The Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers in their home opener, still searching for their first win of the season. The Steelers are coming off a 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, while a disastrous fourth quarter doomed New England against the Seattle Seahawks in a 13-10 loss.
Drake Maye’s three interceptions and A.J. Brown’s injured reserve status are just the headliners when it comes to all that the Patriots need to sort out in the early part of this fresh season. Here are a few questions they’ll try to answer in Foxborough Sunday:
Who can replace A.J. Brown?
In a short answer: no one guy. There is no one else on the roster with Brown’s skill, athleticism, and football I.Q. The Patriots will need to figure out what combination of skill players can both move the chains more effectively down the field than they did against the Seahawks, (the Patriots averaged just 4.1 yards per play – well below a Drew Lock-led offense that ticked off a 5.9-yard average).
New England will likely get young running back TreVeyon Henderson back after injury sidelined him for two weeks, and he’s a guy who can help both in the ground game and as a pass catcher. This particular matchup may call for a lot of running game, and he’s a nice, versatile back they can throw in, provided his pass protection has improved from his rookie year.
Aside from Kyle Williams’ speed and Mack Hollins’ experience, it will be interesting to see whether rookie tight end Eli Raridon’s snap count jumps from Week 1, (54% of offensive snaps). Raridon recorded a touchdown, and his strength appears to be in the receiving game rather than blocking – at least at this early junction.
How does Drake Maye bounce back?
Maye’s fourth-quarter woes can’t be overstated, given how he made it through the entire regular season last year without multiple-pick games on his resume as a second-year quarterback previously tabbed as a turnover risk.
The opening stinker had to sting longer with the long layoff between games. Maye sounded a bit like Apollonia in the Godfather recounting his last several days.
“It was Thursday and Friday and Saturday, and we got in here on Sunday, and it just felt longer,” he said. “But at the same time, it's something that this league's about. It's about playing a game that you wish you could have done things better and be able to bounce back and realize that it's week one, but at the same time, you have got to fix these things quick because these things are… it's not going to win you football games. As coach said, it's the stuff that gets you beat.”
Maye says all the right things about his mistakes. Sunday is the time to prove that he can turn the page on a truly bad performance, and Pittsburgh isn’t going to make it easy for him. Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith are sure to bring pressure to the pocket. Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Patrick Graham loves to confuse quarterbacks and offensive lines with simulated pressures and fire zone blitzes while bringing an all-out seven-man blitz just enough to keep the offense honest. Maye will need his arm, legs, and brain engaged on every snap.
How do the Patriots generate more turnovers?
The Patriots’ lack of takeaways has been a big talker this week. Christian Gonzalez had a chance at a pick against the Seahawks, but it slipped through his fingertips.
New England will have a hard time finding success this year if they continue down the path of the -3 turnover differential they had in Week 1. There are no cheat codes to creating takeaways, but expect the defense to emphasize swarming the ball and bringing pressure against an…elder Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is still one of the trickier quarterbacks to pick off in the league, so an interception may be a wish for Week 3.
Can New England stop the run?
Rodgers still runs the offense at 42, but it’s yet to be seen whether the Patriots’ defense can live up to their calling card of run-stuffing they established during the regular season last year.
New England was slightly-above-average in total rushing yards allowed in Week 1, (97), but rookie Jadarian Price picked up 52 of those, squashing any dreams of replicating last year’s seven-game streak without a non-QB rusher picking up 50 yards to start the season.
The Steelers’ offense had a league-low 58 yards against the Falcons, with a meager 2.8 yards-per-carry. Head coach Mike Vrabel added old friend DaQuan Jones – maybe he’ll help hold the edge Sunday.
