Winners and Losers From Steelers Win Over Patriots

T.J. Watt

Fresh off signing a three-year, $123 million extension just before training camp, Watt recorded no sacks and just three pressures, per Pro Football Focus, over the first two weeks of the regular season.

The 30-year-old looked like his vintage self against the Patriots, however, constantly working his way into the backfield and finishing the day with two sacks to go alongside four pressures and a fumble recovery.

Nick Herbig

Much like his counterpart at outside linebacker in Watt, Herbig was a game-wrecker for Pittsburgh.

Starting while Alex Highsmith is on the mend with an ankle sprain, the 23-year-old racked up eight pressures on the day that he turned into a sack and four quarterback hits.

Herbig turned in a good Week 2 performance against the Seattle Seahawks, and it appears as though the hamstring injury that held him out of the season opener isn't hampering him in the slightest.

Brandin Echols

After logging a combined 33 snaps over the first two contests of the season, Echols shouldered a full workload at Gillette Stadium and made the most of his opportunity while Joey Porter Jr. was sidelined for the second-straight game with a hamstring injury.

Over 61 defensive reps, Echols allowed just 23 yards in coverage according to PFF while also making a pair of huge plays at the end of each half. He first intercepted Drake Maye in the end zone right before halftime, and later tackled DeMario Douglas short of the line to gain to force a turnover on downs with just over a minute left in the game, securing the win for Pittsburgh.

Losers

Run Game

The Steelers' run game struggled to get anything going in Weeks 1 and 2, and it was no different against New England.

Pittsburgh ended up with 26 attempts on the day for just 64 yards, which came out to an average of 2.5 yards per carry. While Jaylen Warren was productive in the passing game, hauling in five passes for 34 yards, he posted only 47 yards on 18 carries.

Kenneth Gainwell, meanwhile, scored a touchdown and put up 16 yards on four attempts while Aaron Rodgers recorded a yard on four carries.

Pat Freiermuth

Freiermuth is off to a slow start as he continues building a rapport with Rodgers.

The 26-year-old tight end finished Week 3 with one reception on three targets for six yards and appeared to have some miscommunication with his quarterback on several occasions. The most prominent example on that front came when Freiermuth didn't stop in the right area as Rodgers escaped the pocket on a 3rd-and-5 play in the second quarter, leading to a punt.