Finally, the Patriots have broken through against the Steelers.
On the first play after an interception of counterpart Ben Roethlisberger, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady connected with wide receiver Danny Amendola on a 34-yard touchdown pass to give New England a 7-0 first-quarter lead against Pittsburgh.
Roethlisberger was intercepted on a pass thrown deep from his own endzone, with the Patriots’ Devin McCourty making the pick.
The Steelers were backed up near their goal line after stopping New England on 4th-and-goal from the Pittsburgh 1. On the fourth-down play, Patriots running back Stevan Ridley ran off the left side, but he was met by a wall of Pittsburgh defenders who stopped him short.
However, the Steelers’ good feelings were short lived, as Roethlisberger was picked on the next play from scrimmage.
Pass protection again has been something of an issue for the Steelers. Roethlisberger was pressured on the interception, and he was sacked twice in the first quarter, losing a fumble on one of the sacks.