ClutchPoints
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21-14 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 3 carried extra meaning for the newly signed safety Jabrill Peppers. After the game, the 29-year-old admitted New England’s decision to release him before the 2025 season surprised him, though he bears no resentment toward the team. He also acknowledged it gave him extra motivation to face his former team for the first time.
“Yeah, I was (surprised),” Peppers told Zack Cox of the Boston Herald. “I’m not going to get into any of the specifics. I don’t want it to be a distraction or turn into a media thing. I was definitely surprised, but it’s the nature of this business. Sometimes you’re not good enough. But I definitely wanted [the] opportunity to show them that I can still play in this league at a high level, so I think I did a pretty good job of that today.”
Peppers’ play backed up his words. In the third quarter, after Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and running back Rhamondre Stevenson committed costly turnovers near the goal line, New England turned to Antonio Gibson. But Peppers shed Mack Hollins’ block and delivered a bone-crunching hit on Gibson, forcing and recovering a fumble. He finished the game with six tackles, a forced fumble, and a recovery, directly fueling a Pittsburgh defense that recorded five takeaways and five sacks.
While the Steelers’ offense sputtered for long stretches, Peppers and the defense repeatedly bailed them out. Although New England piled up 369 yards to Pittsburgh’s 203 and controlled possession for more than 33 minutes, it was the Steelers’ opportunistic defense that decided the outcome. The Patriots converted four of five fourth-down attempts, but their fifth try, an end-of-game fourth-and-1 stop by Brandin Echols, gave the Steelers their first win in Foxborough in 17 years.
Peppers wasn’t the only one who impressed defensively. Cameron Heyward tallied six tackles, a sack, and a tipped pass that set up Echols’ end-zone interception. He also forced a Stevenson fumble at the goal line. T.J. Watt added two sacks, a forced fumble, and a recovery, while Nick Herbig recorded a strip sack late in the fourth quarter.
Those plays helped cover for an inconsistent Pittsburgh offense led by Aaron Rodgers. The 40-year-old quarterback completed 16 of 23 passes for 139 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. His first score, a 12-yard fade to DK Metcalf, was his 510th career touchdown pass, moving him past Brett Favre into fourth place on the NFL’s all-time list. His second, a 17-yard back-shoulder throw to Calvin Austin with 2:16 remaining, proved to be the game-winner. Through three weeks, Rodgers has thrown seven touchdowns, putting him on an early pace for 40 this season.
New England had the stats in their corner, but the loss still left them reeling at 1-2. The Patriots recorded 26 first downs to Pittsburgh’s 17 and held the ball for over 12 minutes in the second quarter alone. However, five fumbles, three lost inside the Steelers’ two-yard line,...
