The New England Patriots came into Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Thursday fresh off a five-game win streak, including a three-game historically awful stretch of play.
Expectations for the primetime game were low, as best evidenced by Patriots beat writer Ben Volin’s dull prediction for a matchup.
Official Volin Prediction: Steelers 5, Patriots 3.
TJ Watt with the walk-off safety.
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) December 8, 2023
But ultimately, New England’s offense found their long-missing stride. The team finally notched over 300 total yards for the first time in nearly a month and led a dominant first half for the team. And that first half was all the Patriots needed to seal the win away with a final score of 21-18.
Here are five big takeaways from the game.