Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots Prediction & Preview

When and where

The Pats face off against rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the 2026 season home opener. The game takes place on Sunday, September 20th, 2026, at 1 PM EST at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts. The game is live on CBS/WBZ and you can also listen live on 98.5 The Sports Hub radio.

Previous meetings and all-time record

The Patriots and Steelers will meet for the second straight season at Gillette Stadium in September, with New England looking to avenge last year's 21-14 loss in a game where the Patriots committed five turnovers. This week's matchup will be the 37th meeting between the two franchises, with Pittsburgh holding a 16-15 edge in the regular-season series, while the teams are tied 5-5 in regular-season games played in New England. Since 2000, the Patriots are 14-5 against the Steelers, including the postseason, and New England holds a 6-2 all-time record against Pittsburgh at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are also 4-1 against the Steelers in the postseason, including AFC Championship Game victories in 2001, 2004 and 2016, with each win coming during a Super Bowl championship season. The rivalry also includes divisional playoff meetings in 1996 and 1997, while Pittsburgh was the opponent for the Patriots' first regular-season game at Gillette Stadium, a 28-21 New England victory on Sept. 9, 2002.

Predictions and favourites

I'm expecting a big response from the Pats this week. The season opener loss to Seattle was gut-wrenching. The players need to respond to that and get their first win on 2026 on the board. The Pats are 4.5-point favourites to win. I think they'll win by more than that. We'll see a much better offensive performance and the Pats will win by 8. Steelers 20, Patriots 28. Go Pats!