New England’s Super Bowl rematch game against the Seattle Seahawks was supposed to be a statement game. Instead, Drake Maye’s three fourth-quarter interceptions turned a winning opportunity into a gut-punch loss – and now the fallout has reached the running back room. Ahead of Sunday’s showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson has some honest observations about their Week 2 clash.
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“Just a great team all around,” Stevenson said during a recent media interaction. “They’re going after that ball first and foremost. They [are] 100% on each play. There are no loath on that defense. They’re trying to get the ball carrier.”
Unlike the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a terrific outing in Week 1. They faced the Atlanta Falcons and won 20-13. While the upgraded offense under veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a relatively quiet day, generating 264 total yards, the Steelers’ defense was a standout.
T.J. Watt, in particular, took over the second half of the game. He recorded 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and a fourth-quarter interception returned for a touchdown (pick-six) off Falcons backup quarterback Cooper Rush to put the Steelers up 20-10.
Complementing Watt’s pressure from the opposite side, Alex Highsmith also put together a strong defensive outing with 2 sacks and 2 tackles for loss. With these two pass rushers leading the Steelers’ defense, New England’s RB Rhamondre Stevenson was all praise for their Week 1 performance.
On the other hand, the Patriots and QB Drake Maye displayed a concerning output in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. They started with a 10-0 lead in the first half and were in complete control.
However, the offense collapsed in the fourth quarter when Maye, for the first time in his NFL career, threw three interceptions in a single game. Eventually, the Patriots went on to lose the game 10-13.
Will there be similar threats for Maye against the Steelers? Very likely, considering how T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith performed. However, the Patriots QB has reflected on his mistakes and seems ready for Week 2.
“We’re on to Pittsburgh. We have another week and another chance in this league. That’s dealing with the ups and downs in this league. That’s part of playing in the National Football League,” Maye said. “It’s just part of being an athlete at a professional level.”
Despite an underwhelming Week 1 performance, Maye’s teammates still have confidence in him, considering the output from his last two seasons — 6,670 yards while posting 46 touchdowns in 30 regular-season games.
“He’s a guy who has a lot of confidence,” guard Alijah Vera-Tucker said. “We pat him on the back. We got him. We’re always riding for him, but he’s the type of guy who doesn’t really need that. He’s able to fix things on his own and come ready to work the next week.”
That said, it will be interesting how Maye & Co. performs against the Steelers on September 20.