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‘They should be 3-0′: ESPN analysts discussed Patriots’ underwhelming early season results
"I watched the game going, 'How did New England lose it?'"
A look at the Patriots’ first three games in 2025: The Patriots fell to 1-2 so far in the 2025 season after losing 21-14 to the Steelers on Sunday.
It represented another close one for Mike Vrabel’s team, as New England has played in three consecutive one-score games. Sunday was an especially frustrating one for Patriots fans, watching their team go down to defeat after committing five turnovers. The mistakes marred what was an otherwise solid performance, as New England out-gained Pittsburgh 369 to 203.
Surveying the scene, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky and NFL reporter Adam Schefter lamented the early-season missed opportunities for the Patriots during a Monday segment on “Get Up!“
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In a wider discussion of the Steelers, Orlovsky switched to a Patriots perspective.
“They were thoroughly outplayed by New England,” he said of Pittsburgh.
“Thoroughly outplayed by the Patriots,” Orlovsky repeated. “I watched the game going, ‘How did New England lose it?'”
Commenting about the multiple red zone turnovers from New England, he couldn’t help but call out what he felt was a fortunate win for the visitors.
“For me, the Steelers should have lost that game, should have lost Week 1, I’m unimpressed,” Orlovsky said of Mike Tomlin’s team.
Schefter provided some higher-level perspective.
“The Patriots I think have to be a little bit disappointed to open the season at home against the Raiders, Miami, and the Steelers, had a chance to win all three and they are 1-2,” he noted.
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“They should be 3-0,” Orlovsky added. “Gave the games away. Both Patriots losses you feel like [were] self-inflicted wounds are the reason why they lost.”
Trivia: Julian Edelman has the Patriots’ career regular season record for most punt return touchdowns with four. Can you name the two players tied for second (with three each)?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: One was picked first overall in 1984, the other was picked in the last eighth round in NFL Draft history.
Scores and schedules:
The Patriots lost to the Steelers 21-14 on Sunday, falling to 1-2 on the season. New England will face the Panthers at Gillette Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Also from Sunday, the Red Sox lost to the Rays 7-3. Boston begins a new three-game series on Tuesday in Toronto against the Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- 10 takeaways from Patriots’ frustrating 21-14 loss to Steelers
- Patriots stock watch: Here’s who stood out and struggled in loss to Steelers
- Mike Vrabel on Patriots turnovers, a failed fourth down play, and what he said to Julian Edelman
- Loss to Steelers shouldn’t change outlook, or expectations, for Patriots season
- Mike Vrabel on Patriots turnovers, a failed fourth down play, and what he said to Julian Edelman
- What DeMario Douglas said about going backwards on failed fourth down play during Patriots’ final drive
- Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel defend Rhamondre Stevenson as fumbling issue resurfaces
- Jabrill Peppers gets the last laugh against Patriots at Gillette Stadium
- 4 takeaways from Bruins’ preseason-opening loss to Capitals
- Julian Edelman reflects on his Patriots Hall of Fame career: ‘Foxborough will always be my home’
Some more Patriots analysis: Former Patriots executive Scott Pioli weighed in on Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumbling issues, and the potential next steps.
On this day: In 2002, the Patriots defeated the Chiefs 41-38 on an overtime field goal from Adam Vinatieri. Elsewhere, Pedro Martinez notched his 20th win of the season in a 13-2 rout of the Orioles.
Daily highlight: Jacob Young caught the ball in one of the most unorthodox ways anyone will see this season (or perhaps any season) in the Nationals’ 3-2 win over the Mets.
Trivia answer: Irving Fryar, Troy Brown
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