The Patriots finally secured their third win, 21-18, against the Steelers. In a post-game press conference, Bill Belichick revealed that he is finally feeling “satisfied” with a win, especially after weeks of less-sleep mode.

Furthermore, he highlighted the two primary keys he opted for on the field to win over the injured Steelers. Belichick said he and his team tried to neutralize TJ Watt and George Pickens as they were the big problems on their plate.

How did the Patriots neutralize Watt and Pickens?

There was a time when the Patriots were good at stopping the best pass rushers from rival teams. However, that ability seemed to disappear in the games this season. But now, in the Steelers’ game, it looks like the Pats have regained their power to neutralize the opponent’s pass rusher. Bill Belichick, in a recent post-game presser, said, “We tried to neutralize Watt and Pickens. Both those guys are obviously big problems they play against.” TJ Watt didn’t have impressive statistics in this game. He only scored two pressures out of 24 pass-rush attempts.

However, he succeeded in six other pass-rush attempts, even though they didn’t lead to pressure, because the Pats QB Bailey Zappe released the ball quickly. Similarly, George Pickens had only one target in the first half and didn’t get the ball on a crucial fourth down, playing a significant role in the Pats’ win.

The Steelers weren’t able to stay competitive in the game.

It was the Bailey Zappe hour!

The starting quarterback of the Patriots, Bailey Zappe, played exceptionally well. This matchup showed Belichick did an excellent job to bring him on the active roster.

He had three 3 TDs in the first half, achieving a feat not seen since Tom Brady’s game in 2018. Zappe’s 37-yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster was a highlight, marking the franchise’s first completion of 30-plus air yards in the season.

Read more: Breaking Injury Alert- Steelers Lose QB1 Kenny Pickett to an Apparent Ankle Injury

Despite a strong effort in the final moments, the Steelers fell short in their attempt to score, leading to their sixth loss, while Bill Belichick’s team clinched their third victory.

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