FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw a go-ahead 17-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III with 2:16 left, and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New England Patriots 21-14 on Sunday.
Rodgers passed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, Kenneth Gainwell ran for a 1-yard TD and the Steelers’ defense forced five turnovers to help Pittsburgh (2-1) win at New England for the first time since 2008. The Steelers had lost four since then in Foxborough, including the AFC championship game in the 2016 season.
The Patriots (1-2) were driving with a chance to tie it and had fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 28, but DeMario Douglas caught a pass from Drake Maye and was stopped for a 1-yard loss.
It was New England’s first five-turnover game since losing 33-10 at home to Pittsburgh on Nov. 30, 2008, when Tom Brady was out for the season with a knee injury.
Maye finished 28 of 37 for 268 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and fumble. Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled twice and Antonio Gibson also lost one.
Two of the Patriots’ turnovers came at the Steelers 2-yard line.
With the game tied at 14-all midway through the fourth quarter, New England was in position to score when Nick Herbig sacked Maye and popped the ball loose. T.J. Watt recovered on the Steelers 38.
Pittsburgh led 14-7 when New England linebacker Robert Spillane picked off Rodgers on the opening drive of the second half and returned it 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 11.
But with a second-and-goal on the 2, Stevenson fumbled as he crossed the goal line — his second of the game — and Payton Wilson recovered it for a touchback.
The Steelers went three-and-out, but the Patriots gave the ball right back on their ensuing series, when Antonio Gibson lost the ball as he was tackled by safety Jabrill Peppers, a former Patriot.
Another Pittsburgh punt pinned New England on its 12. The Patriots drove 88 yards and tied the game on an 18-yard pass from Maye to tight end Hunter Henry early in the fourth quarter.
Injuries
Steelers: CB Darius Slay was shaken up in the first quarter but walked off on his own power. He left again later in the first half with trainers looking at his right leg. … Wilson visited the medical tent but quickly re-entered the game.
Patriots: Henry jogged off after taking a hit following a reception early in the third quarter.
Moving on up
Rodgers now has 510 TD passes, alone in fourth place in NFL history. His 509th — a second-quarter TD pass to Metcalf — moved him out of a tie with former Green Bay teammate Brett Favre.
Up next
Steelers: Host Minnesota next Sunday.
Patriots: Host Carolina next Sunday.
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