The Patriots had a chance to do something they hadn’t done in nearly three years (45 games) Sunday afternoon against the Steelers: Win back-to-back games.
Instead, they gave it away… literally.
The Patriots turned the ball over five (!) times, their first five-turnover game since November 30, 2008, which also came in a loss to Pittsburgh. All-time, the Patriots are now 6-67 when turning the ball over 5+ times.
“We don’t need to [lose] a football game to know that turnovers are very hard to overcome,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “They erase all the good things that you do. They take away momentum, they take away points, they give them field position, so we didn’t need to turn it over as many times as we did to learn a lesson.”
And take away the momentum they did — along with the good vibes from last week’s win in Miami. With the loss, the Patriots fell to 0-2 at home this season, 9-21 in their last 30, 4-16 in their last 20, and just 2-8 in their last 10.
Here are the Ups & Downs as the Patriots drop to 1-2 on the season.
Ups:
Hunter Henry - Henry was the best offensive player on the field Sunday. The ever-so-reliable tight end hauled in a game-high eight receptions (tying his career high) for 90 yards, also a game-high, and two touchdowns.
The pair of scores moved him into fourth place on the Patriots’ all-time receiving touchdown list with 21, passing Ben Watson (20). He now trails only Rob Gronkowski (79), Ben Coates (50), and Russ Francis (28). Henry’s 212 receptions also rank third among Patriots tight ends, behind only Coates (490) and Gronkowski (521).
As usual, Henry served as a safety blanket for Drake Maye — especially in the red zone — and continued his strong start to the season. He now leads the team in both receptions (13) and receiving yards (165).
Robert Spillane - Spillane entered the afternoon with eight missed tackles, one of the league’s highest totals. But on Sunday, he delivered his best game as a Patriot, piling up a game-high 15 tackles and grabbing an interception he returned 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 11-yard line — before, you guessed it, the Patriots coughed it right back up.
His 15 tackles more than doubled his total from the first two games (six). It was exactly the kind of performance Spillane needed. He was constantly around the ball and much more reliable with his tackling. If the Patriots’ defense is going to be the unit many expected entering the season, Spillane will have to be a key part of it.
Stefon Diggs - His three catches for 23 yards won’t stand out on the stat sheet, but Diggs was a positive. He set a legal pick that got Rhamondre Stevenson wide open in the flat for a catch and run of 23 yards. Two of his three catches were on third down and converted a first. The Patriots need to find a way to get him more involved.
The resilience from the defense - After the first two drives, it looked like it was going to be a long day for the Patriots’ defense. The Steelers racked up 118 yards on 20 plays, including five gains of 10+ yards, scoring touchdowns on both. But the Patriots made adjustments, shuffled personnel, and completely flipped the script. Pittsburgh was forced to punt on four of its next five drives, with an interception on the other (not including the kneel-down at the end of the first half). In total, New England allowed just 85 yards over the Steelers’ final eight possessions (note two were wo kneel-downs, one at the end of each half).
Downs:
DeMario Douglas – The Patriots were driving for the game-tying score at the Pittsburgh 28 with 1:07 left, facing 4th-and-1. Drake Maye went to Douglas in the flat, who caught the ball just short of the sticks. And then… he went backwards?
It was a costly blunder in a massive spot for the third-year receiver, who continued his quiet season, finishing with just two catches on five targets for seven yards — plus a drop.
Drake Maye - It was a very uneven day for Maye. On paper, it looked efficient: the second-year quarterback completed 28 of 37 passes (75.7%) for two touchdowns and also led the team in rushing with 45 yards on seven carries. But the game itself was far from smooth.
There were moments when he looked like the poised, confident quarterback we saw last week in Miami. And there were moments when he seemed hesitant, holding onto the ball too long and missing easy throws. He was aided by Pittsburgh dropping two interceptions before finally picking one off on a tipped pass at the goal line. Maye also had a fumble with the game tied at 14-14 in the fourth quarter with the Patriots in field goal range.
It was a mixed bag from Maye — not quite the follow-up to his dominant performance in Miami that Patriots fans had hoped for.
The entire first quarter - Mike Vrabel was seeking a fast start. After winning the opening coin toss, the Patriots elected to receive the ball. Instead, he got the polar opposite.
The opening drive was as follows:
- 4-yard run for Rhamondre Stevenson
- Drake Maye sacked by Cameron Hayward
- Drake Maye incomplete pass to Hunter Henry (a would’ve been three-and-out, bailed out by an illegal contact penalty called on Pittsburgh)
- Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled
The Steelers cashed in on an 8-play, 54-yard touchdown drive off the fumble, aided by two Patriots penalties, an offside penalty called on K’Lavon Chaisson, and a defensive pass interference called on Alex Austin on third and goal from the two-yard line.
All told, the Patriots had four penalties (26 yards), a turnover, were sacked twice, totaled only 20 offensive yards, and allowed four plays of 10+ yards on defense.
About as bad as it gets. To their credit, though, they didn’t let it snowball.
Not cashing in at the end of the first half - 17 plays, 92 yards… You have to come away with points.
The Patriots ripped off a 17-play drive (their longest drive of the season), which began at their own 6-yard line and burned 7:13 of clock, with a chance to tie the game with a touchdown heading into the half. Instead, a Drake Maye pass intended for Kayshon Boutte was tipped by Cameron Hayward and intercepted by Brandin Echols.
Notably, with first-and-goal from the Pittsburgh three-yard line, the Patriots threw the ball three consecutive times, with the first two attempts falling incomplete, and the third resulting in an interception.
Alex Austin - After committing two penalties, both third down, the first a defensive pass interference call on third and goal from their own two-yard line that gifted the Steelers a fresh set of downs, and the other a defensive holding call that wiped out a Milton Williams strip-sack, also gifting the Steelers a fresh set of downs, the 24-year-old was benched in favor of Charles Woods. The Patriots were desperately missing Christian Gonzalez.
Christian Elliss - After a slew of early missed tackles, Ellis was benched in favor of Jack Gibbens. He entered the game with six missed tackles, and those struggles continued right from the start.
The running backs (namely Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson) - Rhamondre Stevenson (two) and Antonio Gibson (one) combined for three lost fumbles. Stevenson’s second fumble, coming on second-and-one from the Pittsburgh two-yard line, was especially costly, and it came on the drive immediately before Gibson’s fumble. Fumbling has been an issue for Stevenson in the past, and it ultimately cost the Patriots the game on Sunday.
The running back trio of Stevenson, Gibson, and Henderson combined for 22 carries for just 74 yards.
The wide receiver production - Henry (eight receptions, 90 yards) and Stevenson (three receptions, 38 yards) were the Patriots’ leading receivers. They matched the Patriots' wide reception total of Diggs (three), Mack Hollins (four), Kayshon Boutte (two), and Douglas (two).
On this team, the running back and tight end should not be outperforming the Patriots ' wideouts. They need more from that group.
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