Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is pressured by the Seahawks' Byron Murphy last week. Maye threw three interceptions in a loss.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is pressured by the Seahawks' Byron Murphy last week. Maye threw three interceptions in a loss.
Post-Gazette sports reporter Christopher Carter breaks down the Week 2 game vs. the New England Patriots and lists the Steelers’ keys to victory.
When the Steelers have the ball
The Patriots defense will present a tougher challenge up front than the Atlanta Falcons did last week. Defensive tackles Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are two physical forces for Zach Frazier and the offensive line to deal with. The Patriots held the Seattle Seahawks without a rushing touchdown last week.
After leading the Patriots with 97 tackles last year, former Steelers linebacker and current run-stuffer Robert Spillane had a team-high eight tackles last week. The Patriots registered 19 pressures on the Seahawks, with Dre’Mont Jones leading the way with six pressures and a sack.
But the Patriots’ top defender is star cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Fresh off his contract extension, Gonzalez locked down first-team All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba last week. Though Smith-Njigba had a good day overall, he had just three targets and no receptions when he lined up against Gonzalez.
[The Steelers' Derrick Harmon in action last season.
The Steelers' Derrick Harmon in action last season.](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/09/19/derrick-harmon-mom-cam-heyward/stories/202609180012)
After Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. limited DK Metcalf last week, the Steelers must find a way to get through a defense with threats at each level and one of the top cornerbacks in the game.
When the Patriots have the ball
Drake Maye was an MVP candidate last season, but he sure didn’t look like it last week. Three fourth-quarter interceptions sparked a Seahawks comeback and spoiled the reigning AFC champions’ opener.
Eleven days later, Maye has had time to regroup. He’ll be without top receiver A.J. Brown, who’s on injured reserve, but he’ll still have Romeo Doubs — who played with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay — and Mack Hollins.
The Patriots get back second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson after he missed last week due to injury. He averaged 5.3 yards per touch last season and had 1,132 yards from scrimmage along with 10 touchdowns. After facing Bijan Robinson last week, Pittsburgh’s run defense faces another test in Henderson.
Will Campbell and Morgan Moses are the Patriots’ starting offensive tackles and lead a unit that allowed only eight pressures against a physical and aggressive Seahawks defense. It’s a better offensive line than that of the Falcons, so we’ll see if the Steelers can force Maye into some bad decisions.
Top matchup
T.J. Watt vs. Morgan Moses
After Watt earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors with two sacks and a pick-six, he’ll face a much stronger test in Moses. The right tackle was a wall in pass protection last week, allowing zero pressures against a dangerous Seahawks pass rush.
The two are familiar with each other. Last year, Watt arguably had his best game of the season against Moses and the Patriots when he registered two sacks, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble on a day when the Steelers forced five turnovers in a 21-14 win.
If Watt has another big day, Maye might have issues. His completion percentage was 80% when kept clean last week compared to 37.5% when pressured.
The X-factor: Pat Freiermuth
The Patriots boast one of the better cornerback duos in the NFL with Gonzalez and Carlton Davis. They could make life difficult for Steelers receivers.
Enter the tight ends. Neither Spillane nor fellow linebaker Christian Elliss looked good in coverage last week against Seahawks backup quarterback Drew Lock. If Rodgers gets Freiermuth matched up with a linebacker, that might be his best chance to exploit a mismatch down the middle of the field.
Carter’s three keys
Stop Henderson. If Henderson has a good day on the ground and prevents the Steelers from pinning their ears back, Maye might find some comfort in the pocket. The former Ohio State running back is an athletic threat who can take over a game. The Steelers need to be diligent in their duties to keep him bottled up.
Win the turnover battle. Last week, the Patriots lost the turnover battle for the sixth time since Mike Vrabel took over as head coach in 2025. They’re 2-4 in those games. The Steelers won the turnover battle last week and are 9-2 in such games since the start of 2025. If the Steelers can force Maye to take some risks, they’ll be in good shape. The Patriots are 6-11 when Maye throws an interception and 11-3 when he does not.
Bring life to a run game. The Steelers aren’t talented enough to win games consistently with a tilt of 40 passes to 18 runs, their numbers from last week. Jaylen Warren’s best runs didn’t come until late against the Falcons, and Rico Dowdle was shut down. If the Steelers want to slow down the Patriots’ pass rush, they need a rushing attack that will force Spillane and the linebackers to play aggressive against the run, which can open up play action and some bigger shots.
The bottom line
The Patriots are a much tougher test than the Falcons, from top to bottom. Robinson was about the only worry last week. This week, the Patriots present a number of difficult matchups.
Still, the Patriots are a hunted team now after winning the AFC in 2025. There’s more tape out there on Maye and his turnover issues, which gives opponents a better chance to get after him.
Last year, Pro Football Focus logged Maye for 26 turnover-worthy plays — second most among NFL quarterbacks — and his three interceptions were the most in the league last week. Sunday’s game may come down to whether the Steelers force Maye into more mistakes.
Carter’s call
Despite extra rest and a homefield edge, the Patriots’ young quarterback will have another game in which he commits multiple turnovers. The Steelers offense won’t be as efficient as Mike McCarthy wants it, but Rodgers and Co. will get enough done and capitalize on Maye’s mistakes.
Mike Vrabel is 0-4 all time against the Steelers as head coach of the Tennessee Titans and now the Patriots. It’ll be close, but the more experienced QB will come out on top.
Steelers 21, Patriots 20
First Published: September 20, 2026, 1:00 a.m.