![]() Mitch Trubisky threw for 168 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Steelers, whose offense sputtered for long stretches as it struggled to find any sense of rhythm. ![]() Watt, who is out indefinitely with a left pectoral injury. Harris ran for 71 yards, most of them coming on a clock-chewing drive in the final minutes that let New England play keep away as Pittsburgh's defense sagged late without star outside linebacker T.J. “At the same time, I don't want it to be, ‘Hey, this is our identity.’ It's more ‘OK, we see some good stuff. “I hope this game is a stepping stone toward where we're headed,” Agholor said. And the special teams took advantage of a miscue by Pittsburgh punt returner Gunner Olszewski, whose muff helped New England celebrate owner Robert Kraft's 500th game like it has so many that came before it: with a win built not so much on style, but substance. The defense forced a pair of three-and-outs in the fourth quarter after the Steelers had drawn within three. Jones bounced back from a rough Week 1 performance to throw for 253 yards, including a 44-yard heave to a leaping Agholor that gave the Patriots a 10-3 lead at the break. “To come to Pittsburgh and gut out a win, you start to build who you are.”Īn identity that may, in the end, turn out to be much the same as so many New England teams that came before it. “We're building an identity,” said longtime Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty. A leaping pass deflection by linebacker Matthew Judon in the fourth quarter, all of it topped off by 6:33 of pure physical domination by an offensive line that let the Patriots drain the clock on their way to beating the Steelers for the 13th time in 17 meetings under coach Bill Belichick. A muffed punt that found its way into the hands of Brenden Schooler to set up a pivotal touchdown run by Damien Harris. One big throw from quarterback Mac Jones to Nelson Agholor right before halftime. The response was a performance that's become the standard for an organization that worries far less about style points and far more about winning by any means necessary: a clinical, largely selfless 17-14 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday that kept New England without an 0-2 start in over 20 years. A starting point the Patriots knew would in no way define their season. It doesn't matter the year, the opponent or even the quarterback.Ī sometimes lifeless loss to Miami in their opener was just that, an opener. PITTSBURGH - The New England Patriots don't panic. NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots Get picks now.Patriots rely on defense to edge Watt-less Steelers 17-14 See NFL picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. ![]() The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Steelers as a 6.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh is a solid 6-point favorite against New England, according to the latest NFL odds. Do the Patriots have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Steelers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough. New England came out on top in a nail-biter against Pittsburgh when the teams last played back in September of 2022, sneaking past 17-14. This contest might not be the best time to bet the Patriots against the spread since they've let bettors down the last five times they've played. Looking ahead, the Steelers are the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by six points. In addition to losing their last games, the two teams failed to cover the spread. As for Pittsburgh, their loss dropped their record down to 7-5. New England has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost eight of their last nine games, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-10 record this season. They received a tough blow as they fell 24-10 to the Cardinals. Meanwhile, the point spread may have favored Pittsburgh last Sunday, but the final result did not. They took a 6-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Chargers. Last Sunday just wasn't the day for New England's offense. The Patriots are limping into the game on a five-game losing streak. The New England Patriots will head out on the road to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:15 p.m.
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