TEAM NOTES
- Bill Belichick moves past George Halas for sole possession of second with 507 games coached.
- QB Bailey Zappe sets career-high with three touchdown passes.
- S Jabrill Peppers ties career-long with a 32-yard interception return.
- TE Hunter Henry ties career-high with two touchdown passes.
- Bryce Baringer had at least one 50-yard punt in all 13 games, the longest streak in team history.
PATRIOTS HOLD PITTSBURGH TO 2.9-YARDS PER RUSH
The Patriots defense held Pittsburgh to 2.9 yards per rush (28 rushing attempts for 82 yards). Last week, the Patriots held the Chargers to a 1.21 rushing average.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BELICHICK MOVES PAST HALAS FOR SECOND ALL-TIME
Bill Belichick coached his 507th game to move out of a tie with George Halas and take over sole possession for the second most games coached all time, behind the 526 games coached by Don Shula.
ZAPPE SETS CAREER HIGH WITH THREE TOUCHDOWN PASSES
QB Bailey Zappe set a career-high with three touchdown passes. His previous best was two touchdowns at Cleveland on Oct. 16, 2022. Zappe had an 11-yard touchdown pass to RB Ezekeil Elliott in the first quarter and an 8-yard touchdown pass and a 24-yard touchdown pass to TE Hunter Henry in the second quarter. Bailey is the first Patriots player with three touchdowns in the first half since Tom Brady vs. the New York Jets on Dec. 30. 2018. Zappe finished 19-of-28 for 240 yards with the three touchdowns.
PEPPERS TIES CAREER-HIGH WITH A 32-YARD INTERCEPTION RETURN
S Jabrill Peppers interacted Pittsburgh QB Mitch Trubisky in the second quarter and returned the pick 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 27-yard line. It ties for his longest career interception return. He had a 32-yard interception that he returned for a touchdown vs. Washington on Sept. 29, 2019 off QB Dwayne Haskins. The turnover helped set up QB Bailey Zappe's 8-yard touchdown pass to TE Hunter Henry.
HENRY TIES CAREER-HIGH WITH TWO TOUCHDOWN PASSES
TE Hunter Henry tied career-high with two touchdown passes, an 8-yard and a 24-yard touchdown pass in the in the second quarter. He has had two touchdown passes four times in his career, including two other times with the Patriots – Nov. 14, 2021 vs Cleveland and Dec. 18, 2021 at Indianapolis.
HENRY SCORES TWO TOUCHDOWNS ON HIS BIRTHDATE
Hunter Henry celebrated his 29th birthday with a two-touchdown performance. He is the first Patriots player to score a touchdown on his birthday since RB Dion Lewis on Sept. 27, 2015 vs. Jacksonville when he turned 25.
BARINGER SETS TEAM MARK WITH 13 STRAIGHT GAMES WITH AT LEAST ONE 50-YARD PUNT
Rookie P Bryce Baringer has at least one 50-yard punt in all 13 games after a 56-yard punt in the first quarter to set the team record for the longest single season streak in team history (at any point of the season). Baringer was tied with Zoltan Mesko. Mesko had a 12-game streak in 2011. Last season, Johnny Hekker (Carolina), Ryan Stonehouse (Tennessee) and Cameron Johnston (Houston) all had at least one 50-yard punt in all 17 games. Johnston also accomplished the feat in 2017. He added a 66-yard punt in the second quarter and now has 8 punts of 60-yards so far in 2023.
WILSON GETS FIRST SACK OF THE SEASON
LB Mack Wilson Sr. registered his first sack of the season when he dropped Pittsburgh QB Mitch Trubisky for a 1-yard loss in the first quarter on a third-down play to help hold the Steelers to a field goal.
TAVAI SETS CAREER-HGH IN TACKLES WITH THIRD CAREER 10-TACKLE GAME
LB Jahlani Tavai set a career-high in total tackles 14 total tackles. It was his third career 10-tackle game and his first as a member of the Patriots. Tavai had 11 total tackles vs. Minnesota on Jan. 3, 2021 and 10 total tackles at Minnesota on Dec. 8, 2019 when he played for Detroit.
SMITH-SCHUSTER HAS HIGHEST OUTPUT OF 2023
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster finished with 4 receptions for 90 yards.
LINEUP NOTES
- DL Deatrich Wise Jr. returned to the starting lineup after missing the Chargers game due to injury.
- DB Alex Austin made his debut in a New England uniform.
- OL Conor McDermott started the game at left tackle. OL Trent Brown rotated in at left tackle.
