Bailey Zappe threw three first-half touchdown passes, and the New England Patriots snapped a five-game skid while damaging the playoff hopes of the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 21-18 victory on Thursday night.
Zappe passed for 240 yards in his second start for the Patriots (3-10), who became the second two-win team in five days to hand the Steelers (7-6) a potentially season-altering loss at home.
Hunter Henry had two touchdown catches for New England. Ezekiel Elliott had 140 yards from scrimmage — 72 receiving, 68 rushing — and caught a TD for the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense, which reached the end zone three times for the first time since October. JuJu Smith-Schuster added 90 yards receiving against the team he starred for earlier in his career.