New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Preview: Team news, betting, tickets, live stream, Fantasy Football and more

The Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) head to Gillette Stadium on Sunday for an AFC clash with the New England Patriots (1-1).

New England stumbled out of the gate against the Las Vegas Raiders but bounced back in Week 2 with a victory over a struggling Miami Dolphins squad. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, cooled off quickly after a strong season-opening win against the New York Jets, falling to the Seattle Seahawks in its latest outing. Both clubs now have an opportunity to leave Week 3 above the .500 mark and build some early-season momentum.

New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers kick-off time

NFL

Gillette Stadium

The Patriots and the Steelers will meet in Week 3 of the NFL season at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday, September 21, starting at 1:00 pm ET.

Team news & squads

New England Patriots team news

New England edged the Miami Dolphins 33-27 in their latest outing. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye was sharp, connecting on 19 of 23 passes (82.6%) for 230 yards and two touchdowns, while also punching in a rushing score. Rhamondre Stevenson handled 11 carries for 54 yards and caught five passes for 88 more, and Austin Hooper contributed three grabs for 38 yards in the win.

Patriots boss Mike Vrabel revealed ahead of training that Christian Gonzalez is back on the practice field and could feature in Week 3 when New England hosts the Steelers at Gillette Stadium.

With Stefon Diggs still sidelined and the running back rotation far from settled, the Patriots lack an obvious game-changer. That puts extra weight on Maye, whose ability to spread the ball around, whether to backs, tight ends, or supporting wideouts, might be the deciding factor. If he protects the football as he did in Week 2, New England's chances improve significantly.

Patriots injury report: Morgan Moses, OT - Questionable

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Pittsburgh Steelers team news

The Steelers lost to the Seattle Seahawks. Aaron Rodgers struggled to find rhythm, completing 18 of 33 throws for 203 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. Jaylen Warren managed 48 yards on 14 carries and added four catches for a team-high 86 receiving yards, while tight end Pat Freiermuth chipped in three receptions for 31 yards.

Like New England, the Steelers head into Week 3 carrying their own injury woes.

Mike Tomlin has confirmed that linebacker Alex Highsmith will be unavailable, while defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk has landed on injured reserve.

Elsewhere, defensive backs DeShon Elliott and Joey Porter Jr.—both absent against Seattle—remain doubtful, as does rookie Derrick Harmon, who is still awaiting his NFL debut. Harmon managed only limited work in Pittsburgh’s opening practice of the week.

Steelers injury report: Alex Highsmith, LB - Questionable, Isaiahh Loudermilk, DT - Questionable

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Watch and live stream Patriots vs Steelers in the USA

The Patriots vs Steelers game in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season will be broadcast live on CBS. Fans can catch the coverage onFubo (Try for free today!) and Paramount+.

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More details on where to watch the game in the United States, including streaming options, will be released soon, so keep an eye out for our dedicated coverage.

Watch and live stream Patriots vs Steelers worldwide

For fans outside the U.S. looking to stay plugged into the action,NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the ultimate ticket. It serves up more than 200 regular-season and playoff matchups, complete Super Bowl coverage, plus access to NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and plenty more to keep you locked in all year long.

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To bypass regional restrictions or to access the game if you are travelling abroad, you can watch the action using a Virtual Private Network like ExpressVPN.

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How to buy Patriots vs Steelers tickets

The Patriots vs Steelers showdown is set for Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a venue that packs in up to 65,878 fans and promises a fiery atmosphere on game day.

Tickets are already up for grabs on StubHub, with entry starting at $386. From there, prices climb through the tiers — $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, $900, $1,000, and stretching all the way into the premium ranges of $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $6,000, and topping out at $10,406 for the best seats in the house.

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READ MORE: NFL 2025 Tickets: Prices, deals, season tickets & membership information

Patriots vs Steelers Fantasy Football

Drake Maye rebounded in style last week, finishing as the QB4 with 26.3 fantasy points. He was razor sharp, hitting 19 of 23 throws (82.6%) for 230 yards at a healthy 10.0 yards per attempt, adding two touchdowns through the air. While Miami’s defense was a soft target, New England also mixed in some encouraging wrinkles in Week 2 that could stick moving forward. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, looks vulnerable—already banged up with Joey Porter Jr., DeShon Elliott, and Derrick Harmon sidelined, and now Alex Highsmith and Isaiahh Loudermilk joining the injury list with ankle issues.

The Jets' passing game came back down to earth in Week 2. After Aaron Rodgers opened the year as the QB7 (25.7 points), he slipped to QB26 (10.4 points) the following week. In his debut, he carved up the defense with 73.3% accuracy, 8.1 YPA, and four scores, but Sunday told a different story—just 54.5% completions, 6.2 YPA, one touchdown, and two costly picks. Still, this weekend offers a prime bounce-back chance, as New England has already allowed mid-tier QB2 numbers to both Geno Smith (17.5) and Tua Tagovailoa (18.6), each of whom struggled outside their Patriot matchups.

Patriots vs Steelers Game Predictions

The Patriots enter Week 3 as slim favorites, holding a 50.1% win probability to the Steelers’ 49.5%, with a tie covering the remainder.

Pittsburgh’s outlook hinges largely on the availability of cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who has missed the first two games. Without him, New England won’t have a proven answer for DK Metcalf in coverage. The Steelers’ ground game has been nearly nonexistent, ranking 30th in the league at 62.5 rushing yards per outing, and it won’t find much room against a Patriots defense surrendering just 58.5 yards per game on the ground (third-best in the NFL). Expect New England to bring the heat on 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, and given that Pittsburgh’s defense is allowing 3.40 points per drive—29th in the league—it’s hard to see them slowing anyone down. This matchup might fly under the radar, but the Patriots’ current edges up front and on defense make them the logical pick.

Patriots vs Steelers Betting Odds

Spread

Steelers -1.5 (-108)

Patriots +1.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Steelers -112

Patriots -108

Total

44.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Form

Head-to-Head Record

NE

Last 5 matches

PIT

4

Wins

0

Draws

1

Win

• Pittsburgh Steelers

  18

  -

  21

  New England Patriots

• Pittsburgh Steelers

  14

  -

  17

  New England Patriots

• New England Patriots

  33

  -

  3

  Pittsburgh Steelers

• Pittsburgh Steelers

  17

  -

  10

  New England Patriots

• Pittsburgh Steelers

  24

  -

  27

  New England Patriots

Useful links

• Patriots 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• Steelers 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• How to watch and live stream NFL football for free and without cable
• 2025 fantasy football rankings: Running back (RB) | Wide receiver (WR) | Tight end (TE) | Quarterback (QB)