Drake Maye's inability to avenge the New England Patriots' Super Bowl 60 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 1 rematch isn't much to fret over. The fact that his first start since that Super Bowl loss produced arguably Maye's worst performance as a pro, however, certainly feels like cause for concern. The third-year pro out of North Carolina passed for 178 yards and a touchdown on three interceptions — all coming in the fourth quarter of a very winnable game.
The quarterback finished with a QB of 58.0. Maye and the Patriots (0-1) can calm a lot of nerves in their home opener against the Aaron Rodgers-led Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0). It just won't be any easier of a task. Pittsburgh sacked Maye five times and picked him off once in their matchup
last season, a 21-14 loss also at Gillette Stadium. Keep that in mind when shopping for lines in this one. The consensus has New England as 5.5-point favorites, and a long layoff after opening the season last Wednesday certainly factors in there.
But there's also a lot going right for the Steelers at the moment. Head coach Mike McCarthy began his tenure with a 20-13 victory against an already-banged up Atlanta Falcons team that watched two turnovers lead to Pittsburgh scores. And that's before factoring in two sacks each by T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. A defense like that takes a ton of pressure off a 42-year-old Rodgers, who still found a way to attempt 40 passes in Week 1.
Are the Pats as bad as they looked in Week 1? Are the Steelers as competent as they looked? A 1 p.m. kickoff in New England for Week 2 should start to provide a lot more clarity.
Steelers at Patriots live odds
Opening Lines
- Spread: Patriots -4.5
- Moneyline: Patriots -225; Steelers +205
- Over/Under: 41.5
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Steelers at Patriots picks against the spread
Adam Kaufman: Patriots -4.5
Talk about having time to stew on a loss. The Patriots blew a 10-0 lead against backup quarterback Drew Lock on Wednesday Night Football, with Drake Maye throwing interceptions on their final three possessions. Now he's without A.J. Brown, who landed on injured reserve. At least TreVeyon Henderson is expected back to give New England's running game more versatility alongside Rhamondre Stevenson. The Pats lost to the Steelers by seven last season despite turning it over five times. Pittsburgh won its opener, but seven of the 20 points against Atlanta came on a pick-six. I'm banking on Maye taking better care of the ball at home and New England's defense keeping Aaron Rodgers from doing much damage. Maybe it's a homer pick — Patriots fan here — but I'll lay 4.5.
Tom Viera: Patriots -4.5
The Patriots are a strong bounce-back candidate in Week 2 at home against Pittsburgh, especially with a significant rest advantage. New England played Wednesday night in Week 1, giving the Patriots 11 days between games, while the Steelers are coming off Sunday's 20-13 win over Atlanta. Pittsburgh needed a T.J. Watt pick-six to help put away a Cooper Rush-led Falcons offense, while Aaron Rodgers managed just 221 passing yards. Now, Rodgers faces a Patriots defense that should be able to generate pressure against a Steelers offensive line that struggled at times in Week 1. With Drake Maye at home and extra preparation time, New England should have enough to win comfortably.
Nick Brinkerhoff: Patriots -4.5
The Patriots really dropped the ball – figuratively and literally – in Week 1. And it remains to be seen what this offense can do without A.J. Brown, who landed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. However, our alternative is backing an anemic Steelers offense that can't push the ball down the field. New England's defense is the difference in this one. Drake Maye and the Pats offense will do just enough to win and cover the spread, even if it's not in the most inspiring fashion.
Blake Schuster: Steelers +4.5
Pittsburgh might not win this one outright, but nothing is going to feel comfortable for Drake Maye when T.J. Watt is breathing down his neck all game. The Steelers clearly have Maye's number. And while they will need to put up a little more offense than they did against the Falcons to keep up with New England and I don't think the Patriots just run away here. This one stays under a touchdown as Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy game-manage their way to a 2-0 start
Where to watch Steelers at Patriots
- Matchup: Patriots vs. Steelers
- Date: Sept. 20
- Time: 1 p.m.
- Venue: Gillette Stadium
- Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
- TV: CBS
NFL Week 2 Sunday picks, predictions, odds
- Saints at Ravens
- Vikings at Bears
- Packers at Jets
- Panthers at Falcons
- Bengals at Texans
- Steelers at Patriots
- Eagles at Titans
- Browns at Buccaneers
- Dolphins at 49ers
- Jaguars at Broncos
- Commanders at Cowboys
- Seahawks at Cardinals
- Raiders at Chargers
- Colts at Chiefs
Super Bowl 61 updated odds
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patriots vs Steelers spread predictions, odds for NFL Week 2 game
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