The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots will square off today in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. Pittsburgh won this matchup last season by the score of 21-14 off the strength of five takeaways. Can they win consecutive matchups against New England and get to 2-0? Here is how our staff sees things playing out.
Ryan Parish (1-0): The Steelers won this matchup a year ago thanks to some turnover luck. I think they will need more of that as the Patriots were a much different team by the end of the season.Fortunately
for Pittsburgh, the Patriots’ offense is in a bit of disarray and is shorthanded following the injury to A.J. Brown. The Pats do get TreVeyon Henderson back, but how effective will he be in his first game back? The Steelers’ offense will likely still be uneven, especially with wide receiver Michael Pittman out, but I think the defense can lead them to another ugly win. Steelers 20, Patriots 17
Ryland Bickley (1-0): I was leaning towards a Steelers win, but Michael Pittman Jr.’s sudden absence feels like a big deal after he was the team’s most consistent wide receiver last week. I’m confident Germie Bernard will step into a bigger role on offense some time this season, but after barely seeing the field last week, it might be too early to expect much –especially considering Aaron Rodgers’ demands of receivers. The Patriots are certainly a beatable team, especially with wide receiver AJ Brown out, but Drake Maye is a different class of quarterback from the Falcons’ Cooper Rush, who the Pittsburgh defense easily handled last week. It could be a different story Week 2. I’m expecting a close game that could go either way. Steelers 20, Patriots 17
Austin Bechtold (1-0): I’m concerned with the Steelers offensive line facing a more vaunted pass rush than the Falcons. Missing Michael Pittman Jr. should unlock playing time for Germie Bernard, but does Aaron Rodgers trust him? Does DK Metcalf bounce back? Drake Maye can’t possibly be as bad as he was against the Steelers last year. New England might not be the house of horrors it used to be for the Steelers, but I think the Patriots do enough in the 4th quarter with multiple question marks surrounding the Steelers offense and its capabilities. The defense should force a turnover or two, but I don’t see it being enough and the absence of Joey Porter Jr. will be felt more than most of us think. Patriots 24, Steelers 21.
Mike Nicastro (1-0): The Steelers and Patriots rosters are comparable, but this is a tough spot for Pittsburgh in what feels like a must win for New England. After losing to Seattle on opening night, they risk falling to 0-2, prior to heading to play on the road at Jacksonville and Buffalo. The Steelers defense will most certainly keep them in the game, but ultimately Drake Maye will make too many plays with his legs. The potential absence of Michael Pittman Jr. looms large, as shutdown corner Christian Gonzalez will likely blanket DK Metcalf most of the game. For the Steelers to win, Roman Wilson and Germie Bernard will need to have the games of their lives. It’s a tough spot in wet conditions. Patriots 20 Steelers 16.
Joey Bray (1-0): The Pittsburgh Steelers beat this same team in this same location last season. However, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers force five turnovers this time around against a very well coached New England team. The absence of key pass catchers should make offense harder to come by in his contest. Drake Maye will be without AJ Brown, while Aaron Rodgers will be without Michael Pittman Jr. I’ll take New England to get back on track and pick up a win at home. Patriots 17, Steelers 13.
Jason Aponte (1-0): Michael Pittman is down, but this feels like a perfect squeaky wheel game for DK Metcalf. Christian Gonzalez is a problem, but he’ll still be involved. The Patriots missing A.J. brown means more than anyone wants to let on. It’ll be ugly, but Pittsburgh goes 2-0. Steelers 21, Patriots 17.
Jarrett Bailey (1-0): I’ve gone back and forth on what I believe will happen here. No Michael Pittman means Roman Wilson and/or Germie Bernard need to step up. The Steelers also need to be able to have some semblance of a ground attack, which they didn’t have against the Falcons in Week 1. I picked the Patriots on the latest episode of The Pump Fake (shameless plug, join me and Todd Haley for three shows per week), so I’ll stick with that here, though I certainly do see a path where the Steelers prove me wrong. Patriots 24, Steelers 23.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
- Joey Porter Jr OUT vs. Patriots
- Steelers weren’t willing to give Joey Porter more guaranteed money, per report
- Steelers mailbag: Will DK Metcalf bounce back vs. Patriots?
- Joey Porter Jr leaves practice early with medical staff
- T.J. Watt already buying into playing fewer snaps
