The Patriots return to Foxborough for their home opener Sunday, looking to rebound from a 13-10 loss to the Seahawks in their Super Bowl rematch in Seattle.
New England led 10-0 during the second-half before Seattle scored the final 13 points, with three fourth-quarter interceptions by Drake Maye helping the Seahawks complete the comeback. Maye finished with 178 passing yards and a touchdown, but the late turnovers overshadowed a solid first-half. His receiving group will look different against Pittsburgh because A.J. Brown has been placed on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury.
Without its top outside receiver, New England may need a more varied distribution involving its tight ends, running backs and remaining wideouts. The Patriots
also will try to develop a steadier running game after struggling to create consistent production on the ground in the opener.
Pittsburgh arrives at 1-0 after defeating Atlanta 20-13. Aaron Rodgers completed 24 of 40 passes for 221 yards, managing an offense that did enough to complement a productive defensive performance. The Steelers' defense provided one of the game's defining moments when T.J. Watt returned an interception for a touchdown. The teams also met in Foxborough last season, when the Steelers won 21-14 by forcing five turnovers and making two goal-line stands. New England finished with more total yardage, but Pittsburgh controlled the decisive situations.
Ball security and red-zone execution again figure to be central themes as the Patriots pursue their first victory and the Steelers attempt to open the season 2-0.
Patriots vs Steelers odds, moneyline, over/under
Opening lines:
- Spread: Patriots -5.5
- Moneyline: Patriots -220; Steelers +210
- Total: 41.5
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Steelers at Patriots score predictions
Adam Kaufman: Patriots 23, Steelers 16
Sam Darnold went down. The lead grew to 10-0 in the second half. And, still, the Patriots let a season-opening win in a Super Bowl rematch in Seattle slip right through their fingers. You'd better believe that's been gnawing at them. Especially Drake Maye, who threw interceptions on New England's final three possessions despite having every opportunity to win the game. Now the Pats have to figure out life without A.J. Brown for at least the next month, but they'll return to Foxborough against an underwhelming Steelers group that needed a pick-six to beat Atlanta's third-string quarterback. The Patriots should make life difficult for Aaron Rodgers and win a matchup they lost by just seven points last season despite outgaining Pittsburgh by 166 yards and committing five turnovers.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Patriots 17, Steelers 13
In last year's early-season loss to the Steelers, Drake Maye and the offense couldn't get out of their own way, taking five sacks while coughing up five turnovers. Sound like a familiar problem? After again being beset by self-inflicted errors in the season-opening slip-up against the Seahawks, Maye knows he has to be much more discerning than he was in a game in which he admittedly got impatient. This has all the trappings of one of the week's lowest-scoring affairs given how methodical Aaron Rodgers and Co. are likely to remain. New England, however, can more easily generate the handful of game-breaking plays necessary to come out on top.
Nate Davis: Patriots 27, Steelers 20
New England will have had 11 days between its come-from-ahead loss at Seattle and its matchup with the Steelers, who won at Gillette Stadium last year. Even without injured WR A.J. Brown, 2025 league MVP runner-up Drake Maye and the Patriots offense should rebound at home against a Pittsburgh defense that may or may not have CB Joey Porter Jr. – especially if second-year RB TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) is ready to make his season debut. New England WR2 Romeo Doubs needs to rebound, especially with Brown out, after the free agent acquisition's forgettable debut against the Seahawks.
Richard Morin: Patriots 24, Steelers 17
Drake Maye threw away a Week 1 win, but the New England Patriots controlled the majority of its game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. A matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers should present an opportunity for the Patriots to quiet the noise around them and put themselves back on a positive track. The Steelers, meanwhile, picked up a one-score win over the uninspiring Atlanta Falcons — so I'm picking both teams moving to 1-1 following this Week 2 bout.
Where to watch Steelers at Patriots
- Matchup: Patriots vs. Steelers
- Date: Sept. 20
- Time: 1:00 p.m.
- Venue: Gillette Stadium
- Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
- TV: CBS
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers at Patriots: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 2 game
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