Following a poor start to the season, the New England Patriots Week 2 performance showcased just how much the team improved over the last week. They earned a 20-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers behind a dominant defense, while their offense is still fleshing out its identity. With the first victory of the year in the bag, here’s how the Patriots developed on both sides of the ball.
New England’s defense built on its Week 1 performance by pressuring the quarterback more and forcing turnovers. The Patriots’ defensive front led the way by collapsing the pocket and clogging up rushing lanes. They sacked Aaron Rodgers four times for 43 yards and allowed 91 rushing yards.
New England’s edge rushers were seen as a potential concern entering the season but made an impact against the Steelers. Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas led the edge rush, combining for eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack. Quintayvious Hutchins, who entered after Dre’Mont Jones left the game following a shoulder injury, added three tackles.
The depth of the Patriots’ interior defensive line also stood out against Pittsburgh. Their combination of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore remains productive, with the duo gathering two tackles, one TFL, and one sack. Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer gave the line a boost when needed, providing four tackles, one TFL, and one sack.
New England’s effort on the defensive line was noted by head coach Mike Vrabel. Following the game, Vrabel expressed that the defense managed to stay productive after players went down.
“You have to affect the quarterback each and every week,” said Vrabel. “Proud of our defense. Proud of everybody. We had a lot of guys [who] stepped up. We’ve had a lot of injuries. We played a lot of guys. Some of these guys hadn’t been here for two weeks”.
The Patriots also had players produce in the secondary when others went down. They entered the game with Carlton Davis III sidelined, which led to Charles Woods seeing an increase in defensive snaps. Woods took advantage of the opportunity by recording 10 tackles and a pass deflection.
Christian Gonzalez, whom New England recently made the highest-paid cornerback, continued to show his worth. Following a solid performance against Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Gonzalez passed another tough assignment against DK Metcalf. Gonzalez allowed four catches on nine targets for 12 yards with two pass deflections and three tackles.
“I’m proud of this defense, proud of the team,” said Gonzalez. “Fought hard. The Steelers were a physical team. Our challenge was to be more physical as a defense and [I] think we did that”.
The physicality of the Patriots’ defense improved over their season-opening performance. While they remained a stonewall on third down, allowing only two conversions on 12 attempts, they managed to make big plays to force Pittsburgh off the field. The New England defense finished Week 2 by increasing their sack total by two, giving up fewer rushing yards, and not allowing the Steelers to enter the end zone.
Considering the Patriots’ poor offensive play in Week 1, their bar for improvement was low, but they did surpass it. The offense scored 13 points and gained 327 yards. Though New England didn’t showcase a high-scoring offense, they managed to move down the field consistently against a solid defense.
Drake Maye was under the microscope this week, as many questioned his ability following a troublesome playoff and season opener. While he didn’t transform the offense, he kept his composure and reduced the risky throws that hurt him in Week 1. He threw for 208 yards on 14-for-22 passing with an interception in Week 2.
Maye’s Week 2 performance was better than his play last week. He took what the defense gave him and stayed patient when playing with the lead. Though this didn’t result in more points scored, it represents a step in the right direction.
“Definitely not where we want to be,” said Maye. “Making the plays, picking up the first downs, and end up just stalling out. I think it starts with me making good decisions. It starts with us finishes the drives”.
Although Maye wasn’t able to lead the Patriots’ offense to more success in Week 2, he has started to build a connection with Romeo Doubs. He caught three passes for 96 yards against the Steelers, including a 63-yard grab to set up a field goal. Since star receiver A.J. Brown will be out for at least the next three weeks, this duo will be needed to keep the passing game afloat.
The return of TreVeyon Henderson proved to be important for New England. He made his presence known early, as he ran for a 39-yard touchdown on his third rushing attempt. Throughout the game, he gained 76 yards on 16 carries.
Henderson checked into the game after Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumbling woes resurfaced. After avoiding fumbles on 18 carries last week, Stevenson fumbled on his second touch against the Steelers. Since 2021, he leads all running backs in fumbles with 18.
New England’s offense moved the ball well, gaining 55 more yards this week, but they are still struggling in some areas. Turnovers and a lack of touchdowns are preventing the offense from taking further steps forward. While the Patriots showed offensive improvement, their inability to capitalize on their opportunities is leaving them with issues needing to be addressed.
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The Patriots’ Week 2 performance was filled with ups and downs, but the important thing is they moved to 1-1. New England’s defense looks to be developing steadily, and their offense seems to be trending upward. They will have another tough matchup next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, so both sides of the ball will be tested yet again by a 2025 playoff team.
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