shelton inactive for third straight game

PITTSBURGH – The Patriots are in need of some help when it comes to stopping the run. After two of their worst performances of the season, many expected Danny Shelton to make his way back on the game-day roster.

Instead, Shelton is a healthy scratch for the third game in a row.

Acquired for a third-round pick (the Pats also received a fifth rounder in the deal), many expected the experienced defensive tackle to make an impact for the Patriots this season. After [...]

PITTSBURGH – The Patriots are in need of some help when it comes to stopping the run. After two of their worst performances of the season, many expected Danny Shelton to make his way back on the game-day roster.

Instead, Shelton is a healthy scratch for the third game in a row.

Acquired for a third-round pick (the Pats also received a fifth rounder in the deal), many expected the experienced defensive tackle to make an impact for the Patriots this season. After coming off the bench for 10 of the Patriots first 11 games, Shelton has instead been shelved. The Pats have been relying on Malcom Brown, Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler at defensive tackle. The results have been mixed.

The defense allowed 9.0 yards per carry last weekend in Miami and 7.3 yards per carry against Minnesota the game before that.

Also inactive for the Patriots is  Duke Dawson, Obi Melifonwu, Jacob Hollister, Derek Rivers, James Ferentz and Keionta Davis. Dawson is still waiting to make his NFL debut.

Keion Crossen and Dwayne Allen are active this week. They were inactive last weekend. It looks like they took spots for Hollister and Melifonwu on today's game-day roster.

Welcome to Heinz Field 

Welcome to Heinz Field where the Patriots will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 15 matchup.

There’s a lot on the line for the Patriots (9-4) this evening. After losing last weekend to the Miami Dolphins, the Pats are in danger of losing the No. 2 seed in the AFC. If they want to avoid playing during the wildcard round, they’ll have to win their remaining three games.

The current playoff seeding has the Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) with the No. 1 seed. The Pats, however, have the head-to-head tiebreak over the Chiefs, so keep tabs on their remaining three games. There’s also a scenario where the Los Angeles Chargers (11-3) leapfrog the Chiefs in their division and become the No. 1 seed. Either way, the Patriots control their own destiny.

A loss would make their road to the Super Bowl even tougher. It would also mark the first time the Patriots didn’t win 12-regular season games since 2009.

The Steelers (7-5-1) are coming off three-straight losses, so there’s a lot on the line for them as well. It looks like they’ll be without running back James Conner (ankle) today. Conner was downgraded to doubtful on Saturday.

The Patriots downgraded linebacker Elandon Roberts (thigh) to questionable and added him on the injury report on Saturday. The Pats are otherwise healthy with nobody else questionable for this matchup.

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