Rodgers exits late as Pittsburgh struggles to score
Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers faced a difficult test against the New England Patriots in Week 2. What started as a tightly contested matchup eventually turned into a frustrating afternoon for Pittsburgh, with the offense struggling to find the end zone.
Rodgers’ late exit added another layer of attention to the game, while New England capitalized on key opportunities. Here’s a closer look at the moments, statistics and decisions that shaped the 20–3 result.
Rodgers starts for Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers remained Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback for the Week 2 matchup against New England. The 42-year-old quarterback entered the game after completing 24 of 40 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown during Pittsburgh’s 20–13 Week 1 victory over Atlanta.
Against the Patriots, Rodgers completed 23 of 39 passes for 187 yards. He finished without a touchdown and threw one interception during the loss.
Rodgers is pulled late
Rodgers did not finish the game because Pittsburgh replaced him with Mason Rudolph late in the fourth quarter. Rudolph entered with 3:23 remaining while the Steelers trailed 20–3.
Rudolph attempted 1 pass after entering the game and completed none. He also rushed once for 3 yards during the final portion of Pittsburgh’s 20–3 defeat.
Rodgers faces heavy pressure
New England repeatedly pressured Rodgers throughout the afternoon. The Patriots blitzed Rodgers on 47.7% of his dropbacks, while Rodgers was sacked 4 times.
Rodgers also fumbled twice during the contest. One fumble became a fourth-quarter defensive touchdown, while the other occurred on an 8-yard sack and resulted in a 36-yard loss before Pittsburgh recovered.
Patriots defense forces turnovers
The Patriots’ defense produced two forced fumbles against Rodgers. Christian Elliss forced one fumble on a sack, while Christian Barmore caused another during the fourth quarter.
Elijah Ponder recovered Barmore’s forced fumble and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown. The play gave New England a 20–3 lead with 13:37 remaining in the game.
Henderson provides an early touchdown
TreVeyon Henderson gave New England its first touchdown of the afternoon. The running back broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run during the opening quarter at Gillette Stadium.
Henderson finished with 76 rushing yards on 16 attempts. His touchdown was the only New England touchdown from scrimmage, while the Patriots’ other touchdown came from Ponder’s defensive fumble return.
Pittsburgh gets its only points
The Steelers’ only points came from Chris Boswell’s 56-yard field goal. The kick came on the final play of the first half, reducing New England’s advantage to 10–3.
Pittsburgh did not score again after that field goal. The Steelers finished the afternoon with 235 total yards, compared with 327 yards for New England.
Interesting fact: Rodgers’ 2026 passer rating currently stands at 72.1. His Week 1 rating was 83.4 before falling to 60.5 against New England.
Patriots add two field goals
Andy Borregales extended New England’s lead with two field goals. He connected from 30 yards with 14:14 remaining in the second quarter and added a 45-yard kick with 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The second field goal increased the Patriots’ advantage to 13–3. Borregales’ two successful kicks provided 6 of New England’s 20 points during the victory over Pittsburgh.
Interesting fact: Pittsburgh has scored only one touchdown through its first 25 offensive possessions of 2026.
Pittsburgh struggles on third down
The Steelers converted only two of 12 third-down opportunities against New England. That 16.7% conversion rate limited Pittsburgh’s ability to sustain drives and create scoring opportunities.
Pittsburgh also managed only one offensive play longer than 20 yards. Jaylen Warren produced that play with a 26-yard catch-and-run late in the fourth quarter, when the Patriots already held a 20–3 advantage.
Steelers defense limits Maye
Pittsburgh’s defense held Patriots quarterback Drake Maye to 208 passing yards. Maye completed 14 of 22 attempts, threw one interception and did not record a passing touchdown.
The Steelers generated pressure on 48.1% of Maye’s dropbacks. Patrick Queen intercepted Maye while he was under pressure, giving Pittsburgh its only takeaway through the air during the game.
Romeo Doubs makes a big play
Romeo Doubs provided New England with one of its largest offensive plays. He caught a pass for 63 yards during the third quarter, moving the Patriots deep into Pittsburgh territory.
The reception helped set up Borregales’ 45-yard field goal. Doubs finished the game with three catches for 96 yards, leading all Patriots receivers in receiving yards during the 20–3 victory.
Pittsburgh falls to 1–1
The loss dropped the Steelers to 1–1 after two games in 2026. Pittsburgh had opened the season with a 20–13 home victory over the Atlanta Falcons before traveling to New England.
The Patriots also moved to 1–1 with the victory. New England had opened its season with a 13–10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks before hosting Pittsburgh in its home opener.
The internet is also talking about Rory McIlroy differing with Matt Fitzpatrick over UAE travel concerns.
Rodgers and Steelers turn to Week 3
Rodgers finished the Patriots game with 23 completions on 39 attempts for 187 yards. His final statistics also included 1 interception, 4 sacks, 43 sack yards, 2 fumbles and no touchdown passes.
The Steelers will now prepare for their Week 3 matchup after the 20–3 defeat. Pittsburgh’s offense will enter that preparation after producing 3 points and 235 total yards against New England’s defense.
In other news, Angel Reese shares a warm moment with Brittney Griner after the game.
Do you think Pittsburgh can bounce back in Week 3? Like this post and leave a comment with your thoughts.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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