‘Good football when we needed it the most’: Bill Belichick on Sunday’s win over Pittsburgh
The Patriots moved to 1-1 on the season with a 17-14 victory over the Steelers.
Though it wasn’t pretty, the Patriots got into the win column on Sunday afternoon, taking down the Steelers by a score of 17-14 to move to 1-1 on the season.
New England made big plays in all areas of the game, something that head coach Bill Belichick emphasized when he spoke to the media following the contest.
“That was a good team win for us. Really proud of the way guys competed here,” Belichick said. “Good contributions in all three areas – good complementary football.”
One such contribution came in the form a first quarter interception by cornerback Jalen Mills off a ball tipped by linebacker Mack Wilson. Belichick praised Wilson’s work on the play, pointing to his athleticism in getting a hand on the ball.
“[Wilson] made a great reaction … he’s really an outstanding athlete,” said Belichick. “I don’t know how many people would have made that play, but his athleticism and ability to get his hands on it and tip it to Mills – that was a big play for us.”
Belichick also complimented his defense on the way they were able to contain Steelers running back Najee Harris, who was limited to just 49 yards on 15 carries while pulling in five passes for an additional 40 yards.
“Harris is one of the best backs in the league … he’s a tough guy to get on the ground, so it was a big point of emphasis for us,” Belichick said. “Our defensive players, for the most part, did a good job of tackling him, wrapping him up, and getting multiple players around the ball.”
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came late in the second quarter, when Nelson Agholor made an incredible catch on a 44-yard touchdown pass to give New England a 10-3 lead.
Belichick spoke highly of the veteran receiver in his postgame comments, saying that Agholor, who finished the game with six catches for 110 yards and the highlight-reel touchdown, “did a great job of going up there and taking the ball.”
“He’s been good all year … he’s been one of our most consistent players this year,” Belichick continued.
Following the win, Belichick is looking to build on the improvements shown on Sunday as the Patriots look ahead to their home opener against Baltimore next week.
“It wasn’t perfect, but we competed well and did enough good things in all three areas to win, so hopefully we can build on that and try to keep improving next week,” Belichick said.
“The Steelers are tough. Coach Tomlin and this organization consistently put out high quality football teams, and it’s good to come in here and get a win. It’s not easy, so we’ll take it.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com