Clear edgeNE
New England Patriots
84.1PFM Team Score#8 NFL
New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: PFM Team Comparison
The New England Patriots hold a clear overall advantage over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the current PFM ratings. New England separates itself through the bigger big-play threat and the clearer long-term football direction.
Current PFM Team Scores
PIT
Pittsburgh Steelers
78.9PFM Team Score#18 NFL
WEEK 2 MATCHUP
Sunday, Sep. 20 1:00 PM ET
View on NFL Schedule
PFM CALL
Locks September 20th at 1:00 PM EDT
Who wins Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots?
Week 2 matchup
AwayPIT1-0
HomeNE0-1
Pick the winner.
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the New England Patriots Higher
The New England Patriots have more ways to create a sudden scoring chance. That big-play ability can change field position before a defense settles in. The Pittsburgh Steelers are closest in defense, where the teams remain essentially even.
New England also brings the clearer long-term football direction. The New England Patriots still deserves the higher PFM rating.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
New England vs. Pittsburgh Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
NENew England Patriots
PITPittsburgh Steelers
PITTSBURGH’S BEST PUSHBACK
Defense Is Pittsburgh’s Only Close Fight
Pittsburgh's defense gives the team one place to push back. The Steelers are only 0.9 points behind New England in Defense, but that is where Pittsburgh's case ends. New England still has Drake Maye at quarterback and Mike Vrabel leading the coaching staff, two advantages the Steelers cannot match in this comparison.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
NE84.1
New England Patriots 84.1PIT78.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.9Overall NFL Rank
NE#8
New England Patriots #8PIT#18
Pittsburgh Steelers #18QB Stability
NE83.7
New England Patriots 83.7PIT75.5
Pittsburgh Steelers 75.5Roster Strength
NE78.2
New England Patriots 78.2PIT79.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 79.2Coaching Direction
NE85.0
New England Patriots 85.0PIT83.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2Recent Performance
NE84.8
New England Patriots 84.8PIT80.1
Pittsburgh Steelers 80.1Offense
NE82.2
New England Patriots 82.2PIT75.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 75.8Defense
NE83.0
New England Patriots 83.0PIT83.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.9Franchise Direction
NE78.0
New England Patriots 78.0PIT74.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.9Explosiveness
NE85.2
New England Patriots 85.2PIT71.5
Pittsburgh Steelers 71.5Conference Rank
NE#3
New England Patriots #3PIT#10
Pittsburgh Steelers #10Division Rank
NE#2
New England Patriots #2PIT#3
Pittsburgh Steelers #3Outlook
NEPlayoff ContenderPITIn the Playoff Mix
Stronger outlook: New England PatriotsSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
New England Patriots
Remaining schedule rank: #13
Toughest stretch: Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills
Next five difficulty: 79.2
View New England Patriots Road AheadPittsburgh Steelers
Remaining schedule rank: #26
Toughest stretch: Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans
Strongest opponents: Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars
Next five difficulty: 77.8
View Pittsburgh Steelers Road AheadNew England has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 13. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while New England still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated September 15, 2026. Schedule data updated September 14, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams