FOXBOROUGH, MA (WTIC News) -- The Patriots put the heat on 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers all afternoon, pounding him 7 times including a blast from behind from LB Christian Elliss that could easily have forced him from the game. The jarring strike knocked the ball loose, recovered by the Steelers for a 36 yard loss, setting up a hopeless 4th-and-43.
It was just one of man impact plays by the Patriots defense in a 20-3 win on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. They sacked the future Hall of Famer 4 times, twice producing forced fumbles, one returned for a touchdown that put New England up 17 points late, a lead which stood up.
All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez put a lid on the Steelers’ most dangerous receiver, DK Metcalf, who made 2 catches for 2 yards in the first half, winding up with 4 catches for just 27 yards.
Behind that defensive dominance, the Patriots broke a 2-game overall losing streak (including the Super Bowl) and a 5-game losing streak in home openers.
“When you’ve got those gritty games that it’s not a blowout, it’s a tight game,” said veteran safety Kevin Byard, who made his Patriots home debut, “we wanted to be able to go hunt the football. We wanted to go play with speed and violence, and I think we did.”
Patriots 2nd year RB TreVeyon Henderson (16 carries for 76 yards) returned with a splash after missing the opener with an ankle injury. He replaced Rhamondre Stevenson (6-43) after an early fumble and raced up the middle for a 39 yd touchdown run, breaking a tackle at the 15 yard line to open the scoring.
Rookie TE Eli Raridon made a tumbling 30 yard catch from Drake Maye late in the first quarter, setting up a 30 yard Andy Borregales field goal that put New England up, 10-0.
New England held that lead late in the second quarter before Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell connected on a 56 yd. field goal on the final play of the first half to make it 10-3.
Several Patriots players left the game with first half injuries: G Mike Onwenu was carted off with an ankle injury, Raridon injured his thigh and LB Dre’Mont Jones hurt his shoulder.
Patriots fans saw the best and worst of QB Maye on the first drive of the third quarter—a 29 yard connection with Romeo Doubs (3 catches for 96 yards) off a scramble, immediately followed by a questionable throw downfield that was picked off by LB Patrick Queen for Maye’s 4th interception in 2 games.
Metcalf’s rough day continued in the third quarter, as he dropped a 3rd down pass from Rodgers that should have been a 1st down conversion, setting up a Patriots scoring drive.
Maye bought time as he rolled right and connected with a wide open Doubs down the right side for a 63 yard bomb. Borregales followed with a field goal to make it 13-3.
Then: more pressure on Rodgers (23-39 passing, 187 yds., 1 INT). In the fourth quarter, he held the ball too long in Steelers territory before being enveloped by DT Christian Barmore, who knocked the ball loose. Elijah Ponder recovered at the Steelers’ 19 and broke a tackle to return it to the endzone, putting the Patriots up by an unreachable 3 scores with 13:37 remaining.
Rookie LB Gabe Jacas added his first pro interception to finish the Steelers.
Maye, who wound up 14-for-22 passing for 208 yards and 1 interception, found himself wanting more: the Patriots offense has two touchdowns in two games this season.
“Just little things that are hurting ourselves, and it’s going to end up coming back to bite us, so it already bit us once last week (in Seattle),” said Maye. “Our defense is playing great, and shout out to (them), it is fun watching them play. We have got to match it and have some more urgency, and it starts in practice.”
