Three up, three down, and three to watch for the Patriots in Week 2 against the Steelers

After the Patriots blew a 10-point lead against a backup quarterback in their season opener, let’s take a look at who’s up, who’s down, and whom to watch against the Steelers in Week 2 …

Left tackle Will Campbell: After an ugly postseason performance, in which he consistently appeared under pressure, Campbell held his ground against the reigning Super Bowl champions. The Seahawks’ defensive front overpowered Campbell in Super Bowl LX, registering eight pressures and a sack against him. Campbell turned in a cleaner sheet on Wednesday, especially in the first half. Some struggles popped up in the second half, when he was flagged for two penalties (holding and an illegal block above the waist) and allowed a sack, but Campbell’s overall showing was encouraging. He dedicated this offseason to building strength and improving his technique — and it showed.

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Edge rusher Gabe Jacas: Training camp was a mixed bag for Jacas, who missed the spring program because of his contract situation. He played with impressive force but sometimes had trouble reading plays and ended up out of position. In his NFL debut, though, Jacas maximized his 19 snaps, 11 in pass rush and eight in run defense. His pursuit and instinct were on display on his sack of Drew Lock and tackle for loss on Jadarian Price. Edge rusher remains one of the thinnest positions for the Patriots, but Jacas’s performance was promising. It will be worth watching whether he can expand his role.

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez: The Patriots and Gonzalez agreed to a contract extension ahead of the opener, putting an end to any uncertainty about Gonzalez’s status in Week 1. The Patriots deployed a mix of man and zone coverage against the Seahawks, so Gonzalez didn’t travel with Seahawks star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. In their 10 coverage matchups, Gonzalez did not allow a reception and broke up a pass.

Quarterback Drake Maye: Maye’s fourth-quarter collapse, when all three of New England’s possessions ended in an interception, cost the Patriots the game. His poor decision-making, particularly on his last pick, was, in Maye’s words, “just unacceptable.” Perhaps Maye just needed a game to become comfortable with live action, after not playing any preseason snaps. But his struggles date back to the postseason. In his last five games, Maye has completed just 60 percent of his passes with seven interceptions and seven touchdowns. Although the Patriots have high hopes for Maye in Year 3, Wednesday was a clear step back.

Wide receiver Romeo Doubs: Doubs’s Patriots debut couldn’t have gone much worse. The most pivotal flub came in the fourth quarter, when he dropped a wide-open pass that would have converted a second and 14. Instead, Maye threw an interception on the ensuing third down. The pressure is now on Doubs to bounce back. He had a quiet start to training camp but came on strong with multiple impressive catches from Maye in the final two weeks. The Patriots need the two to find that connection again.

Left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker: The offensive line as a whole looked to be improved, but newly acquired Vera-Tucker appeared to be the weak link at times. According to Pro Football Focus, Vera-Tucker allowed a team-high four hurries. The rest of the line combined for three. Vera-Tucker missed the 2025 season because of a torn triceps, so it’s likely he needed time to shake the rust off. In 2024, when he played 15 games, he allowed the third-lowest pressure rate at right guard, then his position.

Running back TreVeyon Henderson: Henderson (ankle) returned to practice on Monday for the first time since leaving early on Aug. 24. The Patriots rightfully relied on Rhamondre Stevenson to serve as the bell cow out of the backfield last week but would welcome the addition of a speedy home-run threat. Henderson didn’t wow during camp — the run game can be difficult to evaluate without tackling to the ground — so his showing, and any Year 2 improvements, will be worth watching.

Wide receiver Kyle Williams: A.J. Brown’s high ankle sprain will only make things more challenging for Maye. Not only does Doubs need to rebound, but Williams needs to find a way to contribute. He played just 12 snaps in the opener, but that number will likely increase on Sunday. Even though Mack Hollins ended up being Maye’s go-to guy after Brown’s injury, it’s time for Williams to show he can maintain a larger role.

Safety Jaylen Reed: Reed played only on special teams during the opener. The Patriots deployed a three-safety look to start the game, with Dell Pettus joining Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson. That big-nickel grouping did not fare that well, but Reed might be a better fit than Pettus if the Patriots want to turn to it again.

From the source Nicole Yang can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X @nicolecyang.