Week 2: Patriots @ Steelers
Besting the New England Patriots is never an easy task — even without Tom Brady. Bill Belichick is one of the most brilliant NFL head coaches to ever grace the league, and he has had Mike Tomlin’s number over the years.
Belichick is particularly good when matched up against rookie quarterbacks, and it’s not out of the question that Kenny Pickett could be the starter in Week 2. Even if it’s Mitch Trubisky, the Steelers still have plenty of question marks on offense — primarily with the offensive line.
Meanwhile, New England still has one of the deeper rosters in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball. They finished 10-7 on the season in 2021. Like Pittsburgh, they were knocked out early in the playoffs, but Belichick’s team will be hoping for better results this time around.
While Pittsburgh has home-field advantage in Week 2, the Patriots already have a young quarterback who had a very solid rookie season in Mac Jones. The Steelers, on the other hand, have no idea what they are going to be getting in terms of quarterback play. I think this game will be close, but I’m going to give the edge to the Patriots here.