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Final Score
Patriots — 7-7-6-7–27
Steelers — 0-10-3-3–16
The Patriots got the job done.
Without Ben Roethlisberger in the lineup the Steelers had the chances, but ultimately fell to the Patriots 27-16. The Steelers got the job done on the defensive end, forcing two turnovers and keeping the game within striking distance. But those two takeaways netted zero points for the home team, leaving the Steelers feeling this game could have been much closer.
The Patriots are victorious, but it was not without issues. LeVeon Bell was nearly unstoppable tonight, finishing with 149 total yards. The Patriots had a few drives stopped by dropped passes, and there was no spark until Gronk got rolling in the second half.
The Steelers are off next week, while the Patriots hit the road to face the Bills.
Keep reading to see the game stats and highlights:
Game Highlights
Patriots Avoid Disaster After Edelman’s Fumble
Steelers punt it away.
Edelman returns it…
AND LOSES THE 🏈!
Steelers recover. #NEvsPIT t.co/csQ6ySzBKJ
New England is giving Pittsburgh chances to get back in this game, including this return fumble by Edelman. New England’s second turnover gives the Steelers solid field position, but they are unable to drive and Boswell misses his second field goal of the night.
Blount’s Second TD Extends Pittsburgh’s Lead
A six-play 75 yard drive ptus the Patriots ahead by double-digits, sparked by a 37-yard catch and run from Gronkowski. Brady is starting to open up a thin Steelers secondary, and the Steelers need a response to stay alive.
Patriots Regain Momentum With A Gronk TD
GRONK TOUCHDOWN AND SHIMMY
Gronkowski sighting at Heinz Field. Beautiful pass by Brady that puts New England ahead 20-13.
Dime from Tom Brady to give the Patriots a 7-point lead. Steelers have done more to stop Gronk than they usually do. Pats had matchup there.
After the Steelers closed the margin to one point, the Patriots responded with a five-play TD drive. Blount ripped off a 25-yard run, and Brady hit Gronk in the seam for the 36-yard TD. This isn’t quite the blowout some expected, as the Steelers, particularly LeVeon Bell, have done a good job keeping Tom Brady off the field.
Pittsburgh Responds With A DHB TD Catch
Holy cow, he got him. Landry Jones hits (a super pumped) Darrius Heyward-Bey in the back corner of the end zone. #Steelers cut hole to 7.
The Steelers needed a big play to gain some momentum, and Darrius Heyward-Bey got his team going with a nice catch in the back of the endzone. Steelers cut the lead in half, then get a stop on defense.
Blount Adds Another TD As Patriots Take Control
Keep the Blount Rolling! #Patriots up 14-0 #NEvsPIT (Vine by @CaseyBake16) t.co/cwVLuR5AS7
The Steelers are in trouble early, as Brady marches his team down again for another score. This time it’s an 11-play drive, capped by a bruising three yard by former Steeler LeGarrette Blount.
James White Scoots For New England’s First TD
Sweet feet!
TB12 dumps it off to @SweetFeet_White…
19-yard @Patriots TD! #NEvsPIT t.co/kPiieYAzHC
The Patriots respond with a 13-play, 80 yard drive, capped off by a great effort from James White. Brady looked sharp as usual, converting first downs with both his arms and his legs.
Malcolm Butler Takes It Back
It appeared the Steelers were going to convert on Hogan’s early mistake, but Butler stepped in front of Antonio Brown to intercept a lobbed pass in the endzone.
Chris Hogan Makes An Early Mistake For New England
Pittsburgh is going to need some big plays on defense to win this game, and they start early with a nice strip from Jarvis Jones on Chris Hogan. Steelers have it in great field position.
Game Stats
Stats will be updated throughout the game
Patriots
Passing: Brady: 19/26, 222 yards, 2 TD
Rushing: Blount: 24 carries, 127 yards, 2 TD
Receiving: Gronkowski: 4 receptions, 93 yards, TD
Steelers
Passing: Jones: 29/47, 281 yards, TD, INT
Rushing: Bell: 21 carries, 81 yards
Receiving: Brown: 7 receptions, 106 yards
Preview
The NFL’s premier matchup for Week 7 has been diluted, but it’ll still be a hard-fought contest when the Patriots visit the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger’s absence takes some excitement out of the meeting of two potential playoff teams, but New England will still be looking for their first regular season win in Pittsburgh since 2010.
The Patriots are going for a third straight win since the return of Tom Brady, and the offense has been rolling. Brady has over 350 yards passing in his two starts, and the Pats rank fifth in the NFL in total yards.
Sunday will mark just the third NFL start for backup Landry Jones, who is the Steelers starting QB for the foreseeable future. Roethlisberger’s meniscus injury will keep him sidelined for at least six weeks, and the Steelers third-string QB is journeyman backup Zach Mettenberger.
The Steelers are also hurting defensively, and they’ve been giving up huge yardage numbers in recent weeks. Last week they surrendered over 200 rushing yards to Jay Ajayi of the Dolphins, and Pittsburgh currently ranks 28th in the NFL in pass defense.