The New England Patriots picked up their first win of the 2025 season last week, and will now look to do something they haven't done much over the last three years: Win at Gillette Stadium. 

If the Patriots beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Foxboro on Sunday, it will be just the fourth home win for the Patriots since the start of the 2023 season. One of those three home wins for New England came in Week 18 last season, when the Buffalo Bills showed up but didn't seem interested in playing (or winning) at Gillette.

Opponents used to dread coming to Gillette Stadium during the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era, but home-field advantage has been non-existent the last three years.

At least the Patriots have won three straight over the Steelers, part of a string of dominance over Pittsburgh over the last 25 years. New England won the last matchup in 2023, 21-18, in Pittsburgh on Thursday Night Football.

And if the Patriots make it two wins in a row, it will be the team's first winning streak since the 2022 season. Here's everything you need to know heading into Sunday's Patriots-Steelers matchup. 

Patriots vs. Steelers history

The Patriots and the Steelers have played each other 30 times in the regular season. The Patriots have 15 wins, and the Steelers have 15 wins. 

But New England owns a 4-1 edge in the postseason meetings, including a 3-0 record over Pittsburgh in AFC Championship Game matchups in 2001, 2004, and 2016. All three of those wins preceded a Patriots Super Bowl victory.

The series had been incredibly one-sided in favor of the Patriots since the turn of the century, with New England 14-4 against Pittsburgh since 2000. The Patriots are 6-1 against the Steelers all time at Gillette Stadium, with wins in the first-ever game at the stadium in 2002 (a 28-21 victory) and a 33-3 Week 1 win to kick off the 2019 NFL season. 

Throwback weekend for the Patriots

The Patriots will turn back the clock this weekend and wear their "Pat Patriot" throwbacks. New England is 7-5 in the red jersey, white pant, white helmet look since it became the team's throwback gear in 1993.

Lots of wins since 1994

The Patriots lead the NFL with 358 wins (regular season and postseason) since 1994. The Green Bay Packers have the second-most victories in that span with 341, while the Steelers rank third with 333 wins. The Patriots have six Super Bowl titles in that span, while the Packers and Steelers have two apiece.

Steelers over the first two weeks

Pittsburgh is 1-1 and coming off a 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. The Steelers aren't very good on either side of the ball to start the 2025 season, ranking in the bottom of the NFL on both offense and defense. 

Offensively, the Steelers rank 26th in total offense at 269.0 yards per game, 18th in passing offense at 205.5 yards per game, and 30th in rushing offense at 62.5 yards per game. On defense, Pittsburgh ranks 29th in total yards allowed (394.5 yards per game), 29th in rush defense (149.5 yards allowed per game), and 23rd in pass defense (245 yards allowed per game). 

Rhamondre Stevenson could have another big day for New England on Sunday. The Steelers also rank 29th in the NFL in points allowed, surrendering an average of 31.5 points per game over the first two weeks.

Former Patriots on the Steelers

Get ready to see a really fired up Jabrill Peppers back at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. Following his surprising release by the Patriots ahead of the season, Peppers signed with the Steelers last week. He played a few special teams snaps in Week 2, but could be in line for a bigger role for Pittsburgh in Week 3.

Another former Patriots captain is now in Pittsburgh, with linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley reportedly signing with the Steelers practice squad on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Former Patriots defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale now occupies space on the Pittsburgh defensive line, and has a pair of tackles over the first two weeks. 

On offense, former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith has caught nine passes for 42 yards and a touchdown for the Steelers this season. 

Former Steelers on the Patriots

Patriots backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs spent four of his first five pro seasons in Pittsburgh after the Steelers drafted him in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Linebacker Robert Spillane also played four seasons for the Steelers early in his career.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel also started his playing days in Pittsburgh, after the Steelers drafted him in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Vrabel played in Pittsburgh until 2000, playing primarily on special teams, before he broke out as a star linebacker and won three Super Bowl titles with New England.

Drake Maye's completions

Drake Maye was surgical against Miami and completed 82.6 percent of his passes (19 of 23) in Week 2. It was the third game of his young career where the quarterback has completed at least 80 percent of his passes. 

He did it in back-to-back games last season, and if he connects on 80 percent of his passes against Pittsburgh on Sunday, Maye will become the first quarterback in Patriots history to log consecutive weeks of 80 percent or more twice in their career. 

Maye also needs just 207 passing yards to reach 3,000 for his career, and 31 completions to move into New England's Top 10 in franchise history.

Patriots hit 30 on the scoreboard

The Patriots put up 33 points last weekend against Miami, which was the team's first time scoring 30 points since Week 6 of the 2022 season. If they hit 30 points again this weekend, it will be the first time the Patriots hit the mark in back-to-back games since 2020.

Patriots lead the NFL in sacks

New England leads the league with nine sacks through the first two weeks of the season. Harold Landry is tied with Myles Garrett for the NFL lead with 3.5 sacks, while Milton Williams has 2.0, K'Lavon Chaisson has 1.5, and Spillane and Jaylin Hawkins have one apiece.

The most sacks the Patriots have racked up through the first three weeks of a season was 18, which the team set in 1979.

Aaron Rodgers vs. the Patriots

This will likely be Aaron Rodgers' final regular season game at Gillette Stadium. He has a career record of 3-3 against the Patriots, with 10 touchdown passes and one interception in those six contests. 

Where can you watch Patriots-Steelers?

The Patriots are on WBZ-TV again on Sunday, with Ian Eagle on the call and J.J. Watt providing color commentary on the CBS broadcast. Our pregame coverage will begin at 11:30 a.m. with Patriots GameDay, kickoff is set for 1 p.m., and we'll wrap it up with Patriots 5th Quarter after the game.