PITTSBURGH — Still looking for an identification, the Patriots adopted the oldest system in soccer towards one of many NFL’s oldest franchises Sunday.
Run the ball, and play nice protection. And how becoming it occurred in Pittsburgh.
The Pats pounded out a 17-10 highway victory over the Steelers by working the clock out earlier than a sold-out crowd at Acrisure Stadium. Starting on the 2-minute warning, Damien Harris took three straight hand-offs in Pittsburgh territory earlier than Mac Jones knelt down thrice and rose up together with his first win. Harris and Patriots working again Rhamondre Stevenson mixed for 118 speeding yards and one landing.
Defensively, the Pats held Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky to 21-of-33 for 168 yards, one landing and an interception. Jones hardly did significantly better, finishing 60% of his throws for 252 yards, a landing and one interception. He relied closely on Jakobi Meyers (9 catches, 95 yards) and Nelson Agholor, who posted his first 100-yard sport as a Patriot and caught Jones’ solely landing.
After forcing a game-opening three-and-out, the Patriots cruised on their opening drive because of Meyers. He transformed two third downs and caught three passes, carrying the Pats so far as Pittsburgh’s 15-yard line. There, a delay of sport penalty backed them up and not directly led to a 28-yard Nick Folk discipline aim.
Snatching a tipped Trubisky cross over the center, Jalen Mills killed the Steelers’ subsequent drive together with his first interception as a Patriot. Inside linebacker Mack Wilson received his proper hand on the ball working in brief zone close to his 30-yard line late within the first quarter. Wilson changed Raekwon McMillan within the beginning lineup, after McMillan suffered a thumb damage in Friday’s observe.
Unfortunately for Wilson, his efforts have been erased by an ensuing Mac Jones choose lower than a minute later that discovered Steelers security and previous faculty teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick deep down the appropriate seam. Jones threw into double protection on the lookout for DeVante Parker, whom he additionally focused on his Week 1 interception at Miami.
Zapping greater than seven minutes off the clock, Pittsburgh trudged downfield over a 16-play drive that generated a game-tying discipline aim. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell hit from 36 yards, after backup Pats linebacker Jahlani Tavai dropped Trubisky on an all-out blitz. Defense dominated the following two collection, with every crew forcing a punt.
Back with the ball at 3:08 remaining within the half, the Patriots dinked and dunked their option to midfield with a brief completion to Agholor, quarterback sneak, Jones scramble, 6-yard cross to Kendrick Bourne and 7-yarder to Meyers. Facing third-and-3 at underneath a minute left, Jones waited out a timid Steeler rush and uncorked a high-arching ball down the appropriate sideline for Agholor.
Normally a straight-ahead downfield menace, Agholor flexed his acrobatic muscular tissues by plucking the ball over Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, whom he shortly ditched en path to a 44-yard landing. Despite Pittsburgh’s finest efforts to strike inside 22 seconds, the Pats carried a 10-3 lead into the locker room.
Again, the Patriots coasted downfield to begin the half, however a missed 52-yard discipline aim left them emptyhanded. The Steelers responded by organising Boswell for a 52-yarder of his personal, a profitable strive that preceded one other Patriots punt. But because of an previous buddy, New England was gifted new life.
Steelers returner Gunner Olszewski, a former Patriot, muffed a good catch in entrance of undrafted rookie Brenden Schooler, and Schooler pounced on it on the Pittsburgh 20 for a vital restoration. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Steelers then sprung the Pats 10 yards ahead. Three performs later, Patriots working again Damien Harris muscled his option to a 2-yard landing.
While the Steelers answered instantly with a 9-play, 75-yard drive capped by Pat Freiermuth’s 8-yard landing drive and a profitable 2-point strive, there was
Here have been one of the best and worst Patriot performances from Sunday:
Best
WR Nelson Agholor His finest day as a Patriot. Agholor posted his first 100-yard sport, one highlighted by his 44-yard landing.
WR Jakobi Meyers Meyers’ 9 catches for 95 yards have been the lifeblood of the Patriots offense till they ran the clock out.
Run-blocking The Patriots averaged 4.9 yards per hand-off and completed the Steelers off with back-to-back runs off the left facet.
Worst
QB Mac Jones Jones threw a again interception for the second straight week, almost tossed one other and was unusually inaccurate.
Source: www.bostonherald.com