STEELERS PATRIOTS GAMEDAY INFO
Week 14, Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) vs New England Patriots (2-10)
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, 8:15 p.m.
Acrsiure Stadium, Pittsburgh (68,400, grass)
Broadcast
TV: Amazon Prime Video, WPXI-TV Channel 11 locally (Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung)
Radio: Steelers Radio Network, 102.5 WDVE-FM (Bill Hillgrove, Craig Wolfley, Max Starks); SiriusXM 83 or 225
SN Coverage: Alan Saunders, Nick Farabaugh, Ed Thompson
Weather: Clear, 42 degrees. Winds SW 6 mph.
Lines: Steelers -6, Steelers -280, over/under 30.5
New customers to ESPN Bet can get a free $250 bet with any new signup. Click the link and use promo code STEEL to get an extra $50 off, exclusively for Steelers Now readers.
AT STAKE
It’s still to early in the season for a must-win game, but if the Steelers want to resurrect any hope for optimism about the 2023 season, they have to beat the Patriots. After beating the Cincinnati Bengals, the Steelers had grabbed hold of an AFC Wild Card slot, and with only two games the rest of the way against a playoff opponent, they looked like strong postseason contenders.
Then came Sunday’s disastrous loss to the bottom-feeding Arizona Cardinals, that coincided with the injury to starting quarterback Kenny Pickett. Mitch Trubisky and company will need to find a way to gut out a win on a short week, and then hope to continue to take care of business.
For the Patriots, a loss means playoff elimination, though that is pretty well assured at this point, anyway. More importantly, it would keep the Pats in the top three of the selection order for the 2024 NFL Draft.
AFC NORTH STANDINGS
| Overall | AFC North | AFC | Head-to-head | |
| Ravens | 9-3 | 3-2 | 6-3 | CIN 2-0, CLE 1-1, PIT 0-1 |
| Steelers | 7-5 | 3-1 | 4-3 | BAL 1-0, CLE 1-1, CIN 1-0 |
| Browns | 7-5 | 3-2 | 5-3 | BAL 1-1, CIN 1-0, PIT 1-1 |
| Bengals | 5-5 | 0-4 | 1-5 | CLE 0-1, BAL 0-2, PIT 0-1 |
STEELERS INJURY REPORT
Game-day injuries haven’t been a big story for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, but that will change on Thursday, as the club has four players listed as questionable to face the Patriots.
Running back Najee Harris did not practice on either Tuesday or Wednesday with a knee injury that had him added to the injury report mid-week. Harris was seen wearing only a compression sleeve on his right leg on Tuesday, and NFL Network reported optimism that he will be able to play on Wednesday. Jaylen Warren will start if Harris is unable to.
Center Mason Cole was limited in practice this week with a neck injury suffered on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, though he was able to finish the game. Cole was listed as limited in the team’s one true practice on Wednesday, and he could be in line to miss his first game of the season. Rookie Spencer Anderson could draw into the lineup to replace Cole.
Left guard Isaac Seumalo is also questionable. He suffered a shoulder injury late in the first half against the Cardinals and did not return. He was listed as a limited participant on Tuesday, but that practice was merely a walkthrough. He did not practice on Wednesday. Nate Herbig replaced Seumalo on Sunday, and would likely do so again, though he could shift to center if Cole can’t play.
Inside linebacker Elandon Roberts suffered a groin injury on Sunday that forced him from the game, and the injury to the third starter at the position was deeply felt. Roberts was listed as limited on both Tuesday and Wednesday and said he figures to be a game-time decision. Second-year man Mark Robinson replaced Roberts on Sunday, but Blake Martinez and Myles Jack are good bets to be active for the first time this season to give the Steelers more options.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett is out after having surgery on his right high ankle sprain. Mitch Trubisky will start at quarterback. After several weeks of playing through a shoulder injury, cornerback James Pierre will sit this one out. Expect Darius Rush to take his place.
| Player | Injury | Date | Prognosis | Roster Status |
| RB Najee Harris | Right knee | Dec. 5 | Unknown | Active, QUES vs. NE |
| DT Keeanu Benton | Oblique | Dec. 3 | Unknown | Active, WILL PLAY vs. NE |
| LG Isaac Seumalo | Shoulder | Dec. 3 | Unknown | Active, QUES vs NE |
| QB Kenny Pickett | R high ankle sprain surgery | Dec. 3 | 2-4 Weeks | Active, OUT vs NE. |
| ILB Elandon Roberts | Groin | Dec. 3 | Unknown | Active, QUES vs NE |
| FS Minkah Fitzpatrick | Left hand | Dec. 3 | Day to day | Active, WILL PLAY vs. NE |
| C Mason Cole | Neck | Dec. 3 | Day to day | Active, QUES. vs NE |
| CB James Pierre | Shoulder | Nov. 22 | Day to day | Active, OUT vs NE |
| DB Elijah Riley | High ankle sprain | Nov. 19 | Week to week | Injured reserve (Wk. 16) |
| SS Keanu Neal | Rib | Nov. 12 | Unknown | Injured reserve (Wk. 15) |
| ILB Kwon Alexander | Achilles | Nov. 12 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| ILB Cole Holcomb | Left knee surgery | Nov. 2 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| NT Montravius Adams | Right ankle | Nov. 2 | Day to day | Active, WILL PLAY vs NE. |
| LB Chapelle Russell II | Knee | Aug. 11 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| CB Cory Trice | Right ACL tear | Aug. 1 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| RB Alfonzo Graham | Torn right labrum | July 29 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| DT Renell Wren | Torn right Achilles tendon | May 17 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
TRANSACTIONS
The Steelers signed former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley to their practice squad and released wide receiver Jacob Coleman.
THE OTHER SIDE
The Patriots have ruled out wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (shoulder), wide receiver Demario Douglas (concussion), running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), cornerback Shaun Wade (illness) and offensive lineman Riley Reiff (knee).
The Pats have four players listed as questionable: defensive lineman Christian Barmore (shoulder0, tackle Trent Brown ()ankle, hand), wide receiver DeVante Parker (knee) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle).
THE LAST TIME
The New England Patriots came into Acrisure Stadium early last season and took home a 17-14 win. Nelson Agholor made a fantastic catch over tight coverage from Aheklllo Witherspoon on a ball thrown by Mac Jones. In the third quarter, a Gunner Olszewski muffed punt at his own 10-yard line set up a Damien Harris rushing touchdown.
Harris and Rhamondre Stevens combined for 24 carries for 118 yards and the Patriots ran out the final 6:33 on the clock on the game’s final drive to keep the Steelers off the board.
Mitch Trubisky started at quarterback for the Steelers, completing 21 of 33 for 168, one interception and one touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth. Trubisky hit Diontae Johnson for a two-point conversion. Chris Boswell added two field goals in the losing effort.
STEELERS-PATRIOTS SERIES
The Steelers own the overall series between the teams, 15-14 and have an 11-9 edge in Pittsburgh, but recent years have belonged to the Patriots in the series.
The Patriots have won 13 of the last 17 games between the clubs after the Steelers dominated the first three decades of play between the teams. At Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers are 3-7 against the Pats.
PITTSBURGH CONNECTIONS
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will be making his first trip back to Pittsburgh since leaving the Steelers in 2022.
Tight end Mike Geisicki is a Penn State alum. Practice squad quarterback Will Grier is a West Virginia alum. Practice squad kicker Matthew Wright has had three stints with the Steelers.
Four coaches have Pittsburgh connections. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is a former Penn State head coach. Running backs coach Vinnie Sunseri is a Pittsburgh native and the son of former Steelers linebacker Sal Sunseri. Offensive line coach Adrian Klemm held that position for the Steelers from 2019-20.