PIT
Pittsburgh Steelers
78.4PFM Team Score#19 NFL
VS
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the New England Patriots higher than the Pittsburgh Steelers overall, with a clear advantage. The main reasons are the steadier quarterback room and the clearer long-term football direction.
Current PFM Team Scores
Clear edgeNE
New England Patriots
82.0PFM Team Score#9 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the New England Patriots Higher
Drake Maye gives the New England Patriots the steadier quarterback room. That lets the offense stay on schedule without asking the rest of the team to cover constant uncertainty. The Pittsburgh Steelers are closest in defense, where the teams remain essentially even.
New England also brings the clearer long-term football direction. That is enough to keep the New England Patriots ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Pittsburgh vs. New England 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.
PITPittsburgh Steelers
NENew England Patriots
PITTSBURGH’S BEST PUSHBACK
Defense Is Pittsburgh’s Only Close Fight
Pittsburgh's defense gives the team one place to push back. Pittsburgh sits only 0.1 points behind New England in Defense, but close is not the same as an edge. 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
PIT78.4
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.4NE82.0
New England Patriots 82.0Overall NFL Rank
PIT#19
Pittsburgh Steelers #19NE#9
New England Patriots #9QB Stability
PIT75.0
Pittsburgh Steelers 75.0NE82.7
New England Patriots 82.7Roster Strength
PIT78.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.9NE78.2
New England Patriots 78.2Coaching Direction
PIT83.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2NE85.0
New England Patriots 85.0Recent Performance
PIT77.3
Pittsburgh Steelers 77.3NE80.5
New England Patriots 80.5Offense
PIT77.6
Pittsburgh Steelers 77.6NE78.4
New England Patriots 78.4Defense
PIT83.4
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.4NE83.3
New England Patriots 83.3Franchise Direction
PIT74.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.9NE78.0
New England Patriots 78.0Explosiveness
PIT74.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.8NE83.6
New England Patriots 83.6Conference Rank
PIT#10
Pittsburgh Steelers #10NE#4
New England Patriots #4Division Rank
PIT#3
Pittsburgh Steelers #3NE#2
New England Patriots #2Outlook
PITIn the Playoff MixNEPlayoff Contender
Stronger outlook: New England PatriotsSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Pittsburgh Steelers
Remaining schedule rank: #26
Toughest stretch: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars
Strongest opponents: Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens
Next five difficulty: 75.8
View Pittsburgh Steelers Road AheadNew England Patriots
Remaining schedule rank: #16
Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears
Next five difficulty: 77.6
View New England Patriots Road AheadNew England has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 16. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Chicago Bears. 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 October 6, 2026. Schedule data updated October 6, 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