Steelers Week 3 Reaction

 The Patriots absolutely refused to win this one and so we have a happy Steelers reaction for week 3! All things considered a win is a win, and doing so in Foxborough has historically never been easy for the Steelers. The Steelers have won just 4 times in Gillette Stadium since 1974 and their last win was in 2008, the year they won the Superbowl with an elite defense. It was strange seeing the Patriots be so subpar and beatable, the colours on the jerseys made me think the boogieman was coming eventually, but Brady is retired, Rodgers is a Steeler and it's time to get with the times. Lets get into a Steelers win!

Looked Easy, Then it Wasn't 

I gotta say, through the first quarter I thought this game would be a cakewalk. The Patriots started with the ball and a few plays in Rhamondre Stevenson fumbles, recovered by Darius Slay around mid field to give the Steelers the first takeaway of the game. The Steelers establish the running game early, something they hadn't managed to do in the first 2 games this year but were able to do effectively in the first quarter. They stacked together a couple of first downs, got a pass interference call in the end zone then capped off the drive by running it in with Gainwell to take a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing Patriots possession, rookie Derrick Harmon got his first NFL sack in his first NFL game on a big 3rd down to shut the Pats down and give the Steelers another look. 

This next drive really drilled home how the Patriots are not what they used to be. Pinned back inside their own 20 the Steelers had a tough third and long situation. They didn't manage to complete a pass but were bailed out by a holding call on the defense for an automatic first down. The Steelers then turned what should've been a punt out of their own end zone into a long drive down the field. It was capped off by an awesome catch by DK Metcalf through the defensive back in the end zone to go up 14-0, making it look easy out there. 

3rd and Long

The Steelers were rolling so hard in the first quarter and a bit that I started to relax. Big mistake, I should've learned by now. The Patriots executed a TD drive of their own, in frustrating fashion for Steelers fans. I feel like just based off eye test, this is the worst defense on 3rd and long that I've ever seen. The Steelers defense is really good at getting into 3rd and long situations, they have been all 3 weeks. Generally that's a sign that your defense is going to be racking up stops, but not this defense. In the first drive after the Steelers went up 14-0, the Patriots got down to 3rd and long multiple times, and converted all of them. Their TD was scored after a 50/50 pass interference call went against the Steelers in the end zone leaving them the opportunity to convert a TD and get back into the game. 

On the ensuing possession the Steelers went 3 and out but managed to pin the Patriots back at the 5 yard line to start their next drive. The Steelers blew up the first running play, then forced an incomplete pass to put the Pats in a third and 12, but the Patriots complete a short pass, the receiver gets to within a foot of the first down marker and it leaves an easy opportunity to convert a 4th down and keep the drive alive. This happened multiple times in this drive. The Steelers would make big plays on first and second down, sacks, missed interceptions, you name it, they were all over the Patriots. Then the Pats would just simply convert on 3rd and long to keep the drive alive. They marched down the field chewing up 7 whole minutes of game clock and running 16 plays before it was 3rd and goal at the 2 yard line. Drake Maye dropped back to pass and threw a pick in the end zone to end a 17 play drive and the half. After a brilliant first quarter, the Steelers got outplayed the second quarter only to have turnovers bail them out. 

This story continued all game pretty much. Rodgers threw an interception on the first drive out of the half, but Stevenson fumbled again this time at the goal line to completely bail the Steelers out again. The Steelers have an ugly 3 and out where the run game isn't working, but the Patriots fumble yet again 4 plays into their drive. The Steelers go 3 and out yet again but this time the Patriots finally punch it through after another long drawn out drive and tie the game at 14. Now I'm starting to sweat, the Steelers have been out played but have been bailed out repeatedly by big turnovers, it's a tie game heading to the 4th and the running game has completely abandoned them. 

Big Finish 

After forcing the Steelers into another punt, the Patriots pretty easily marched into field goal range. With the way they'd been milking the clock all game I was pretty certain they were going to deliver a gut punch here. The defensive line collapsed on Maye in the pocket, got a sack and forced yet another fumble which the Steelers recovered for their 5th takeaway of the game, bailing them out yet again. The Steelers stopped messing around with trying to run the football, something that completely abandoned them after the first drive, and instead let Rodgers cook through the air. Rodgers marched them down the field before completing a 20 yard pass to the back shoulder of Calvin Austin III for the go ahead TD. The Pats had a great effort on their 2 minute drill drive and were stuck with a 4th and 1 around the Steelers 30 with the game on the line. They had been automatic on 4th down all game especially in short yardage situations. They actually completed a screen pass but the receiver juked backwards trying to get extra yards and it ultimately cost him the first down and the Steelers escaped with a victory in this one. 

Ugly Wins are Still Wins

Now of course the fan base is still not happy with this win because it wasn't the prettiest thing. I will take it though. TJ Watt was on a long streak without recording a sack, I think something like 6 games. His impact was felt in this one with 2 big sacks to get back on the board. The defensive line has been straight up horrid the first two games. They got a big addition with their first round pick Harmon returning from injury this week and he looked amazing shoring up the trenches. Cam Heyward had a bounce back week forcing 2 big fumbles and overall the pass defense held up respectably while missing lockdown corner Joey Porter Jr. The defense can be better, and you can't rely on 5 turnovers to bail you out every game, but I am encouraged by the fact that they keep getting teams to 3rd and long. As the season goes on I feel they will get better at getting stops when their opponent is in a tough spot.

The offense still has its warts, but I see signs of things starting to come together a bit more. Jaylen Warren has been disappointing to me as the RB1, a role I was pushing for him to have his entire tenure with the Steelers. A lot of that is due to the offensive line being young and taking time to gel, but my untrained eyes are telling me that's starting to come around a little. Rodgers is good, the best QB play they've had in 5 years and I like the way he's starting to find a groove with all the tight ends on the roster. This is a team with a ton of new players most notably at QB, it's going to take a few weeks to really start clicking. The fact that they are 2-1 with the 1 loss having some pretty unlucky circumstances is a massive positive to me. The fanbase finds it hard to feel that way though lol. 

That's that! Go Steelers I gotta get back to work haha.