Everything feels better with a victory, which the Patriots got on Sunday in Pittsburgh with a 17-14 win that no one will confuse with a good football game.
But a victory over a mediocre — at best — Steelers team, with a worse quarterback, does not mean all is well with the Patriots.
They still have a long ways to go on offense. There were again too many mistakes, even on special teams. The game completely swung on an unforced error, a muffed punt at the 10-yard line by former Patriots Gunner Olszewski.
But a 13-play drive that ran off the final 6:33 of the game — that featured just one pass — to preserve the victory ... now that is a thing of beauty that is transferable to every win, good, bad or ugly.
"I just know -- we all knew they were going to run the ball," said Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith. "We just, unfortunately, didn't make the plays when the plays were needed. ...We just weren't able to stop them."
And it just might be the thing to get this offense moving in a positive direction on a more consistent basis.
"Offensive line played amazing," said Mac Jones. "Didn't even really get hit. So, hats off to them. Run game, pass game, they made it work. So that was something I was really proud of. And we just got to keep doing that."
How did it happen? We'll break down every play, including video analysis, but you can't discount the role that a major coaching change might have had. And you need to start there.
Probably the most curious aspect of Bill Belichick's unusual decisions with his offensive staff this season has been how the team was being coached on gameday. Before Sunday, Matt Patricia was trying to be the offensive coordinator, playcaller and offensive line coach at the same time. That was not sustainable. All three jobs have distinctive duties that have to be carried out individually on gameday.
The coordinator has to keep tabs on every aspect of the offense, and that means checking in with every position group and often individual players.
The playcaller has to, at certain times, look into the eyes of his quarterback to fully understand where he's at and what he's comfortable with. That's why Patricia's explanation about how great headsets are now was ... completely ridiculous. The playcaller also has to spend time thinking about calling the next series, and setting up potential plays down the line.
The offensive line coach is probably the toughest position group to coach on gameday. You have to handle five starters, plus possible backups. You need to see the tablet after each drive and make adjustments to the blocking and the protections.
Having Patricia do all three jobs in the opener against the Dolphins was highly questionable, and produced typical and predictable results — they were a mess.
Obviously Belichick agreed because the Patriots completely changed how they coached the offensive operation in this game.
Billy Yates, the assistant offensive line coach who was in the coaches box in the first half for every game up until Sunday, was now on the sideline from the start of the game to coach the line full-time.
That freed up Patricia to be able to check in with every position, including quarterback Mac Jones. And Belichick himself got more involved with coaching Jones, as he was on a knee going over pictures of the Steelers defense.
That is a representative NFL offensive operation.
Is it any wonder, then, that the offensive line was able to limit their huge mistakes for much of the game, and then to finish off the game?
Better later than never.
"Yeah, it was great to be able to hang on to the ball at the end there," Belichick said. "And our backs ran hard, and our line gave them some space to run. We were able to control on, what was it, three first downs or whatever it was. I think it was a little over six minutes when we got the ball."
Let's break down the final drive, which included all power runs — and two new versions of it to finish off the game — a personnel mismatch in favor of the Patriots, and rookie Cole Strange getting the better of Cam Heyward to end the game:
1-10-NE 30 (6:33) R.Stevenson up the middle to NE 33 for 3 yards (C.Heyward; M.Reed).
The Patriots ran all of these final runs out of 11 personnel and the Steelers answered with nickel. The Patriots thought they had an advantage here and included Lil'Jordan Humphrey in the package (over Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne) because he is bigger and a better blocker. He's the size of a tight end, and the Steelers really should have realized that they could get away with another linebacker. Look for other teams to make that adjustment going forward. But if you wondered why Humphrey played so much (and started) ... this is the reason. Patriots thought he can give them a 12 personnel look out of 11.
Cole Strange completely whiffs on Cam Heyward but gets away with it as Stevenson does a good job falling forward and getting positive yards, and David Andrews and Mike Onwenu do a good job moving bodies.
2-7-NE 33 (5:58) R.Stevenson right end to NE 37 for 4 yards (M.Fitzpatrick).
PENALTY on NE-J.Meyers, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at NE 37.
Live, I thought this was a penalty and a good call. The Steeler might have acted, but it sure looked like holding.
2-13-NE 27 (5:23) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short middle to L.Humphrey to NE 38 for 11 yards (R.Spillane; M.Jack).
The only pass of the drive, and it was a big one to set up third and short. Jones wanted to to Meyers against the Steelers' zone coverage, but wisely comes back to Humphrey, who is wide open. Steelers only rush three.
3-2-NE 38 (4:37) (Shotgun) M.Jones scrambles left guard to NE 43 for 5 yards (M.Jack).
Jones had nothing open on this play and, after Heyward gets loose for a pressure (Onwenu late seeing the game), wisely scrambles for the first down. Smart play.
1-10-NE 43 (3:51) (Shotgun) R.Stevenson left guard to NE 49 for 6 yards (C.Wormley).
Now the Patriots start their run of power runs with one or two people pulling. Here, Trent Brown, Cole Strange and David Andrews all block down to the right, while Onwenu and Hunter Henry pull.
Owenu has good pad level against the OLB. Henry makes a key block on Myles Jack, and both Brown and Strange wall off the Steelers with a great double team to the second level. Stevenson keeps his legs moving well because there wasn't a lot of space there.
2-4-NE 49 (3:07) (Shotgun) R.Stevenson right guard to PIT 43 for 8 yards (R.Spillane).
Patriots now pull Strange to the other side and he easily takes care of the OLB, who got sucked up, and Humphrey, Jonnu Smith, Isaiah Wynn and all execute their blocks. Play could have gone for more if Humphrey had better leverage on his block. Still, a well-blocked play.
1-10-PIT 43 (2:23) (Shotgun) D.Harris left guard to PIT 27 for 16 yards (J.Jones). R17
Patriots got a huge break that Devante Parker was not called for a blatant false start. Steelers have two LBs in the A gap, which totally works to the Patriots' advantage because they run another power play with Onwenu pulling and Pittsburgh does not have numbers where the Patriots want to run.
Brown saves Strange's bacon as he gets knocked off balance at the start of the play. Brown basically blocks two people on the play, including Jack who is out of control. Humphrey makes the key block that springs the play and Meyers also does a nice job on the second level. That's how you get a long run.
1-10-PIT 27 (2:00) (Shotgun) D.Harris right guard to PIT 29 for -2 yards (A.Highsmith, M.Jack).
Ok, not everything was perfect ... Strange looks like he's blocking a different play and allows penetration for a 2-yard loss.
2-12-PIT 29 (1:57) D.Harris left tackle to PIT 20 for 9 yards (M.Reed).
Again the Steelers have bad numbers, as the Patriots run a different variation of their power play. Strange blocks down and ... Andrews pulls along with Smith. This looks like outside zone, but it's not. It's a power run. Strange makes the key block on Heyward, whose late shift to shade the center helped immensely.
"They tend to go for those long edges, C and D gaps, and we have to set the edge," said Heyward. "When it gets out there, everyone just has to be accounted for their gaps, and at the end, they went to the open side and pulling guys. If you don’t have enough guys in the box, and get guys overtop, it’s going to work."
3-3-PIT 20 (1:51) D.Harris left tackle to PIT 15 for 5 yards (C.Heyward).
Same play again, and Strange again makes the key block on Heyward, who again is lineup up to Strange's right and makes the play much easier.
I don't recall the Patriots running this type of play — with the center pulling — very much. This looks like an old Peyton Manning with Colts and Broncos play. Looks like stretch run, but it's not.
Humphrey being a personnel mismatch. Two new play variations on old staples. And the rookie coming through.
The Patriots still have a very long way to go with their offense — especially through the air — and this team. But they got a desperately needed victory in Pittsburgh and might have found a physical identity down the stretch.
That is definitely something to feel good about.
"This offensive line, man," said Andrews. "We got to third-and-three at the end of the game right there; you are going back to the huddle thinking “oh man I hope they call a run here.” Then we went back to it and finished it. As an offensive line it felt really good to finish the game that way and come out of here with a W."