The 7-5 Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting the 2-10 New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football in front of a national audience. All signs point to a low score in tonight’s game. The Patriots have held three straight opponents to 10 or fewer points but have lost all three of those games. Given the Steelers’ offensive struggles, defense and special teams should be a huge factor in today’s game. The Steelers’ special teams are of the most highly penalized groups in the league. Cleaning that up will be critical.
QB Mitch Trubisky will get his first start of the season after Kenny Pickett suffered a high ankle sprain in last Sunday’s game. The Patriots will be starting Bailey Zappe after benching Mac Jones. QB Malik Cunningham will be active for this game after being elevated from the practice squad. Head coach Mike Tomlin spoke about the anxiety that a player like Cunningham brings because of the dual-threat and the potential wrinkles that the Patriots can put in their offense to mix things up.
The Steelers will be playing in their color rush uniforms and the end zones are painted gold for this game. Also, Styx, the hitmaker of the Steelers’ defensive anthem “Renegade,” will be performing the national anthem before the game. They pulled out all the stops for this one.
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Steelers Inactive:
QB Kenny Pickett
CB James Pierre
OT Dylan Cook
RB Anthony McFarland Jr.
OLB Markus Golden
DE DeMarvin Leal
Patriots Inactive:
WR DeVante Parker
CB Shaun Wade
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
RB Jamycal Hasty
T Vederian Lowe
WR Kayshon Boutte
WR Demario Douglas
The Patriots will start the game with the ball.
START OF GAME
The opening kickoff resulted in a touchback. On 1st and 10, Ezekiel Elliot was stopped by Minkah Fitzpatrick for no gain. T.J. Watt took a knee to the face on the play and was briefly shaken up. On 2nd and 10, Zappe complete to Elliot for 12 yards.
1st and 10, Zappe complete to Juju Smith-Schuster in tight coverage for 37 yards.
1st and 10, Elliot up the middle for one yard. 2nd and 9, Zappe threw the ball away. 3rd and 9 from the 25, Zappe scrambled for 11 yards to convert.
1st and 10, Elliot up the middle for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, pass in the flat to Elliot for 11 yards. Touchdown. 7-0 Patriots.
The kickoff was returned to the 31 by Godwin Igwebuike.
1st and 10, Mitch Trubisky play action and he scrambled for 15 yards to the right sideline.
1st and 10, Najee Harris up the middle for 1 yard. 2nd and 9, Harris up the middle for 3 yards. 3rd and 6, Trubisky intercepted, but holding on the defense erased the big play. Steelers catch a break.
1st and 10, a low snap to Trubisky, but he completed the pass to George Pickens for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, Warren swallowed up behind the line for a loss of 2. 3rd and 8, another low snap and Trubisky tried to run up the middle. He was sacked. Boswell good from 56 yards. 7-3 Patriots.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Zappe threw downfield into double coverage nearly picked by Damontae Kazee, but he couldn’t locate it. 2nd and 10, Watt off the edge slowed down Elliot and Blake Martinez finished the tackle for a gain of 3. 3rd and 7, complete to Hunter Henry for a first down, but offensive pass interference called. 3rd and 17, screen pass to Elliot for 9 yards.
The punt was returned by Calvin Austin III four yards to the 21-yard line.
T.J. Watt went into the blue medical tent in between drives. His jaw had to have blood wiped off, but the announcers stated he might be dealing with a jaw joint issue.
1ast and 10, Trubisky tried to force one in to Freiermuth but it was knocked incomplete. 2nd and 10, Harris off right tackle for 4 yards. 3rd and 6, Trubisky deep to Allen Robinson, but way too much air and incomplete.
1st and 10, Zappe short pass to Tyquan Thornton for 11 yards.
1st and 10, Zappe complete to Smith-Schuster for 17 yards.
1st and 10, Zappe threw the ball away under pressure. 2nd and 10, incomplete to Jalen Raegor. 3rd and 10, Joey Porter Jr. nearly intercepted the deep pass, but it fell incomplete.
The punt was fielded by Austin and returned 5 yards to the 15.
1st and 10, Harris around the right end for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, check down to Jaylen Warren for 8 yards and a fresh set of downs.
1st and 10, Harris couldn’t make it back to the line of scrimmage. 2nd and 11, Trubisky rushed up the middle for 1 yard.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 7-3 PATRIOTS.
3rd and 10, Trubisky intercepted by Jabrill Peppers, returned to the 11. The Patriots are in scoring position.
Loud chants at the stadium for Mason Rudolph. Tell that to Steelers fans three years ago.
1st and 10, Elliot up the middle for 3 and Alex Highsmith was hurt on the play. 2nd and 7, Zappe to Hunter Henry in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. 14-3 Patriots.
1st and 10, Najee Harris tackled for a loss of 5. 2nd and 15, Trubisky complete to Freiermuth for 7 yards. 3rd and 8, Trubisky nearly picked off again. Harvin’s punt was fair caught at the 28-yard line.
1st and 10, Elliot taclked for a loss of 1. 2nd and 11, incomplete pass over the middle. 3rd and 11, complete to Elliot in the flat for 7 yards. The punt resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Trubisky scrambled for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, toss to Jaylen Warren for 2 yards. Illegal formation declined. Chukwuma Okorafor reported eligible, but did not cover the tackle. 3rd and 7, low percentage throw to Diontae Johnson deep right and incomplete. Boos raining down.
Pressley Harvin III’s punt was awful, just 34 yards.
1st and 10, Watt tried to punch the ball out on Elliot and tackled him for a gain of 3. 2nd and 7, complete to Pharaoh Brown for 4 yards. 3rd and 3, complete to Smith-Schuster up the seam for 28 yards.
1st and 10, Zappe to Henry for 24 yards and a touchdown. 21-3 Patriots.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback. 1st and 10, Warren screen for 12 yards.
1st and 10, reverse play to Austin for another 12 yards.
1st and 10, complete to Connor Heyward for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, Harris up the middle for 4 yards. 3rd and 1, no huddle, Trubisky sneak to convert up the middle.
1st and 10, Warren off right tackle for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, low pass to Freiermuth incomplete, but a flag on the play. Defensive pass interference called.
1st and 10, Warren picked up four around the left end. 2nd and 6, Trubisky complete to Johnson in the end zone for a touchdown. 21-10 Patriots.
The kickoff had an unnecessary roughness call on the Patriots so they are starting from their own 11.
1st and 10, Elliot up the middle for 4 yards. Timeout #1 called by Pittsburgh with 2:41 left in the half. 2nd and 6, complete to Ty Montgomery II for 17 yards. 1st and 10, Zappe complete to Tyquan Thornton for 3 yards.
TWO MINUTE WARNING.
The Steelers will probably stop calling timeouts now that the Patriots got a first down. They now shift into trying to prevent a field goal or worse before the half. Momentum is starting to even out a little.
2nd and 7, incomplete pass. 3rd and 7, complete to Henry for 8 yards.
1st and 10, Elandon Roberts sacked Zappe for a loss of 10. Zappe holding his arm a bit after the sack. Timeout #2 by Pittsburgh. 2nd and 20, Fitzpatrick tackled Elliot for a loss of 1. Timeout #3 by Pittsburgh. 3rd and 21, Elliot up the middle for 7 yards. The Patriots took a timeout as the play clock expired. The punt was bobbled by Austin and downed depe in Steelers territory.
Trubisky kneeled the ball to go to the half.
END OF 1ST HALF: 21-10 PATRIOTS
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