For whatever issues the New England Patriots have had through two weeks, the defense hasn’t been one of them. They’re giving up just 8.0 points per game and are now coming off a dominant performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Patriots managed to intercept quarterback Aaron Rodgers and recover a fumble, while scoring a defensive touchdown. They had other opportunities for more turnovers, but would settle for the two while also sacking Rodgers four times and holding Pittsburgh to 2 of 12 on third-down conversions.
There is, seemingly, good reason to be excited. However, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wants to pump the breaks after the Steelers win, because as he explained on The Greg Hill Show, the Steelers have some issues there.
“I don’t think this was one of the best offenses we’ll face this year, so try to keep things in perspective and go from there,” Vrabel admitted.
There is some truth there from Vrabel. Rodgers is on the older side, and it shows in his game. Beyond that, the Steelers have gaps they’re trying to cover up. That was an issue in Week 1 for them, too, when they struggled to score against the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, it doesn’t mean the Patriots had nothing to do with what happened on Sunday.
The New England Patriots Pass Rush Looks Improved
One of the biggest concerns for the Patriots coming into the season was their pass rush. It was middling to bad a season ago, and between injuries and free agency, New England entered the year without some key pieces. On top of that, rookie Gabe Jacas was slow to join the team and had his own injury concerns.
Through those first two games, the pass rush looks solid. Four sacks against the Steelers and two against the Seahawks are a pretty impressive start. That’s on pace for 51 on the season, after they had just 35 in 2025.
A major reason for that has been Jacas. He’s been much better than many people expected, and he’s even caught Vrabel’s eye.
“He cares, extremely,” Vrabel said. “An extreme amount. Like, he cares. He comes in early, he stays late, he’s with [Mike Smith], he works with me, he works with all the coaches, he cares about his teammates, he goes hard, makes mistakes. The thing about Gabe is that he can work through mistakes. 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 and be able to be coached. I think he’s been able to do that.”
There are harder tests for the Patriots to come. Vrabel pointed out as much. For now, it’s hard not to be very happy with the defense and the pass rush.
The Patriots Face a Much Better Offense in Week 3
Week 3 presents a brand new test for the Patriots. They’ll travel to Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in the heat and humidity. Amid those difficult conditions, they’ll also face what’s considered to be one of the better offenses in the AFC.
Led by Trevor Lawrence at quarterback and Liam Coen at head coach, the Jaguars have the talent a innovative ability to keep defenses on their toes. So, if the Patriots do manage to stand tall once again, then there might just be something to where the defense stands in 2026.
Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, September 27th. Both teams enter the game 1-1 on the season.
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel Takes Shot at Steelers Offense Following Win