Instant analysis from Patriots’ 21-14 loss to Steelers

The New England Patriots hadn’t won back-to-back games since the 2022 season.

That streak continued Sunday at Gillette Stadium, where mistakes as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers delivered a 21-14 defeat.

Here’s a glance back on the 1 p.m. ET kickoff as head coach Mike Vrabel’s side moves into autumn at 1-2.

Maye leans on Henry, but two turnovers take points away

A week removed from reaching new heights in efficiency, Drake Maye completed 28-of-37 passes for 268 yards against the Steelers. The Patriots quarterback found two touchdowns and two turnovers.

Taking the huddle in “12” personnel, the opening drive included a sack, an interception and a penalty for illegal contact that ultimately negated it. Things ended on the ground and in Pittsburgh’s grasp. New England’s next series featured a quarterback hit from a blitzing Patrick Queen as well as a stunting sack on third-and-5 to force a punt. No semblance of a rhythm could be established in the first quarter with the AFC North visitors living in the backfield.

A 14-0 deficit was how the second quarter got underway. Hunter Henry’s third-and-6 sitdown in the zone kept it going. Then on third-and-4, the tenured team captain slipped out from a condensed formation for a play-action touchdown. But backbreakers had to be avoided for the offense. Safety Chuck Clark nearly had two picks in hand by halftime. And by then, a drive that spanned 17 plays became a tipped interception in the end zone for cornerback Brandin Echols.

The 23-year-old under center for the Patriots headed out of the tunnel unfazed. A 15-play, 88-yard response as the third quarter gave way to the fourth quarter took up 8:44 of clock. And this time, Henry’s second touchdown catch of the afternoon made it a tie game. The tight end ended up with a team-high 90 receiving yards. But Maye, who scrambled for a team-high 45 rushing yards and had a stretch of 13 completions, lost his side’s fourth fumble of the afternoon. Linebacker Nick Herbig hit home with 7:41 to go and would be back for more.

Three fumbles leave the backfield in a rookie’s hands

In the red throwbacks, Rhamondre Stevenson looked to pick up where he left off. Instead, the running back lost his first fumble of the season on the first series of the afternoon. The Patriots won the coin toss and elected to receive. Linebacker Cole Holcomb and cornerback Darius Slay had different plans for the Steelers. A trip the end zone followed the turnover.

But the starting back returned to the field.

Stevenson converted on a fourth-and-1 pitch with the uprights at his back before halftime and ended up 56 yards from scrimmage across seven opportunities. He couldn’t outlast the goal line, however, at the 13:16 mark in the third quarter. The football was missing from what appeared to be a touchdown. Ageless defensive tackle Cam Heyward ripped a 14-14 game away.

Ex-Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers soon made it three forced fumbles against the running backs. Antonio Gibson, the reigning AFC Special teams Player of the Week, lost the next. And that left TreVeyon Henderson waiting in line. The blitz pickup remained touch-and-go on Sunday, but the rookie out of Ohio State touched the football 14 times for 47 yards worth of offense.

O-line holds its combination, lets up five sacks

The starting five kept its combination for the third week in a row. It didn’t keep its pass protection.

No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell and No. 95 overall pick Jared Wilson resided on the blindside of the line. Center Garrett Bradbury, who hadn’t allowed a single quarterback pressure through 131 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus, was there alongside the rookies. And over his shoulder stood Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses.

The quarterback behind them wasn’t kept clean. A twist went around the left tackle. A wide arc went around the right tackle, too. And then there was an ineligible right guard making his way downfield.

Five sacks were notched by Pittsburgh. Those takedowns arrived courtesy of the aforementioned Heyward and Herbig, plus rookie Derrick Harmon and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt.

Wideout committee accounts for 12 catches

The Patriots had gone with five active wide receivers in back-to-back games. That held true on Sunday. Veterans Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins started and combined for 50 yards. But every member of the committee that dressed had a hand.

A dozen catches were the result. Kayshon Boutte drew a key defensive pass interference at the left pylon in the second quarter, setting up a 14-7 game. The LSU product finished with a long of 20 yards in the bucket on third-and-13. Fellow 2023 draft choice in DeMario Douglas caught the final pass for the wideout room. It went backward on fourth-and-1 with just over a minute remaining.

Rounding out the room was rookie Kyle Williams. Undrafted free agent Efton Chism III went to the inactives list 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

Pittsburgh’s ground game finds 2.86 yards per rush

Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell plunged in for the first touchdown of Sunday. But a ground game led by starter Jaylen Warren managed just 63 rushing yards on 22 carries, good for 2.86 per attempt.

The first tackle for loss went to gameday captain Milton Williams, who finished with another after having his third sack of the year wiped away penalty flags. Rotational defensive tackles Joshua Farmer and Khyris Tonga also rotated in for stops for loss. And while outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson was called for both offside and holding, he and Harold Landry III combined for a trio of quarterback hits, one negative tackle and a forced fumble that drifted out of bounds.

Off the ball, where lapses in the coverage and tackling departments had been exposed, the same starters remained. Former Steeler Robert Spillane posted a team-high 15 tackles and intercepted a pass in the second half, bringing the ball to the 11. But Jack Gibbens saw an uptick in involvement. Safety-turned-linebacker Marte Mapu was turned to for third downs, as well, with Christian Elliss heading off.

Rodgers throws for 139 against Gonzalez-less secondary

With Christian Gonzalez downgraded from questionable after three limited practices, the Patriots had to go without the All-Pro cornerback once more. And after quarterbacks tallied 677 yards and a 50-of-66 line through the air in recent starts, it was Aaron Rodgers’ turn.

The 41-year-old at the helm of the Steelers completed 16-of-23 passes for 139 yards on Sunday. His afternoon brought a pair of touchdowns and one interception.

A tightly covered DK Metcalf secured a 12-yard strike against veteran starter Carlton Davis III, who was later penalized for defensive pass interference on the deep threat. It would also be a laundry day for Alex Austin. The cornerback was flagged for defensive pass interference on 6-foot-7 tight end Darnell Washington and also for a questionable hold on a third-and-6 fumble.

Safeties Craig Woodson and Jaylinn Hawkins filled out the starting secondary. But before long, the big nickel featuring Kyle Dugger showed its face. And while Marcus Jones worked between the slot and the perimeter, the Patriots captain found himself eclipsed on a 17-yard, back-shoulder touchdown to wideout Calvin Austin III. On third-and-6, it made it a 21-14 score with the two-minute warning waiting.