Patriots exorcise offensive demons, hold on for highway win vs. Steelers

PITTSBURGH — With little else to play for aside from pleasure, the New England Patriots turned in a gutsy efficiency in a 21-18 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Because the Patriots confirmed a nationwide tv viewers, taking part in exhausting hasn’t been their challenge this season — all however two of their video games have been shut. Executing and coming by within the clutch with game-deciding performs has been the issue.

They lastly got here by in that space in opposition to the Steelers… barely.

After a scorching first half through which they seemed nearly as good as they’ve all season on offense — opening up a 21-10 lead — they relied on their stingy protection to shut issues out within the second half. Veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones had viselike protection on a last-gasp fourth-down try by the Steelers.

This is what to know for each groups from Thursday night time’s consequence:

New England Patriots

Describe the sport in two phrases: Zappe hour. Backup-turned-starter Bailey Zappe gave the Patriots their finest quarterback play of the season, turning into the primary New England participant to throw for 3 touchdowns in a primary half since Tom Brady in 2018.

Pivotal play: Zappe’s 37-yard go to JuJu Smith-Schuster on the third offensive snap. It was the Patriots’ first completion of 30-plus air yards on the season, as they had been 0-for-18 on these throws getting into the night time, and it mirrored their willingness to assault down the sector.

Shopping for a breakout efficiency, Half I: Tight finish Hunter Henry scored two touchdowns on his twenty ninth birthday. The captain has been a standup presence all through a difficult season for the workforce and this was a simply reward for him. He grew to become the primary Patriot to attain a landing on his birthday since working again Dion Lewis on Sept. 27, 2015 (who did so on his twenty fifth birthday). Henry grew to become the fifth participant over the previous 30 seasons with two receiving touchdowns on his birthday, becoming a member of DeVonta Smith (2021 vs. Broncos), Jimmy Graham (2014 vs. Ravens), Terrell Owens (2003 vs. Cardinals) and Isaac Bruce (2002 vs. Chargers).

Troubling pattern: The Patriots entered the night time with the No. 2 draft place behind the Bears (from Carolina), however with a win to enhance to 3-10, they’re now tied with the Cardinals.

Shopping for a breakout efficiency, Half II: Veteran working again Ezekiel Elliott was a workhorse, beginning instead of the injured Rhamondre Stevenson. He hardly got here off the sector, was a twin risk as a rusher and pass-catcher, and had a terrific hustle play to file a sort out on a Zappe interception. — Mike Reiss

Subsequent recreation: vs. Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 17)

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Bailey Zappe drops dime to Hunter Henry for his or her 2nd TD connection

Bailey Zappe hits Hunter Henry in stride for the duo’s second pitch-and-catch landing for the Patriots.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Lower than 5 days in the past, the Steelers appeared in prime place to succeed in the postseason, if not because the AFC North winner then as a strong wild-card workforce. The offense wasn’t good, nevertheless it was beginning to click on. The protection was strong. However with the loss to the Patriots — a second consecutive loss to one of many league’s worst groups — the Steelers’ arrow is pointed anyplace however up.

The protection gave up 21 factors to the workforce ranked lifeless final in factors per recreation, and on offense, backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky and his unit could not deal with the fixed strain from Invoice Belichick’s relentless protection, leading to a disjointed effort of 264 whole yards. After pulling inside a subject aim early within the fourth quarter, the Steelers’ offense could not even get shut sufficient for kicker Chris Boswell to shut the hole with a leg that had kicked a 56-yard subject aim within the first quarter.

After dropping to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, some Steelers admitted they took the then-two-win workforce too flippantly, and vowed it would not occur once more. However halfway by the second quarter, the Patriots opened up a 21-3 lead, signaling that both the Steelers went again on their promise, or worse but, they had been powerless to uphold it.

Coming off a strong, if not convincing, win in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals and going through a good schedule within the remaining month of the season, the Steelers righting a ship that spent the higher a part of the season shoveling buckets of water from the hull. As a substitute, that ship is sinking rapidly, and it is likely to be too late to patch up the holes.

Troubling pattern: Regardless of interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner saying the offense addressed its issues getting lined up after two unlawful formation penalties in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, the Steelers had been whistled for it but once more in opposition to the Patriots. This time, the penalty got here when sort out Chuks Okorafor got here onto the sector as an additional lineman and did not cowl up a sort out. After which going through first-and-goal from the 8-yard-line early within the fourth quarter, the Steelers needed to burn a timeout due to confusion in getting lined up. The offense has had an undeniably tumultuous stretch with the unprecedented in-season coordinator firing and an harm to the beginning quarterback, however the wrestle to get lined up should not nonetheless be occurring in Week 14.

Troubling pattern II: For the second week in a row, the Steelers went down by three scores to a workforce that entered the sport with simply two wins. After trailing the Arizona Cardinals by as many as 21 factors Sunday, the Steelers trailed the Patriots by 18 halfway by the second quarter Thursday night time after Hunter Henry’s second receiving landing. It marked the primary time since 2013 that the Steelers have trailed by not less than 18 in consecutive video games — and the primary time underneath Mike Tomlin they’ve trailed by that many in consecutive house video games, based on ESPN Stats & Data.

Troubling pattern III: Homecoming recreation curse. Tomlin likes to remind his gamers there aren’t any homecoming video games within the NFL — which means no recreation is a assured win in opposition to a cupcake workforce. However in opposition to the Steelers previously two weeks, opponents have had success in homecoming video games of a distinct type. Per week after former Steelers working again James Conner had his finest recreation of the season with 105 yards and two touchdowns, former receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Steelers’ 2017 second-round decide, hit season-high marks within the first half. Smith-Schuster racked up 82 yards on three catches — together with a snag for 37 yards that arrange for the Patriots’ first opening-drive landing in 13 video games. It additionally marked the Patriots’ first completion of not less than 30 air yards this season.

Silver lining: Elandon Roberts is admittedly that man. In a season the place the Steelers misplaced two of their three key inside linebackers in back-to-back weeks, Roberts stays a resilient drive in the course of the sector. Although he left Sunday’s recreation with a groin harm and did not follow all week, Roberts not solely began Thursday night time, however he additionally got here up with a vital third-quarter 10-yard sack and a go breakup that was a Mykal Walker interception. The offense could not flip the play into any factors, however Roberts confirmed the sort of toughness the Steelers covet in an inside linebacker.

Pivotal play: S Miles Killebrew made a superbly timed dive to dam a Patriots punt early within the fourth quarter, giving the Steelers a brief subject on the following drive. Beginning on the 26, the Steelers lastly discovered the top zone 4 performs later to tug inside a subject aim. — Brooke Pryor

Subsequent recreation: at Colts (4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Dec. 16)