Steelers Win Dog Fight Against Patriots

A bunch of small, albeit powerful runs by running back Jaylen Warren put the Steelers on the goal line, and Darnell Washington was targeted on third down. A pass interference by cornerback Alex Austin gave the Steelers a new set of downs, and Kenneth Gainwell ran it into the endzone for the first rushing touchdown of the Steelers season, giving them a 7-0 lead.

The Patriots got the ball back, and made it through their first set of downs due to having Antonio Gibson align at fullback for a tough third-and-one. In the ensuing set of downs, Darius Slay would go down with an injury, walking off on his own power. Harmon made his prescense known on third down, getting his first career sack with Cam Heyward also getting involved, and the Patriots punted.

The ensuing drive began as a disaster, and Rodgers fumbled on third down, but the play was changed after Alex Austin was called for a defensive holding that gave the Steelers a new set of downs instead of punting from behind the 20. A 'low-block' penalty gave the Steelers another fifteen yards, and instead of punting a play prior, the Steelers were just behind midfield.

On a third-and-ten, Rodgers hit Jonnu Smith for a 21-yard pass, and the Steelers got another set of downs just outside the red zone. Rodgers found Metcalf on the next set of downs, passing Brett Favre for sole 4th place all time in passing touchdowns with 509.

On the ensuing drive, Maye threw to wideout Kayshon Boutte just outside the endzone, and Brandin Echols committted a pass interference call. On first and goal, Maye found Hunter Henry wide open in the end zone, and it became a 14-7 game with 9 minutes to play in the second quarter.

Rodgers and the offense stalled on the following drive, and the Steelers punted. The following Patriots drive saw the Patriots offense pinned into their own end zone, and a dropped pass by Austin Hooper kept the Steelers hopes of getting the ball back soon alive. A catch on third and long by Rhamondre Stevenson was spotted just short of the first down, and the Patriots offense went for it on fourth and one from their own 14. The play paid off, and the Patriots gained nearly ten yards on the play.

A deep pass nearly to midfield was intercepted on a dive by defensive back Chuck Clark, and Clark returned the ball to the 25 before being reviewed and overturned. A Hunter Henry dropped past was orginally viewed as a fumble, but the Patriots made the Steelers pay as Stevenson caught a 23-yard pass to continue the New England drive.

Watt then made his first sack in six games, as he sacked Maye on second down to begin his 2025 campaign. A third-and-13 brought a 20-yard pass from Maye to Boutte, and the Patriots continued to roll. The Patriots sought to have the last drive of the half, completing short passes down the field with the clock running. Maye then found Henry for an 18-yard pass that put the Patriots at the 5-yard line with just under a minute in the half.

Watt and Herbig put pressure on Maye, and he threw the ball away on first down. On second down, Henry and Maye couldn't connect, which led to a third down where Maye threw it into the hands of Brandin Echols, which ended a 17 play drive in zero points for the Patriots.

The Steelers first drive of the second half included a Jaylen Warren catch that lost five yards, and Rodgers found himself throwing an interception directly into the hands of former Steelers linebacker Robert Spillane, who returned it to the 15 yard line. Maye found Henry for 9 yards, which put the Patriots at the 2-yard line, although Henry went down with a leg injury on the catch. Stevenson then found the the end zone, but without the ball in his hands, so Payton Wilson recovered the ball for a fumble on the goal line.

The Steelers ensuing drive was chock-full of miscommunication, with an opening holding call, play for a loss and a dropped pass leading to a Steelers punt.

The Patriots next possesion led to the third fumble by a Patriots running back, this time former Patriot Jabrill Peppers recovered a fumble by Antonio Gibson. Rodgers could not take advantage, and the Steelers punted once again.

Maye and the Patriots started moving the ball down the field with two first downs in the first three plays, but Drake Maye was spotted short on a third down rush. TreVeyon Henderson took the ball on fourth down, and got the first down to put the Patriots just about 40 yards from the end zone down a touchdown. Maye found Henry for a 15-yard pass, putting the Patriots 24 yards out from the end zone. At the end of the third quarter, the Patriots had a 4th and 2, 16 yards from the end zone down 14-7.

On the first play of the 4th quarter, Maye found Henry for a 16-yard touchdown, making it a tie game at the outset of the final quarter. The next drive saw the Steelers fumble on the opening play, with Jonnu Smith losing control of the football. The ball, luckily for the Steelers, made it out of bounds before it could be corralled by a Patriots defender. On third down, Rodgers threw it Metcalf's way and a pass interference on the attempt brought the Steelers across midfield.

Three inaccurate passes caused the Steelers to punt again, their fourth of the game. Maye found Hooper for back to back chunk plays of 12 and 16 yards, and the Patriots began a quick move down the field. The next set of downs saw DeMarvin Leal stop Maye short of the line to gain, and Maye ran with the ball on 4th and 1, gaining 7 yards to continue the drive and put the Patriots 33 yards away from taking the lead.

The Steelers got another chance to take advantage of the turnover situation, as Nick Herbig forced a fumble on Maye that Watt recovered.

Warren and the Steelers began moving down the field with small runs, and the Steelers found themselves 30 yards away from the end zone with five minutes remaining. Just before the two-minute warning, Rodgers found Calvin Austin III on a back-shoulder fade route for a 17-yard touchdown. Boswell's extra point was good, and the Steelers led 21-14 with 2:16 to play.

The Patriots took over, and Maye found a seam running after some short passes and put the Patriots at the 37-yard line with 1:25 to play. A Watt sack on the next play caused the Patriots to call one of their two remaining timeouts, and the 2nd and long pass was incomplete. On third and 13, Maye found Hunter Henry just short of the line to gain, and the Steelers called a timeout with 1:07 remaining and an important fourth-and-one.

On the conversion play, Maye found Douglas in the air, and Douglas was ruled short of the line, giving the Steelers the ball with 1:03 to play.

The Steelers kneeled the ball, and would win 21-14.