The New England Patriots went into their Week 2 game knowing they needed a win, or their season would feel doomed before it even started. Although it's still early in the season, the matchup was considered a must-win after their disappointing, frustrating loss to the Seahawks last week.
Unfortunately, they faced a Steelers team coming off a win over the Falcons, largely thanks to their impressive defensive front, especially T.J. Watt. The offensive line did a much better job keeping Drake Maye off the ground in their Super Bowl rematch, so the expectation was that Pittsburgh might not be as much of a problem.
For the most part, that was true; even with Mike Onwenu suffering a potential season-ending injury early in the game, the defense wasn't a major issue for Maye.
He was far from great, and the offense still has issues, so they still have to rely on the defense to win games. However, there were some improvements in their performance last week, which is a major plus.
11 instant reactions to the Patriots' Week 2 win over the Steelers
1. Rhamondre Stevenson's fumbling issues return, with a fumble on a good drive after Hunter Henry made a 30-yard catch. It was the running back's first fumble since Week 5 last season and his third against the Steelers in his last four turnovers.
2. The offense really came together on the first touchdown by TreVeyon Henderson, with great blocks from not only the offensive line, particularly Morgan Moses and Jared Wilson, but also DeMario Douglas and Mack Hollins.
3. Injuries began to pile up well before halftime, with Mike Onwenu suffering a serious ankle injury before the end of the first quarter and being immediately ruled out. Soon after, Dre'Mont Jones (shoulder), Eli Raridon (thigh), and Dell Pettus (ankle) also exited the field, and all were ruled out for the rest of the game.
4. Romeo Doubs really bounced back from his Week 1 performance, first with a 29-yard catch on third-and-five at the start of the third quarter. He ended it with the longest catch of his career: a 63-yard reception that put the team in field-goal range.
5. Andy Borregales' inconsistency continues to be a problem, as he missed a 47-yard field goal and then made a 45-yarder later in the quarter. Leaving points on the field is devastating, and those missed opportunities can be the difference between a win and a loss.
6. The decision to have Christian Gonzalez shadow DK Metcalf all day was proven to be a wise choice, especially since they didn't have him follow Jaxon Smith-Njigba the entire game last week. The Steelers receiver caught just three of eight targets for 11 yards.
7. The defensive line really stepped up with Harold Landry still sidelined, and especially after Dre'Mont Jones left the game. We saw standout plays from Christian Barmore, who got a strip-sack that led to a defensive touchdown; Joshua Farmer, who got a sack; and Christian Elliss, who played with a lot of aggression.
8. Elijah Ponder showed up and showed out in this game, too. He recored five total tackles, three for a loss, a sack, two quarterback hits, and a touchdown. It was a massive showing for the 2025 undrafted defender and was exactly what the defense needed.
9. Then there was rookie Gabe Jacas, who only played 11 snaps on defense against the Seahawks, but did get a sack on Sam Darnold. He followed that up with three tackles, a quarterback hit, and an interception. It's a strong showing for a player who missed all of the spring and two days of training camp this summer.
10. The defense was such a menace that even Aaron Rodgers didn't want to deal with it anymore, with over 3 minutes left in the game. The veteran quarterback decided he didn't want to get back in, so the Steelers sent Mason Rudolph in to finish the game.
11. Drake Maye's performance was far from what anyone was hoping for in what was considered a must-win game. Although they got the W, Maye's bad decisions were a problem again, which doesn't bode well for road games against the Jaguars and Bills over the next two weeks.
Add us as a preferred source on Google