The Steelers handled Bijan Robinson well enough in Week 1, but the real work came after the catch. Robinson was held to 83 yards on 21 carries, yet he still made noise in the passing game with eight receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. As a team, Atlanta ran it 31 times for 120 yards against Pittsburgh’s defense.
That kind of test may be coming again on Sunday.
New England enters this matchup with a clear appetite for the ground game, and the return of TreVeyon Henderson could make that even more of a priority. The Patriots were already committed to running the football in their Week 1 Super Bowl rematch, even without Henderson available because of an ankle injury.
They finished with 31 carries for 109 yards, with Rhamondre Stevenson handling 18 of those attempts for 51 yards. Drake Maye added 47 yards on seven carries, and Corey Kiner chipped in six carries for 11 yards.
The Patriots’ passing game took a hit when A.J. Brown went down with an ankle sprain and was placed on injured reserve.
That leaves New England with less proven help at receiver after the depth behind Brown struggled against Seattle. Add in Maye’s three interceptions in Week 1, and it’s easy to see why the Patriots may want to keep leaning into the run.
Henderson’s expected return gives them another explosive piece beside Stevenson, and that could push the offense even further in that direction. For New England, a stronger rushing attack would help ease the load on Maye, cut down on mistakes, and bring more balance to the offense.
For Pittsburgh, the message is simple: be ready for a lot of carries. The Steelers will need to deal with Stevenson and Henderson on the ground, but they also have to keep Maye from turning loose as a runner. He showed in Week 1 that he can hurt a defense with his legs, too.
In Other News...
Steelers Receiver Frustration Just Took A Public Turn After Week 2
The Steelers came out of Week 2 with more than a loss to the Patriots. They also walked away with fresh scrutiny on the passing game, where DK Metcalf drew attention for multiple dropped passes and the kind of frustration that tends to linger when a team is still trying to settle in on offense. For Pittsburgh, the concern is not just one uneven performance. It is the reality that the receiver room does not offer much obvious breathing room behind him.
Le'Veon Bell added to the noise by publicly questioning Metcalfs performance and contract value, a move that turned an internal concern into a broader conversation. For the Steelers, the larger issue is what comes next if the passing game remains inconsistent, because the alternatives are limited and the burden may have to shift elsewhere. Somebody in that offense needs to stabilize things quickly, and the margin for more missed chances is getting thin. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Showed Needed Fight In A Win That Came At A Cost
A win over Pittsburgh gave the Patriots a much-needed jolt in the early part of the 2026 season, and the 20-3 result carried the kind of edge New England had been looking for. TreVeyon Henderson supplied the spark with a 39-yard touchdown run, while the defense tightened up late and kept the Steelers from finding any rhythm, with Christian Gonzalez helping limit receiver Metcalf throughout the night.
Even so, the victory came with a price attached. Mike Onwenu and DreMont Jones were among the Patriots who left with injuries, leaving a cloud over what should have been a straightforward celebration after the teams first win of the year. For a roster still trying to establish itself, the result offered proof of fight and structure, but also another reminder of how quickly one game can alter the outlook moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Former Steelers Standout Shares A Raw Confession Fans Werent Expecting
Diontae Johnsons latest social media post landed as something much more serious than a routine offseason update. The former Steelers wide receiver, now a free agent after brief stops with the Ravens and Texans, opened up in a video about severe mental health struggles and said he has been carrying remorse over decisions from his past. It was a stark reminder that the work players do away from the field can be far heavier than anything fans see in training clips.
Johnson also pushed back on the image his public workouts might create, saying those videos do not reflect his true emotional state. For a player once central to Pittsburghs offense, the message carried an unmistakable sense of urgency: his mental health is his top priority right now. The football side of his story is still unsettled, but for the moment, the bigger concern is simply where Johnson is personally as he tries to move forward. [Read more 🡒]