The Patriots walk into Patriots game today with the same opponent and a much sharper memory of how it went wrong. They lost to the Steelers 21-14 in Week 3 last season after turning the ball over five times, including four lost fumbles, and that kind of damage is still the loudest warning attached to this rematch.
That is why the search for an answer now runs through Drake Maye and Hunter Henry. Henry caught eight passes on 11 targets for 90 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers, including scores from 5 yards and 16 yards, while Maye’s offense is trying to find a steadier shape after the Patriots opened the season with a 13-10 loss to the Seahawks and a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie Eli Raridon was their lone touchdown against them.
The matchup matters because the Steelers are not arriving empty-handed. Aaron Rodgers, 42, threw for 221 yards in their 20-13 win over Cooper Rush and the Falcons last Sunday, and T.J. Watt added another reminder of how quickly Pittsburgh can change a game by winning his ninth Defensive Player of the Week honor after a 35-yard pick-6. If the Patriots are going to avoid another tight loss, they have to keep Rodgers from setting the pace and keep Watt from turning pressure into points.
There is also a problem in plain sight that makes the passing game harder to trust than it should be. A.J. Brown is out 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain, and that leaves the Patriots thinner at receiver just as they need more help there. Last season, their passing group with Stefon Diggs looked better than the one they are expected to put on the field Sunday, which is the uncomfortable part of this rematch: the cleaner version of the offense may already be in the past.
That is the real test in this game. The Patriots do not need a masterpiece; they need a cleaner afternoon, with fewer giveaways and a steadier fourth quarter than they had against the Seahawks. If Maye avoids the late mistakes that have haunted him and Henry keeps being the most reliable target, the Patriots can at least turn a bad memory into a competitive game instead of replaying the same turnover story again.
