The Pittsburgh Steelers are aiming for a bounce-back win in Week 3 as they face the New England Patriots on the road. But based on the sample we've seen from Mike Tomlin's team early in the season, this won't come easy. The Steelers are 1-1 to begin the year and are coming off an embarrassing 31-17 loss in their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
I recently sat down with former Steelers fullback Merril Hoge, who offered words of wisdom to not take any opponent lightly, and the Patriots are no exception. While New England isn't riddled with star power, they have a fiery head coach in Mike Vrabel, who has assembled a pass rush that excels at getting after the quarterback.
Through the first two weeks of the 2025 season, the Patriots' defense leads all teams with 9.5 sacks. They've achieved this impressive mark despite ranking just 18th in blitz percentage (23.7 percent).
This isn't good for a Steelers offensive line that has allowed seven sacks on 65 pass attempts. Pittsburgh's most concerning matchup is easy to see, and Mike Tomlin can't let it wreck the game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' OL will have its hands full with the New England Patriots' DL
The New England Patriots don't have one particular standout player that makes this a scary pass rush to face; rather, it's a collection of talent rushing from all over the defensive line. Entering Week 3, veteran edge rusher Harold Landry already has three-and-a-half sacks under his belt, while big free agent signing Milton Williams has chipped in two more.
Williams joins fellow Patriots defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Khyiris Tonga already off to hot starts. All three players have earned top-15 grades among NFL interior defenders entering Week 3, according to Pro Football Focus.
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The collection of talent and athleticism on New England's defensive line could give the Steelers' O-line fits. Early in the season, offensive tackles Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu have struggled with consistency, while the entire offensive line unit has struggled when picking up stunts and blitzes. As a result, the Steelers rank just 25th in PFF's pass block grades entering Week 3.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers struggle to keep a clean pocket against the New England Patriots and their impressive pass rush in Week 3, we could be in for a long game. The offensive line is looking to put its ugly performances behind it, but this brutal matchup won't make that easy.