Final2023 Week 14

Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 14 2023

New England Patriots

AwayWon

21

Pittsburgh Steelers

Home

18

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Patriots7140021
Steelers370818

NE 21PIT 18 Final

  • Passing leader

    Bailey Zappe

    NE · QB

    21.9PPR pts

    19/28, 240 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Ezekiel Elliott

    NE · RB

    27.0PPR pts

    22 ATT, 68 YDS, 7 REC, 72 REC YDS, 1 REC TD

  • Steelers leader

    Mitchell Trubisky

    PIT · QB

    19.6PPR pts

    22/35, 190 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 RUSH TD

  • Defensive playmaker

    Jabrill Peppers

    NE

    1 INT, 3 TKL

Patriots 21, Steelers 18: New England holds off Pittsburgh

New England led 21–10 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and won 21–18, though Pittsburgh took the second half 8–0. The Patriots finished with a 303–264 edge in total offense and averaged 5.5 yards per play.

The Steelers went 3-for-14 on third down and committed one turnover.

Key advantages

  • +1.5 yards/play NE 5.5 · PIT 4.0
  • +39 total yards NE 303 · PIT 264
  • +10% third-down rate NE 31% · PIT 21%

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Patriots Won

New England won the efficiency and third-down battles.

Team stats comparison, Patriots vs Steelers
PatriotsStatSteelers
5.5Yards per play4.0
303Total yards264
31%Third-down conversion21%
Other team stats
55Plays66
1Turnovers1
27:41Time of possession32:19

Scoring Summary

The Patriots scored three touchdowns; the Steelers scored two touchdowns and one field goal.

Scoring plays, Patriots vs Steelers
TimeTeamPlayNEPIT
1st quarter
11:12NEBailey Zappe → Ezekiel Elliott, 11-yard TD Takes leadChad Ryland XP70
6:39PITChris Boswell 56-yard FG73
2nd quarter
14:14NEBailey Zappe → Hunter Henry, 8-yard TD Extends leadChad Ryland XP143
7:38NEBailey Zappe → Hunter Henry, 24-yard TD Extends leadChad Ryland XP213
2:50PITMitch Trubisky → Diontae Johnson, 25-yard TDChris Boswell XP2110
3rd quarter
No scoring
4th quarter
11:44PITMitch Trubisky 1-yard TD runMitch Trubisky → Pat Freiermuth, 2-pt conversion2118

Fantasy Points: Patriots vs Steelers, Week 14 2023

Fantasy leaders

  1. Ezekiel ElliottNERB27.0 PTSRB1
  2. Bailey ZappeNEQB21.9 PTSQB7
  3. Mitchell TrubiskyPITQB21.6 PTSQB8
  4. Hunter HenryNETE19.0 PTSTE4

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Bailey ZappeNEQB21.9QB719/28240313130115.2
Mitchell TrubiskyPITQB21.6QB822/3519011830174.7Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Ezekiel ElliottNERB27.0RB1RB2268087721
Hunter HenryNETE19.0TE4TE———33402Start/Sit →
Diontae JohnsonPITWR14.7WR18WR———73571
JuJu Smith-SchusterNEWR13.0WR25WR———64900
Jaylen WarrenPITRB8.0RB35RB711054290Start/Sit →
Najee HarrisPITRB7.8RB37RB1229033190Start/Sit →
George PickensPITWR6.9WR49WR———65190Start/Sit →
Pat FreiermuthPITTE6.8TE25TE———73180Start/Sit →
Tyquan ThorntonNEWR4.7WR65WR———53170Start/Sit →
Connor HeywardPITRB3.5RB54RB———22150Start/Sit →
Allen RobinsonPITWR3.1WR86WR———31210
Ty MontgomeryNERB2.7RB56RB———21170
Darnell WashingtonPITTE2.2TE42TE———21120Start/Sit →
Pharaoh BrownNETE1.4TE47TE———1140
Calvin AustinPITWR1.2WR107WR1120————
Jalen ReagorNEWR0.0—WR———1000

Fantasy Usage

New England Patriots

Snap Share

  1. JuJu Smith-SchusterWR56 snaps98%
  2. Tyquan ThorntonWR54 snaps95%
  3. Ezekiel ElliottRB52 snaps91%
  4. Hunter HenryTE50 snaps88%
  5. Pharaoh BrownTE28 snaps49%

Target Share26 targets

  1. Ezekiel Elliott31%, 8 targets
  2. JuJu Smith-Schuster23%, 6 targets
  3. Tyquan Thornton19%, 5 targets
  4. Hunter Henry12%, 3 targets
  5. Ty Montgomery8%, 2 targets
  6. Other8%, 2 targets

Carry Share25 carries

  1. Ezekiel Elliott88%, 22 carries
  2. Bailey Zappe12%, 3 carries

Pittsburgh Steelers

Snap Share

  1. George PickensWR60 snaps86%
  2. Diontae JohnsonWR48 snaps69%
  3. Pat FreiermuthTE48 snaps69%
  4. Allen RobinsonWR41 snaps59%
  5. Najee HarrisRB40 snaps57%

Target Share35 targets

  1. Diontae Johnson20%, 7 targets
  2. Pat Freiermuth20%, 7 targets
  3. George Pickens17%, 6 targets
  4. Jaylen Warren14%, 5 targets
  5. Allen Robinson9%, 3 targets
  6. Other20%, 7 targets

Carry Share28 carries

  1. Najee Harris43%, 12 carries
  2. Mitchell Trubisky29%, 8 carries
  3. Jaylen Warren25%, 7 carries
  4. Calvin Austin4%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
JuJu Smith-SchusterNEWR5698%623%0
Tyquan ThorntonNEWR5495%519%0
Ezekiel ElliottNERB5291%831%22
Hunter HenryNETE5088%312%0
George PickensPITWR6086%617%0
Diontae JohnsonPITWR4869%720%0
Pat FreiermuthPITTE4869%720%0
Allen RobinsonPITWR4159%39%0
Najee HarrisPITRB4057%39%12
Jaylen WarrenPITRB3753%514%7
Pharaoh BrownNETE2849%14%0
Darnell WashingtonPITTE3043%26%0
Jalen ReagorNEWR2035%14%0
Mike GesickiNETE1933%00%0
Calvin AustinPITWR2029%00%1
Connor HeywardPITRB1116%26%0
Miles BoykinPITWR811%00%0
Ty MontgomeryNERB611%28%0
Rodney WilliamsPITTE46%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+14.0Hunter Henry19.0 PTS vs 5.0 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−4.9Pat Freiermuth6.8 PTS vs 11.7 xFP
  • Highest expected volume26.9 xFPEzekiel Elliott27.0 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Ezekiel ElliottNE · RB27.026.9+0.191%88% car—02288%831%
Mitchell TrubiskyPIT · QB19.619.60.0100%35 att—35829%00%
Bailey ZappeNE · QB21.913.6+8.3100%28 att—28312%00%
Jaylen WarrenPIT · RB8.012.6−4.653%25% car—0725%514%
Najee HarrisPIT · RB7.812.4−4.657%43% car—01243%39%
Diontae JohnsonPIT · WR14.711.7+3.069%20% tgt—000%720%
Pat FreiermuthPIT · TE6.811.7−4.969%20% tgt—000%720%
George PickensPIT · WR6.910.0−3.186%17% tgt—000%617%
JuJu Smith-SchusterNE · WR13.010.0+3.098%23% tgt—000%623%
Tyquan ThorntonNE · WR4.78.3−3.695%19% tgt—000%519%
Allen RobinsonPIT · WR3.15.0−1.959%9% tgt—000%39%
Hunter HenryNE · TE19.05.0+14.088%12% tgt—000%312%
Connor HeywardPIT · RB3.53.8−0.316%6% tgt—100%26%
Darnell WashingtonPIT · TE2.23.3−1.143%6% tgt—000%26%
Ty Montgomery IINE · RB2.73.3−0.611%8% tgt—000%28%
Jalen ReagorNE · WR0.01.7−1.735%4% tgt—000%14%
Pharaoh BrownNE · TE1.41.7−0.349%4% tgt—000%14%
Calvin Austin IIIPIT · WR1.20.6+0.629%4% car—014%00%

Team totals: Patriots 26 targets and 25 carries; Steelers 35 targets and 28 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2023 season: 1.67 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.61 per carry and 0.42 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Bailey Zappe Ran hot

NE · QB · 21.9 pts on 13.6 expected

19 of 28 passing for 240 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception; 3 carries for 13 yards.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 13.6 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Mitchell Trubisky

PIT · QB · 19.6 pts on 19.6 expected

22 of 35 passing for 190 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 8 carries for 30 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 19.6 expected.

Start/Sit: Mitchell Trubisky →

Ezekiel Elliott Strong role

NE · RB · 27.0 pts on 26.9 expected

8 targets (31% of the team's), 7 catches for 72 yards and 1 touchdown; 22 carries (88% of the team's) for 68 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 26.9 expected.

JuJu Smith-Schuster

NE · WR · 13.0 pts on 10.0 expected

6 targets (23% of the team's), 4 catches for 90 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 10.0 expected.

Jaylen Warren

PIT · RB · 8.0 pts on 12.6 expected

5 targets (14% of the team's), 4 catches for 29 yards; 7 carries (25% of the team's) for 11 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 12.6 expected.

Start/Sit: Jaylen Warren →

Najee Harris

PIT · RB · 7.8 pts on 12.4 expected

3 targets (9% of the team's), 3 catches for 19 yards; 12 carries (43% of the team's) for 29 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 12.4 expected.

Start/Sit: Najee Harris →

Hunter Henry Ran hot

NE · TE · 19.0 pts on 5.0 expected

3 targets (12% of the team's), 3 catches for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 5.0 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Hunter Henry →

Tyquan Thornton

NE · WR · 4.7 pts on 8.3 expected

5 targets (19% of the team's), 3 catches for 17 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 8.3 expected.

Start/Sit: Tyquan Thornton →

Stock Up, Stock Down

New England Patriots

  • Stock up: Ezekiel Elliott played 91% of the snaps, up from a 39% season average.
  • Stock up: JuJu Smith-Schuster played 98% of the snaps, up from a 61% season average.
  • Stock up: Tyquan Thornton played 95% of the snaps, up from a 38% season average.

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Stock down: Allen Robinson played 59% of the snaps, down from a 75% season average.
  • Stock down: Connor Heyward played 16% of the snaps, down from a 42% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2023 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Patriots defense and Steelers defense
Points allowed toPatriots DSteelers D
QBs14.615.0
RBs20.920.3
WRs31.732.1
TEs9.012.4

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Pittsburgh opened at 50% win probability and fell below 2% in overtime.

Steelers win probability

Steelers win probability by game minuteSteelers started at 50%, stood at 13% at halftime and finished at 0%, across 6 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. −20Zappe → Elliott, 11-yd TD50% → 30%Q1 11:12
  2. −19Zappe → Henry, 8-yd TD37% → 17%Q2 14:14
  3. −11Zappe → Henry, 24-yd TD15% → 5%Q2 7:38
  4. +10Trubisky → Johnson, 25-yd TD4% → 14%Q2 2:50
  5. +27Trubisky 1-yd TD run3% → 31%Q4 11:44

Swing in Steelers win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Patriots vs Steelers
New England PatriotsMeasurePittsburgh Steelers
55Plays66
55%Pass rate58%
7.4Yds / dropback4.8
3.2Yds / carry2.9
4/13Third downs3/14

Efficiency edge New England ran 11 fewer plays but gained 2.6 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • NE Elliott 31% · Smith-Schuster 23% · Thornton 19%
  • PIT Johnson 20% · Freiermuth 20% · Pickens 17%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Patriots vs Steelers
ResultNEPIT
Touchdowns32
Field goals01
Punts96
Turnovers11
Turnovers on downs02
  • The Patriots opened the scoring on their first possession, a 8-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
All 27 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
NEQ1 15:008753:48Touchdown
PITQ1 11:127314:33Field goal
NEQ1 6:39321:50Punt
PITQ1 4:49341:00Punt
NEQ1 3:495281:44Punt
PITQ1 2:055122:18Interception
NEQ2 14:472110:33Touchdown
PITQ2 14:14321:29Punt
NEQ2 12:45361:32Punt
PITQ2 11:13351:25Punt
NEQ2 9:484592:10Touchdown
PITQ2 7:388754:48Touchdown
NEQ2 2:508282:31Punt
PITQ2 0:191-10:19End of half
PITQ3 15:0011327:09Punt
NEQ3 7:514112:39Punt
PITQ3 5:12372:05Punt
NEQ3 3:074122:09Interception
PITQ3 0:58491:04Downs
NEQ4 14:54381:31Punt
PITQ4 13:234261:39Touchdown
NEQ4 11:445203:20Punt
PITQ4 8:247133:26Punt
NEQ4 4:58392:14Punt
PITQ4 2:446220:49Downs
NEQ4 1:55391:40Punt
PITQ4 0:152450:15End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Patriots vs Steelers Head-to-Head

The Patriots and Steelers first met in 1972 and have played 37 times since.

All-time series
20–17Patriots lead, 37 meetings since 1972
Postseason
4–1Split 4–1
Largest Patriots win
34–01986
Largest Steelers win
33–31972

Since 2021

3–1 Patriots lead

4 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. P = Patriots win, S = Steelers win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2023 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Patriots vs Steelers
PatriotsStatSteelers
4-13Record10-7
13.9Points per game17.9
276.2Yards per game304.3
4.6Yards per play5.0
21.5Points allowed per game19.1
301.6Yards allowed per game342.1

Patriots and Steelers in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Patriot or a Steeler, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2023 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Patriots vs Steelers Game FAQ

Who won the 2023 Patriots vs Steelers Week 14 game?

The New England Patriots beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 21–18 in Week 14 of the 2023 season. The game was played at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, on December 7, 2023. See the Patriots' 2023 schedule.

What was the final score of Patriots vs Steelers?

The final score was Patriots 21, Steelers 18. The Patriots led 21–10 at halftime, and the second half went Patriots 0, Steelers 8.

What happened in the Patriots vs Steelers game?

New England led 21–10 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and won 21–18, though Pittsburgh took the second half 8–0. The Patriots finished with a 303–264 edge in total offense and averaged 5.5 yards per play. Ezekiel Elliott led all players with 7 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown, plus 22 carries for 68 rushing yards.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Patriots vs Steelers?

Ezekiel Elliott led the game with 27.0 PPR fantasy points, the RB1 of Week 14, on 7 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown, plus 22 carries for 68 rushing yards. Bailey Zappe was next with 21.9 (QB7).

Who led Patriots vs Steelers in passing, rushing and receiving?

Bailey Zappe (NE) led all passers with 19 of 28 for 240 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Ezekiel Elliott (NE) led in rushing with 22 carries for 68 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster (NE) led in receiving with 4 catches for 90 yards.

How many fantasy points did Ezekiel Elliott score against the Steelers?

Ezekiel Elliott scored 27.0 points in PPR leagues, 23.5 in half-PPR and 20.0 in standard scoring against the Steelers in Week 14 of the 2023 season, on 7 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown, plus 22 carries for 68 rushing yards. He drew 31% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Patriots vs Steelers?

Hunter Henry outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 19.0 PPR points on 5.0 xFP (+14.0). Pat Freiermuth fell furthest short, with 6.8 points on 11.7 xFP (−4.9). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Patriots vs Steelers?

Ezekiel Elliott had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 26.9 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 27.0. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Patriots beat the Steelers?

The Patriots beat the Steelers 21–18 because they averaged 5.5 yards per play to 4.0 and outgained them 303–264.

What was the turning point of Patriots vs Steelers?

Mitch Trubisky's 1-yard touchdown run with 11:44 left in the fourth quarter was the biggest swing of the game, moving the Steelers' win probability from 3% to 31%.

What is the all-time Patriots vs Steelers record?

The Patriots lead the all-time series 20–17 across 37 meetings since 1972, including a 4–1 record in the postseason.

When did the Patriots and Steelers last play before this game?

Before Week 14 of 2023, they last met in the 2022 season on September 18, 2022, when the Patriots beat the Steelers 17–14.

Have the Patriots and Steelers met in the playoffs?

Yes, 5 times, most recently in the 2016 playoffs. The Patriots are 4–1 against the Steelers in the postseason.

What is the Patriots vs Steelers record since 2021?

The Patriots lead 3–1 across 4 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.