It’s hard to blame the Patriots for being a little bit rusty in their postgame celebrations.
New England has spent 2023 muddling through its worst season under coach Bill Belichick, a 3–10 slog that has ruffled feathers from Bangor, Maine to Barnstable, Mass. The Patriots have scored in single digits on five different occasions this year—hardly a recipe for winning football in the 21st century.
An unexpected thing happened to New England on Thursday, however. The Patriots put together a decent offensive performance and beat an undermanned Steelers team 21-18.
