Everything about the Patriots feels better following a 17-14 victory over the Steelers on Sunday.
Although producing 17 points on offense is merely a starting point and not an end goal, Sunday's offensive performance felt more like laying a foundation than a shaky outing in Miami.
New England's rushing attack looked as good as it has since the beginning of camp, running out the clock with a 13-play, 6:33 drive. In the passing game, the Patriots and quarterback Mac Jones exposed a two-year trend that could impact how defenses game plan the Pats offense.
Heading into Week 2, only five quarterbacks have dropped back to pass against man coverage more than Mac Jones over the last two seasons.