Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) @ New England Patriots (0-1)
Sunday, September 20, 1:00 PM ET
Are we going to see the New England Patriots bounce back in Week 2 after a disastrous outing in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks?
Are the Steelers going to show a little more life after a sluggish win in Week 1 against a beaten-up Atlanta Falcons team?
This matchup has "barn burner" written all over it.
Going into the Super Bowl last season, the New England Patriots had a lot of skeptics. And to be honest, there was plenty of reason to be skeptical of that team. A lot of people have been talking about the Patriots playing a cake-walk of a schedule, and it's not an exaggeration.
Easiest Strength of Schedule in the NFL since 1977
- 1999 St. Louis Rams: .363 opponent win percentage
- 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: .379 opponent win percentage
- 2025 New England Patriots: .391 opponent win percentage (tied with 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars)
There is some validity to the criticism here, so the Patriots going up against another quality defense like the Steelers could be even more cause for concern.
With that being said, the Steelers' offense isn't exactly striking fear into everyone they play. They had just 264 total yards against the Falcons in Week 1, they didn't run the ball well, and they were just 3-of-13 on 3rd down plays. It required a pick-six by TJ Watt (the 1st of his NFL career) to seal a victory.
The Patriots being 5.5-point favorites at home with a little extra rest is probably justified, but it's hard to look at this matchup on paper and say you'd be shocked by any outcome. Without AJ Brown, other players are going to have to step up for that Patriots' offense.
If Drake Maye can't push the ball downfield, this could be another ugly game. Having said that, watch it be a high-scoring shootout.
Prediction: Patriots win 20-18
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