Patriots vs. Steelers live updates: Patriots jump out to 7-0 lead

After getting shut out by the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon, the Patriots’ offense can only go up from here, right? … Right?

New England will look to snap its five-game losing streak on Thursday when they head down to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Kick-off is set for 8:15 p.m.

The Patriots currently possess the worst scoring offense in the NFL, averaging just 12.3 points per game. Bailey Zappe is expected to get the starting nod for the second straight game, but the second-year QB will be without two key playmakers in Rhamondre Stevenson and Demario Douglas, who have already been ruled out for Thursday’s game.

DeVante Parker (knee) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) are also listed as questionable, with Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor standing as the only healthy wideouts on New England’s roster.

Granted, the Steelers’ offense is also far from explosive. They’re averaging only 4.5 more yards (294.9 per game) than the Patriots (290.4). Pittsburgh has scored just 18 touchdowns on the year, two more than New England.

And even though Kenny Pickett is far from an elite QB in today’s NFL, the Steelers will be without their QB1 after he suffered an ankle injury last weekend against the Cardinals.

Pittsburgh will hand the keys to their offense to Mitch Trubisky, who has thrown just six touchdowns and seven picks in 10 games since the start of the 2022 season.

Still, given New England’s lack of proven personnel on offense and its body of work this season, the Patriots’ defense might need to pitch a shutout of their own in order to give this team a chance on the road.

Here is Chad Finn’s Unconventional Preview of Patriots-Steelers.

Khari Thompson also has a breakdown of both New England and Pittsburgh’s lackluster offenses. 

Follow along here for live updates from Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh, and check back once the game wraps for some early observations. 

LIVE UPDATES

8:19: Well, look at that. 37-yard pickup from JuJu Smith-Schuster. He had 170 receiving yards over 10 games entering tonight.

8:17: Patriots offensive starters: McDermott, Strange, Andrews, Sow, Onwenu, Henry, P. Brown, Thornton, Smith-Schuster, Elliott, Zappe.

8:16: Steelers win the coin toss and they defer. Zappe and Co. get the ball first.

8:08: Give Amazon credit for trying to hype up this game.

7:45: Will be interesting to see if Trent Brown slots in at LT. He’s rotated with McDermott while nursing several injuries.

7:31: New England’s receiver corps is in … ROUGH SHAPE.

7:25: Warmups underway in Pittsburgh: