New England is already in absolute “must-win territory” in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and you know what? A big chunk of that pressure is thanks to what our Seattle Seahawks did to them last week! Remember that Week 1 loss? It wasn’t just a loss, it cost them their star receiver A.J. Brown, who’s now sidelined with a high-ankle sprain. Talk about a brutal blow that our boys delivered in the Emerald City.
Early Fireworks and Fumbles in Foxborough
Man, the Patriots came out of the gate looking to prove something, especially with that Week 1 L from our boys looming large. They won the coin toss, deferred to the Steelers, then got the ball back after a punt. Drake Maye immediately connected with Pop Douglas, just shy of a first down, then went long to Hunter Henry for a sweet 30-yard gain. Things were looking up until *wham*, Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled, and the Steelers scooped it up. Mike Vrabel was seen talking to Stevenson right after, probably reminding him about his “history of fumbling against the Steelers.” Not ideal for an opening drive, right? But then, Marcus Jones ripped off an 18-yard return, giving them another shot. And BOOM! TreVeyon Henderson, who missed Week 1 with an ankle injury, got his first look and scored a 39-yard rushing touchdown! Extra point was good, and it was 7-0 Patriots. Pittsburgh tried to respond, but Chris Boswell missed a monster 57-yard field goal after the Patriots defense held strong on third down. Aaron Rodgers even had his first completion of the game in there. But the quarter ended with New England still up 7-0.
New England Extends the Lead, Loses a Lineman
The second quarter saw the Patriots push their lead, but not without some drama. Early on, the cart came out for Michael Owenu, who suffered an ankle injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Another hit to their lineup, adding to the A.J. Brown situation we started. But hey, they still kept fighting. Andy Borregales nailed a 30-yard field goal, extending New England’s lead to 10-0. Drake Maye was still slinging it, even getting taken down by T.J. Watt on a 2nd-and-goal play. He had connected with Eli Raridon for a 30-yard catch earlier in the drive, showing he’s still making plays. Gabe Jacas was “making his presence known once again” on defense, too. It’s wild seeing them fight this hard, especially knowing how much pressure they’re under already, trying to bounce back from that Seahawks smackdown.
These Patriots are battling, but you gotta wonder how much gas they have in the tank. They’re already missing key pieces, all while trying to avoid digging themselves into a deeper hole just two weeks into the season. Our Seahawks definitely left their mark, and now the rest of the league is watching to see if New England can even recover. What a start to the season for everyone involved in this crazy NFL year!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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