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AP. Steelers broad receiver Chase Claypool (11) hauls in a move from quarterback Mitch Trubisky with Patriots cornerback Myles Bryant (27) defending throughout the first half Sunday in Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH — The New England Patriots don’t panic. It doesn’t matter the 12 months, the opponent and even the quarterback.
A typically lifeless loss to Miami of their opener was simply that, an opener. A place to begin the Patriots knew would by no means outline their season.
The response was a efficiency that’s turn into the usual for a corporation that worries far much less about fashion factors and way more about profitable by any means essential: a scientific, largely selfless 17-14 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday that stored New England with out an 0-2 begin in over 20 years.
One massive throw from quarterback Mac Jones to Nelson Agholor proper earlier than halftime. A muffed punt that discovered its manner into the arms of Brenden Schooler to arrange a pivotal landing run by Damien Harris. A leaping move deflection by linebacker Matthew Judon within the fourth quarter, all of it topped off by 6:33 of pure bodily domination by an offensive line that allow the Patriots drain the clock on their solution to beating the Steelers for the thirteenth time in 17 conferences beneath coach Invoice Belichick.
“We’re constructing an id,” stated longtime Patriots defensive again Devin McCourty. “To return to Pittsburgh and intestine out a win, you begin to construct who you might be.”
An id which will, in the long run, become a lot the identical as so many New England groups that got here earlier than it.
Jones bounced again from a tough Week 1 efficiency to throw for 253 yards, together with a 44-yard heave to a leaping Agholor that gave the Patriots a 10-3 lead on the break. The protection compelled a pair of three-and-outs within the fourth quarter after the Steelers had drawn inside three. And the particular groups took benefit of a miscue by Pittsburgh punt returner Gunner Olszewski, whose muff helped New England have a good time proprietor Robert Kraft’s five hundredth sport prefer it has so many who got here earlier than it: with a win constructed not a lot on fashion, however substance.
“I hope this sport is a stepping stone towards the place we’re headed,” Agholor stated. “On the similar time, I don’t need it to be, ‘Hey, that is our id.’ It’s extra ‘OK, we see some good things. Now let’s get higher.’”
Harris ran for 71 yards, most of them approaching a clock-chewing drive within the ultimate minutes that allow New England play maintain away as Pittsburgh’s protection sagged late with out star outdoors linebacker T.J. Watt, who’s out indefinitely with a left pectoral harm.
Mitch Trubisky threw for 168 yards with a landing and an interception for the Steelers, whose offense sputtered for lengthy stretches because it struggled to search out any sense of rhythm.
Trubisky hit Pat Freiermuth for a 7-yard landing on the primary play of the fourth quarter to attract the Steelers inside three and briefly quiet the chants for rookie backup quarterback Kenny Pickett.
These cheers don’t determine to go away anytime quickly, nonetheless, after the Steelers failed to choose up a single first down throughout their ultimate two possession whereas squandering an opportunity to tie or take the lead.
“We’d like that spark,” stated Steelers broad receiver Diontae Johnson. “We now have to carry that spark each week. We’re going to be nice. We now have to return off the ball with a objective and we’ll be good.”
Good could also be a couple of steps down the highway. The Steelers completed with simply 243 yards of whole offense because the Patriots made it some extent to remove the deep passing sport. A combination of a gentle move rush in Trubisky’s face and a few hesitancy by Trubisky to check the New England secondary led to a collection of test downs that moved the sticks from time to time however did not create any sustained momentum.
“We might be higher at all the things,” stated Trubisky, who accomplished 21 of 33 and was sacked 3 times. “I might be higher at decision-making. We had some missed alternatives. I had some missed throws. … Backside line, we’ve acquired to attain extra factors.”
The primary assembly between two of the NFL’s marquee franchises to characteristic neither Tom Brady nor Ben Roethlisberger in years lacked the excessive stakes that lengthy outlined the rivalry between former AFC superpowers.
As an alternative, New England got here in on the lookout for a jolt following a blah Week 1 loss to Miami whereas the Steelers are nonetheless within the nascent phases of the post-Roethlisberger period, a journey that started with an exciting and barely weird victory over Cincinnati final Sunday.
The time beyond regulation victory got here at fairly a price. With out Watt, Pittsburgh did not generate any kind of sustained move rush towards Jones. The Steelers did not document a single sack after gathering seven towards the Bengals, and whereas Jones wasn’t spectacular, he didn’t should be whereas extending drives with accountable and secure throws over the center.
UP NEXT
Patriots: Host Baltimore subsequent Sunday.
Steelers: Journey to Cleveland to face the Browns on Thursday evening. Pittsburgh swept their longtime AFC North rivals final season.
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