New England answered its Week 1 disappointment with a 20-3 home victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday, using explosive plays on offense and a punishing pass rush to keep the Steelers out of the end zone in Week 2.
Drake Maye did not produce a flawless performance, but he consistently found chunk gains against Pittsburgh’s veteran defense. The Patriots quarterback completed throws of 29, 29, 30 and 63 yards after failing to record a completion of at least 20 yards in the opener.
The longest came after Maye escaped pressure and connected with Romeo Doubs for 63 yards. New England also found big gains on the ground, including TreVeyon Henderson’s 39-yard touchdown run and a 24-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson early in the second half.
There were still missed opportunities for the Patriots. Stevenson lost a fumble in Pittsburgh territory on New England’s opening possession, while Maye threw an interception in scoring range. Maye also missed throws he made more consistently last season and was pressured behind an offensive line that became more vulnerable as injuries mounted.
Patriots defense overwhelms Rodgers and Steelers
New England’s defense supplied the defining plays. The front repeatedly disrupted Aaron Rodgers, who was under pressure throughout the afternoon behind an overmatched offensive line.
With Pittsburgh within field-goal range on third-and-7, Christian Elliss sacked Rodgers and jarred the ball loose. The loose ball sequence resulted in a 36-yard loss and forced the Steelers to punt.
Christian Barmore later hit Rodgers for another forced fumble early in the fourth quarter. Elijah Ponder recovered it and returned it for a touchdown, giving New England control of the game. Rookie Gabe Jacas then came down with an interception after a botched catch, ending another Pittsburgh chance to reach the end zone.
The Patriots held the Steelers to 235 total yards and limited them to two conversions on 12 third-down tries.
Pittsburgh offense remains stuck
Rodgers completed 23 of 39 passes for 187 yards, with one interception and four sacks before sitting out the final series. At 42, he struggled to move through crowded pockets as New England’s defensive line repeatedly penetrated.
Right tackle Troy Fautanu endured a difficult outing, while guard Spencer Anderson allowed seven quarterback pressures and a sack. Pittsburgh’s running game never established itself, leaving the offense in unfavorable down-and-distance situations for much of the day.
DK Metcalf caught four of nine targets for 27 yards and had several costly mistakes. Through two games, Pittsburgh’s passing attack has lacked rhythm, and head coach Mike McCarthy has significant work to do after another flat offensive showing.
Week 2 Sunday scoreboard
| Game | Result |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers | Panthers 34, Falcons 3 |
| Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints | Saints 24, Ravens 17 |
| Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings | Vikings 9, Bears 3 |
| Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals | Bengals 20, Texans 6 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots | Patriots 20, Steelers 3 |
| New York Jets at Green Bay Packers | Packers 20, Jets 17, overtime |
| Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans | Eagles 24, Titans 20 |
Still on the Week 2 Sunday slate
- Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers
- Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
- Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys
- Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers
- Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night
