For Patriots, reason to smile

They hold on after a stellar first half

The low-scoring Patriots finally found some offense on Thursday night, snapping a five-game losing streak with a 21-18 victory over the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.

The Patriots entered the game with the worst scoring average in the NFL (12.3), but got off to a fast start with three touchdowns in the first half, all on passes by quarterback Bailey Zappe.

They scored a touchdown on their opening drive, the first time that has happened this season.

The Patriots had not won since Oct. 22, when they defeated the Bills at Gillette Stadium. They dropped their next five and did not score more than 17 points in any of them. Sunday, they were shut out by the Chargers, 6-0.

The Patriots (3-10) held off a Steelers rally in the fourth quarter. Despite pulling within 3 points, on a 1-yard run by quarterback Mitch Trubisky and a 2point conversion, they fell to 7-6.

Zappe completed 19 of 28 passes for 240 yards and three scores. Ezekiel Elliot had 22 carries for 68 yards, and also seven catches for 72 yards and a score.

Zappe was asked what worked well for him.

“Just giving it to my playmakers like this guy,” he said, pointing to tight end Hunter Henry, who had TD receptions of 8 and 24 yards. “Just doing the best I can to give it to them.

“Like coach Belichick always says, we can’t make yards unless we try and get rid of the ball. So just give it to these guys, let them go make plays, and that was kind of the whole mind-set.”

Former Steeler receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had four catches for 90 yards.

“We were desperate to score some touchdowns . . . so I was able to come up big tonight,” said Henry.

The Patriots took a 7-0 when Elliott hauled in an 11-yard TD pass from Zappe — their first trip to the end zone since the third quarter of the loss to the Giants on Nov. 26. The score capped an 8-play, 75-yard drive highlighted by a 37-yard catch by SmithSchuster, and an 11-yard run by Zappe on third and 9 from the Pittsburgh 25.

The Steelers also scored on their opening drive, but a thirddown sack of Trubisky by Mack Wilson limited Pittsburgh to a 56yard Chris Boswell field goal.

The Patriots took a 14-3 lead in the second quarter after Jabrill Peppers intercepted Trubisky and returned it 32 yards to the Pittsburgh 11. Zappe then connected with Henry on an 8-yard pass to build a two-score lead.

Another Zappe to Henry connection, this time for 24 yards, put New England up, 21-3, with 7:38 left in the half. The Steelers cut it to 21-10 with 2:50 left in the half on a 25-yard strike from Trubisky to Diontae Johnson.

“It feels good. It’s been a grind, but winning always feels good,” Henry said.