The New England Patriots started their 2026 season with a loss, but returning home to Gillette Stadium for the first time this fall will get a chance to earn their first win in front of their home fans. Standing between them and a 1-1 record are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who began the own year with a victory.
Will the Patriots live up to their current status as 4.5-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook? Let’s find out.
Patriots vs. Steelers score predictions
Bernd Buchmasser: The Steelers’ T.J. Watt-led pass rush is highly potent
and their tight end duo of Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington has the potential to cause problems for New England’s second-level defenders. That being said, the Patriots overall are the better team. If he learned his lessons from Week 1, Drake Maye should be able to bounce back from his three-interception performance against the Seahawks, while the interior pass rush could give Aaron Rodgers fits and disrupt the Steelers’ offensive operation. | Patriots 27, Steelers 17
Pat Lane: Sure, last week the Patriots lost and the Steelers won, but these are teams headed in very different directions. I think the Patriots offense bounces back this week against a Joey Porter Jr-less Steelers defense, and the Steelers defense doesn’t scare me. Right now, the forecast looks like rain, so if it ends up a monsoon, the score could look very different, but the Patriots should be able to take care of business at home either way. | Patriots 31, Steelers 14
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Matt St. Jean: Pittsburgh is a good litmus test for opposing teams: good enough to beat bad teams, but not enough high-end talent to beat good ones. Drake Maye should have a clearer picture of what the defense is doing this Sunday, and I expect that to result in a more confident version of himself that plays with poise and consistently leads the Patriots on scoring drives. Meanwhile, the Patriots should have an advantage on defense on the back end that allows them to pressure an immobile Aaron Rodgers, shutting down many Steelers scoring opportunities. | Patriots 23, Steelers 14
Andrew Guindon: Although it’s not the flashiest way to produce on offense, Drake Maye was efficient running the quick, short-passing game against Seattle. I’d imagine Josh McDaniels focuses on that to neutralize T.J. Watt and the pass rush as much as possible. It’s also a good way for Maye to ease into the season after struggling to push the ball downfield last week. Pittsburgh only made two trips to the red zone against the Falcons; the Patriots should outscore them handily. | Patriots 27, Steelers 13
Dylan Klayman: While the Steelers defense is not the caliber of the Seahawks, there is still high-end talent that can’t be ignored. T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith all have the ability to be game-changers on that side of the ball. The Steelers offense is nothing to fear, however, especially for the Patriots defense. Drake Maye will definitely bounce back in some capacity. The wide receiver room is now depleted without A.J. Brown, but it should still ultimately be enough to defeat the Steelers. | Patriots 24, Steelers 13
What do you think? Do you agree with our assessment? Or do you feel differently one way or the other? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts with the rest of the community.
