Seven Takeaways From Patriots’ Primetime Win Over Steelers

PITTSBURGH — The Patriots wanted this one. 

After absorbing intestine punch after intestine punch over the earlier month-plus, together with the ignominy of turning into the first staff in 85 years to lose three straight video games with out permitting greater than 10 factors, New England lastly broke by means of Thursday night time, profitable 21-18 over the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Patriots’ playoff hopes have been lifeless for weeks, so this outcome will likely be remembered as little greater than a footnote in a misplaced season. However the reduction within the guests’ locker room at Acrisure Stadium was palpable. 

“We deserved at the moment,” stated quarterback Bailey Zappe, who made his second consecutive begin and tossed three first-half landing passes as New England snapped a five-game shedding skid.

Security Jabrill Peppers, who arrange a type of scores with a second-quarter interception, devoted the win to go coach Invoice Belichick, whom he believes has been unduly criticized for the Patriots’ worst season in a long time. 

“I simply really feel good we may get it achieved for Invoice and the remainder of the coaches, stated Peppers, arguably the staff’s 2023 MVP.

At 3-10, the Patriots stay a flawed staff in want of an offseason makeover, particularly on offense and particular groups. Thursday’s outcome didn’t change that. Nevertheless it did show this group isn’t achieved combating. They received’t be a pushover over the ultimate 4 weeks, even when any future wins would solely damage their impending rebuild.

Listed below are seven takeaways from the Week 14 victory: 

1. This didn’t change the draft outlook all that a lot
Sure, from a draft-pick perspective, the Patriots would have been higher off shedding this sport. They’re now unlikely to land the No. 1 general decide except the 1-11 Panthers (whose choice belongs to Chicago) go on a late-season run. Based mostly on how Carolina has performed each earlier than and since Frank Reich’s firing, that most likely isn’t taking place. 

However falling to absolutely the backside of the standings all the time was a protracted shot for the Patriots, they usually got here out of Thursday night time within the identical spot they entered it: second general, between the No. 1 Bears and No. 3 Cardinals. Arizona, which additionally sits at 3-10, has its bye this week. 

This, after all, may change if the Patriots upset the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Denver Broncos or Buffalo Payments within the subsequent three weeks, and their Week 18 matchup with the possibly Zach Wilson-led New York Jets may very well be big for each groups’ draft positioning. However for now, New England stayed put. 

2. Bailey Zappe ought to begin for the remainder of the season 
The Patriots’ quarterback of the longer term virtually definitely isn’t on their present roster. And Zappe was removed from good Thursday night time, fading within the second half after throwing for 3 touchdowns and almost 200 yards earlier than halftime with out injured extensive receivers Demario Douglas, DeVante Parker and Kayshon Boutte.

However he performed effectively sufficient towards Pittsburgh, and within the second half of his first begin towards the Los Angeles Chargers, that there’s not a debate over who needs to be New England’s high QB. No legitimate case for giving Mac Jones one other shot or taking a flier on Malik Cunningham, who was elevated from the follow squad however didn’t play for the second consecutive week.

Zappe’s confidence, pocket presence and willingness to push the ball downfield are what the Patriots’ offense wants proper now. The second of his two landing passes to tight finish Hunter Henry was the most effective passes by both New England QB this season. Barring a full-fledged meltdown towards Kansas Metropolis, it needs to be his present for these closing 4 video games, then formulate a greater plan for 2024 as soon as the offseason hits. 

3. Zeke’s nonetheless received it
Zappe known as Thursday’s efficiency from working again Ezekiel Elliott “old-time Zeke.” Whereas the 28-year-old didn’t shred the Steelers’ protection on the bottom like he used to in his Dallas Cowboys heyday, this was his greatest all-around outing in years. 

Enjoying all however 5 offensive snaps with Rhamondre Stevenson out with a excessive ankle sprain, Elliott caught seven passes for 72 yards and a landing and racked up 140 yards from scrimmage, his most in a sport since 2021. His receiving yard whole was tied for the fifth-highest of his profession, with the 4 higher all coming in 2018 or earlier. 

Greater than two-thirds of Zappe’s 240 passing yards got here on throws to Elliott or JuJu Smith-Schuster, who turned in by far his greatest sport as a Patirot in his return to Pittsburgh (4 catches, 90 yards). Elliott even chipped in as an emergency defender, making an open-field sort out after Zappe’s one interception to stop a pick-six. 

With Stevenson anticipated to overlook at the least yet one more sport (and maybe the remainder of the season), Elliott can anticipate extra heavy workloads transferring ahead. He’s prepared for that, saying he’s by no means felt this contemporary in December. 

4. The Patriots neutralized Pittsburgh’s high weapons
Belichick stated after the sport that New England’s priorities on offense and protection, respectively, had been limiting T.J. Watt and George Pickens. Test and examine. 

Pickens completed with simply 19 yards on 5 catches and spent many of the sport visibly ticked off at quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (who was very unhealthy Thursday night time). Watt, after struggling a minor harm on the sport’s first play, was a relative non-factor in Pittsburgh’s go rush, registering 4 pressures, no QB hits and no sacks. 

Kudos to proper sort out Mike Onwenu, who bounced again from an uncharacteristically tough outing towards LA’s Khalil Mack to stymie Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr. This efficiency will likely be a pleasant feather in Onwenu’s cap as he prepares to enter free company for the primary time this offseason.  

5. The Patriots’ run protection is elite
The Steelers averaged simply 2.9 yards per carry Thursday night time. The Chargers managed 1.2 per rush the earlier week. No staff this season has defended the run higher than the Patriots, who lead the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.2). In reality, few golf equipment within the final decade have achieved so extra successfully.

That common, if it holds, can be the bottom since 2014, when the Detroit Lions held opponents to three.17 yards per tote. Solely six groups within the final 20 seasons had been at 3.2 or decrease. 

The Patriots have been with out two of their high defensive playmakers (Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez) since early October, however they’re nonetheless stocked with ferocious run defenders. Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Anfernee Jennings, Kyle Dugger, Peppers and Mack Wilson all made influence performs within the run sport towards Pittsburgh, with Davon Godchaux and Lawrence Man holding issues down within the center. 

New England’s protection additionally leads the league in anticipated factors added per rush and run-play success fee.

6. Two depth linebackers are flourishing
By the top of final season, Jennings was an afterthought in New England’s protection and Wilson was solely taking part in on particular groups. Quick ahead a yr, and each have emerged as key playmakers within the Patriots’ out of the blue underrated linebacking corps.

Jennings, a wholesome scratch in Weeks 1 and a couple of, has been wonderful towards the run since Judon’s harm thrust him right into a extra outstanding position. He rag-dolled 6-foot-7, 265-pound Steelers tight finish Darnell Washington on a pair of tackles for loss Thursday night time. 4 2020 Patriots draftees are impending free brokers, and we’d give Jennings the best odds of re-signing (Onwenu, Dugger and Josh Uche are the others). 

Wilson, in the meantime, has proven outstanding enchancment since this time final yr, when the Patriots phased him out of the defensive rotation fully. He had a sack and a go breakup Thursday night time and teamed up with Dugger and Bentley for a key fourth-down cease. 

7. One thing must be achieved concerning the particular groups
The kicking-game errors happen on a near-weekly foundation for New England, they usually have for years now. Essentially the most blatant on Thursday was Ty Montgomery’s weak effort in punt safety that led to a Steelers block deep in Patriots territory.

That play gave Pittsburgh a brief area, organising a landing that made it a three-point sport within the fourth quarter. It additionally received Montgomery benched, with Dugger taking his place on the following Patriots punt.

This sport additionally featured a boneheaded pointless roughness penalty on Brenden Schooler, Bryce Baringer placing far an excessive amount of mustard on two touchbacks, Myles Bryant’s and Montgomery’s punt/kick returns going nowhere, and Jahlani Tavai almost committing an inexcusable offsides penalty on fourth-and-1. Steelers lengthy snapper Christian Kuntz saved Tavai from embarrassment by getting flagged for a controversial false begin on the identical play. 

The Patriots have three devoted particular groups coaches (Joe Decide, Cam Achord and Joe Houston) and used actual capital in free company and the draft to enhance these items. But by some means, they proceed to rank among the many NFL’s worst and least disciplined.