BOSTON — The very best treatment for a disappointing Week 1 loss goes out and successful in Week 2. The Patriots will look to notch their first win of the 2022 season this Sunday in Pittsburgh.
An 0-2 begin in New England is one thing that we’ve not seen in a protracted, very long time. It final occurred in 2001, when Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots misplaced their first two video games (and Bledsoe virtually misplaced his life) earlier than Tom Brady took over and the remaining is historical past. At no level within the Brady/Belichick period did the Patriots begin a season 0-2. That did not even occur when Jimmy Garoppolo was taking snaps instead of a suspended Brady. Heck, even Matt Cassel helped the Patriots to 2-0 begin when he was thrust into motion in 2008.
But right here we’re, with the Patriots in actual jeopardy of falling to 0-2. The Steelers should really feel fairly good about themselves after a 23-20 win over the Bengals in Week 1, regardless of almost letting a 17-3 lead slip away. This Sunday is their house opener, so there can be a bit of additional ketchup — and a variety of these yellow towels being waved round — inside Heinz…. we imply Acrisure Stadium. (That simply sounds unsuitable.)
This is what we’ll be looking ahead to — and hoping to see — from the Patriots in Week 2.
Mac’s again and the Patriots’ O-line
It is apparent that we’ll be watching the quarterback each single weekend this season. It is form of exhausting to not if you’re attempting to see if the man is the long run or not.
However there can be additional concentrate on every part Mac does this weekend after he was pummeled all through Week 1, resulting in a postgame journey to the X-ray room. Jones was reportedly affected by again spasms after being battered by the Miami move rush, which stored him from taking the rostrum after Sunday’s loss.
The very best information of the week to this point is that Mac’s again is OK and never shattered into items. Jones was assured on Monday that he’d be able to go this Sunday in Pittsburgh, which he repeated Wednesday after practising for the primary time this week.
However how will he really feel — and look — in opposition to a reasonably proficient Pittsburgh protection that was an absolute wagon in Week 1? The Steelers can be with out TJ Watt for some time, and that may change the dynamic of the Pittsburgh protection. However they’re nonetheless fairly good at attending to a quarterback. Linebacker Alex Highsmith was throughout Joe Burrow final weekend, sacking the quarterback thrice. Cam Heyward had a sack and three QB hits, one of many six totally different gamers to file a QB hit for Pittsburgh.
The Steelers even have a person on the within, with Brian Flores serving because the workforce’s senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach. Hopefully Invoice Belichick does not accidently textual content him a few of New England’s sport plan this week, considering he is Brian Belichick by mistake.
Extra Kendrick Bourne?
Kendrick Bourne wanted simply two snaps to present the Patriots their greatest play of the day in Week 1. Everybody in New England — and most assuredly Mac Jones — want to see much more of the receiver going ahead.
He is in Matt Patricia’s doghouse for reportedly being late to a gathering. Earlier than a preseason sport. We’re now into September, and the Patriots must be taking part in their finest gamers as a lot as potential.
So Matty P., we’re asking you, fairly please, with a cherry on prime, to play Kendrick Bourne this weekend.
It isn’t rocket science. Mac and Bourne had a strong factor going final season. Add him to Jakobi Meyers and the deep(ish) threats of DeVante Parker and Nelson Agholor and perhaps the Patriots offense will get cooking via the air in Week 2.
Robert Kraft reportedly desires to see extra Bourne in Week 2 as nicely, so he ought to see a rise in motion. If Bourne performs a handful of snaps or fewer this weekend, and the offense does little for the second straight sport, issues might get actually dangerous within the locker room actually fast.
The turnover battle
The Steelers pressured 5 turnovers in opposition to the reigning AFC Champs in Week 1, together with 4 on Cincinnati’s first 5 possessions. Pittsburgh picked off Joe Burrow 4 occasions and picked up one of many quarterback’s two fumbles of their extra time win. These free possessions led to 17 Steelers factors within the 23-20 victory, together with a 31-yard pick-sick by Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Invoice Belichick known as them a bunch of ball hawks this week, so that you higher imagine ball safety was numero uno on the workforce’s to-do listing this week.
As you could keep in mind, turnovers crushed the Patriots of their opener. The workforce’s promising opening drive ended with disappointment when Jones underthrew a deep move to DeVante Parker ultimately zone and it was picked off by Jevon Holland after being deflected by Xavien Howard. Miami received free factors when the Patriots’ offensive line rolled out a pink carpet for Brandon Jones as a substitute of blocking the security, giving him a free blindside hit on Jones that resulted in a fumble and scoop and rating restoration by Melvin Ingram. Nelson Agholor additionally fumbled away New England’s final shot at making the sport attention-grabbing within the fourth quarter.
This Patriots workforce cannot afford to present their opposition free possessions and simple factors off turnovers, particularly in opposition to a protection just like the Steelers’, which additionally does an excellent job at disguising their blitzes.
It is stating the plain that the Patriots cannot flip the ball over in the event that they wish to win, however it looks like this workforce wants these youngsters of reminders at this early junction within the season.
Can Patriots make Mitchapalooza make errors?
The Steelers had been offensively unspectacular in Week 1, as a result of they actually did not must be spectacular on that aspect of the ball. The protection did greater than their share to notch the win.
But it surely’s honest to marvel how nicely the Pittsburgh offense will function beneath Mitch Trubisky, who led the workforce on one landing drive in Week 1. He quarterbacked 5 three-and-outs within the contest, and had one other drive of simply 4 performs earlier than the Steelers punted the ball away.
In his first actual week with a brand new workforce, Trubisky was 21-for-38 for 194 yards and a landing. He is the form of quarterback that the Patriots protection ought to have the ability to drive right into a mistake or two that would doubtlessly swing the sport.
Then once more, we thought the identical about Tua final week, and he beat the protection with paper-cut performs and a protracted landing when the Patriots had been tackling one another on protection. So that you by no means know.
Tune in to Patriots-Steelers Sunday afternoon on WBZ-TV — your tv house of the New England Patriots! Protection continues Friday with Patriots All Entry at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV. Sunday’s protection kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with Patriots GameDay, the Pats and the Steelers get underway at 1 p.m., and after the sport tune in to Patriots fifth Quarter over on TV38!
