Week 3 Picks for Steelers at Patriots 

Why Ali picked the Patriots: Plagued by injuries, Pittsburgh limps into this road matchup looking very un-Steelers-like. They can’t run, and they can’t consistently stop the run, which doesn’t bode well against a physical and unrelenting team like New England. We saw the Steelers wear down in the second half last Sunday, giving up several chunk plays on the ground to the Seahawks just as they did to the Jets In Week 1. Through two weeks, Pittsburgh ranks last in rushing first downs allowed (21) and 29th in explosive runs allowed (10), which must be particularly annoying to Mike Tomlin because they lead the league in total run stuffs (16). So, yeah, consistency is lacking. Similar to the Jets, the Patriots have the speed and athleticism at QB and in the backfield to exploit the Steelers’ aging and ailing defense, and a dominant front seven capable of making an already one-dimensional Pittsburgh offense that much more reliant on Aaron Rodgers‘ right arm. In Tomlin’s 19 seasons at the helm, Pittsburgh has never given up 30 or more points in three consecutive games. And while I don’t think the 2025 Steelers will be the first to do so, I do think they’ll be responsible for a different — but similarly unpleasant — résumé blemish: Tomlin’s first loss to a Mike Vrabel-coached/coordinated team (4-0).