The Patriots enter Week 2 with more questions than answers, and that’s not the kind of place you want to be when T.J. Watt is on the other sideline.
New England opened the season with a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a game that got away from them even after Sam Darnold went down with an injury on the first series. Drake Maye never found his footing, and three interceptions - including one on the final drive - finished off the Patriots.
It was a rough night all around, made worse when A.J. Brown went down with an ankle injury in the second half.
That leaves New England trying to regroup quickly, and the matchup doesn’t offer much comfort. Pittsburgh comes in after surviving a Week 1 battle with a short-handed Atlanta Falcons team, and Aaron Rodgers and Co. are trying to stay in the AFC North race after making the playoffs in 2025.
Maye’s start to the year has only added to the pressure. He’s struggled dating back to the postseason in the 2025 campaign, and now he has to answer without his top wideout in A.J.
Brown, who is on injured reserve. The Patriots’ offense managed just 178 passing yards against Seattle, and Rhamondre Stevenson had a tough time getting anything going on the ground.
The Steelers aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but Rodgers is still the kind of quarterback who avoids the big mistake. Pittsburgh doesn’t need fireworks if the defense keeps doing its job, and that side of the ball looked sharp in Week 1 by holding Atlanta to 4.2 yards per play, fifth in the league.
That makes this a tricky number for New England. The Patriots have bigger expectations after their Super Bowl appearance, but the early evidence suggests they may be getting a little too much respect in the market right now. Pittsburgh’s defense is a real problem, and the loss of Brown only makes life harder for Maye as he tries to build chemistry with Romeo Doubs.
I’ll take the points here. New England feels a bit overvalued after a shaky opener, while the Steelers look like the steadier side in a Week 2 game between two teams trying to stay in the playoff conversation.
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Trade Watch Worth Following On Defense
The Patriots defensive front is already under the microscope after Week 1 exposed some soft spots in the linebacker group, and that has made the trade market worth monitoring a little earlier than usual. One name that has surfaced is Giants edge linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, whose role in New York appears to have shrunk enough to raise questions about where he fits long term.
For New England, the appeal is obvious: a player with pass-rush talent and a chance to help a defense that needs more impact at the second level. The buzz is that Thibodeaux could be had for a mid-round draft pick, which is the kind of price that can turn a speculative idea into a real conversation, even if the Giants are not ready to settle the issue just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Rookie Is Already Filling A Role New England Desperately Needed
The Patriots used a busy April draft to stock up on help, and a few of those rookies have already found ways to matter. Caleb Lomu, Gabe Jacas, Eli Raridon and Namdi Obiazor all arrived in New England with different jobs ahead of them, but early in the season the team has seen contributions across the board. Jacas got to the quarterback for his first NFL sack in Week 1, Raridon put his name in the record book by scoring the first touchdown of the NFL season, and Obiazor has started to carve out a place on special teams.
For New England, Obiazors role may wind up being the most immediately important of the group. The Patriots are leaning on him and other rookies to help replace the special teams losses from last season, and he has already shown he can handle limited snaps with three tackles. It is the kind of quiet but necessary contribution that can matter more than flashy offensive moments, especially for a team trying to rebuild depth wherever it can find it. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Keep Tweaking Roster Depth With Another Notable Shuffle
The Patriots kept adjusting the bottom of the roster Monday, bringing safety Elliott Davison back onto the practice squad after clearing space by releasing tight end Shane Zylstra. Davison had already spent time on New Englands practice squad earlier this season, and the former Saints defensive back gives the team another familiar name to lean on as it continues sorting through depth options.
Zylstras release came with an injury waiver, another reminder that the practice squad churn is rarely just about talent evaluation this time of year. New Englands current group also includes several other reserve options, and the team has kept the door open with recent workouts for a couple of players as it tries to keep the right mix available behind the active roster. [Read more 🡒]