On their way to a Week 2 victory, the New England Patriots held the Pittsburgh Steelers to just three points in their Sunday home opener at Gillette Stadium, claiming the matchup 20-3.
The defense generated quick and consistent pressure on opposing quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with emerging outside linebackers Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas helping lead the way and each forcing a turnover.
Amidst a multitude of injuries across the roster on Sunday, including outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, head coach
Mike Vrabel credited some unheralded players for rising to the occasion and making an impact.
“These guys have all been practicing and working really hard, and I’m just proud of them,” Vrabel said after the game. “You look [at the Steelers], and they’ve got T.J. Watt, [Alex] Highsmith, and [Nick] Herbig; we have Ponder, Jacas, and Quintayvious Hutchins. So, I’m proud of our guys for going out there and being ready.”
New England, holding a 13-3 advantage early in the fourth quarter, faced a second-and-long defensive snap with Pittsburgh at its own 30-yard line. As Rodgers dropped back to pass, defensive tackle Christian Barmore stripped the ball loose, and Ponder quickly shifted his focus, scooped the ball up and raced the opposite direction into the end zone.
That touchdown was the 24-year-old’s first career score. And along with his pivotal fourth-quarter sack as the Steelers began a new set of downs at New England’s four-yard line, Ponder finished his afternoon with five additional tackles (three for a loss) and two quarterback hits.
“I think all the credit goes to the players. But certainly, seeing Christian Barmore affect the quarterback with a holding penalty and a forced fumble, seeing everybody work and compete, but [also] work together, to affect the quarterback,” Vrabel said of his defense’s pressure on Rodgers.
“Ponder had a couple of fumble recoveries last year and was able to score. It was fun to see him be able to get into the end zone today.“
Jacas, playing opposite Ponder, also made his presence felt, doing so in an unexpected way for a player operating along the line of scrimmage.
One play after Ponder’s takedown, Rodgers’ pass popped into the air as cornerback Charles Woods made contact with the intended receiver, allowing Jacas to snatch the loose ball for an interception.
“Gabe [Jacas] is going to be a great player,” Ponder said. “He’s taking the steps. You can tell he’s engaged with everything we do from 8 a.m. to whenever we leave the facility. He’s always there and looking for ways to get better. I appreciate that, and I think everybody appreciates that — to see a guy come in, focus on what he needs to do and get it done.”
Effectively closing out the matchup with his forced turnover, Jacas concluded his performance with three tackles, one quarterback hit and a pass deflection. He’ll look to carry that momentum into next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, especially with Jones’ unclear availability.
“He cares extremely,” Vrabel said about Jacas. “[Jacas] comes in early, he stays late, he works with me, he works with all the coaches, he cares about his teammates … And the thing about Gabe is that he can work through mistakes, and I think that’s really critical for any young player trying to improve: you have to be willing to make new mistakes and be okay with that, be able to be coached and I think he’s been able to do that.”
