BSJ Game Report: Patriots 17, Steelers 14 - New England, line finds enough plays for road win

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ win over the Steelers in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Offensive line states its case: Leading by three points with 6:33 to play, the Patriots took possession at their own 30-yard line ... and never gave up the ball while throwing just one pass on a drive that was 13 plays and 56 yards. There is no bigger feather in the cap for an offensive line to run nine straight times (one was a 3rd-and-2 scramble by Mac Jones, but still...) for 47 yards. Patriots were searching for an identity on offense, maybe they found it on that final drive.

Olszewski helps out former team: One play after Mac Jones nearly threw a back-breaking interception, Steelers receiver Gunner Olszewski, a former Patriot, completely muffed a punt all alone at the Pittsburgh 10-yard line with the score 10-6 New England with 3:58 to play in the third quarter. Three plays later, the Patriots scored on a Damien Harris 2-yard run to take a 17-6 lead. The way Pittsburgh was operating on offense, you figured that was enough for a victory, and it was.

“I just dropped it,” Olszewski told reporters. “That’s on me. Game that tight, you can’t have mistakes like that.”

Agholor, Meyers come up big for passing offense while Bourne still missing: The play of the game was Nelson Agholor taking a potential interception away from Ahkello Witherspoon on 3rd and 3 with 30 seconds left in the first half. Agholor took it for a desperately needed TD into halftime and a 10-3 lead. Agholor, who did not start in the three WR set behind Lil'Jordan Humphrey, caught all six of his targets for a game-high 110 yards. Jakobi Meyers had a game-high 13 targets and nine catches, for 95 yards. Four his catches went for first downs, including three on third downs. Meanwhile, Kendrick Bourne (2 targets, 2 catches, 16 yards) had the fewest snaps of any receiver (22). Humphrey had 28 and had one catch for 11 yards on two targets.

SECOND GUESS

The Patriots, finally, moved assistant offensive line coach Billy Yates down from the coaches' box to the sideline for the entire game. Previously, dating back to the preseason, Yates would come down only in the second half. Having Yates on the field, gives more instruction to the offensive line and frees up Matt Patricia to deal more with the overall offensive operation. One of the most puzzling aspects of how the Patriots were going to do things this year on offense was having Patricia doing double duty with no help. The line needs a lot of coaching with adjustments during a game, and how the Patriots were approaching things didn't seem smart. While it took them two games to get to it, the Patriots finally made a move that makes sense. Better late than never. 

THREE UP

Offensive line: They largely kept Mac Jones clean in this one, and then imposed their will on the Steelers to close out the game. Good day at the office for Trent Brown, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu and Isaiah Wynn. 

WR Nelson Agholor: The Patriots' offense, with one score in nearly six quarters to start the season, seemed to be walking a desert ... and that Agholor catch was one big-ass glass of water. 

WR Jakobi Meyers: Mr. Reliable and the guy Mac Jones always looks for. Most of his catches are of the tough variety and he keeps coming through.

FIVE DOWN

WR Devante Parker: Through two games, Parker one catch for 9 yards and two interceptions on four targets.

TEs Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith: The $25-million tight ends zero catches on four targets. Henry only had one target.

P Jake Bailey: Two of his four punts went for touchback in big spots where he could have pinned the Steelers. Had a 41.5 average but only a 31.5 net. Not good enough in most games.

QB Mac Jones: Got fooled a lot by the Steelers at times, including one for an interception and his near-interception right to a Steeler was nearly a huge gut shot. Didn't see the field clearly. Had a 79.7 rating and his -5.8% Completion Percentage Above Expectation was third-worst after the 1 p.m. games.

INJURIES

S Kyle Dugger (knee) did not return to the game.

LB Ja'Whaun Bentley (back) returned to the game.

CB Jonathan Jones (quad) did not return.

TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Still a long ways to go on offense: Credit to the Patriots for finding a way to win a game they had to have — and that last drive is definitely something to build on as a power running team — but they still have just one sustained scoring drive in 17 possessions through two games. The Agholor touchdown was a fortunate individual play that easily could have been an interception, and the other drive was 10 yards after the fumble. Patriots were 7 of 15 (46%) on third downs in this game and went over 21 minutes between first downs in the first half.

Patriots have to play with a lead: The Steelers are awful on offense, make no mistake about it. Mitch Trubisky is Captain Checkdown — one read and then check it down. It's a bad college offense. This would have been a catastrophic loss for the Patriots. Credit to them for finding a way to win and getting a two-score lead. But it's clear it was very much part of their plan to just let the Steelers have to drive 80 yards, and that Pittsburgh couldn't do it. It was immense the Patriots got a 17-6 lead. That's how they need to play. Going to be very hard to come back from a deficit, as we saw in Miami last week.