Thursday Night Football Week 1: Patriots win season-opening game over Steelers
September 10, 2015 - 11:33 pm
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-08-29t022559z_1_mtzeb8ttlbbzz_rtrfipp_800_fbn-patriots-panthers_0_0.jpg)
Aug 28, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) passes the ball during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. (Jeremy Brevard/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t042935z_1_mtzeb944v1b6i_rtrfipp_800_fbn-panthers-steelers_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers Antonio Brown (84) and Martavis Bryant (middle) and Markus Wheaton (11) talk on the field before playing the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field. Carolina won 23-6. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t041549z_1_mtzeb944ued2q_rtrfipp_800_fbn-panthers-steelers_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Landry Jones (3) passes the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. Carolina won 23-6. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t041627z_1_mtzeb944uff2w_rtrfipp_800_fbn-panthers-steelers_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Will Johnson (46) rushes the ball against Carolina Panthers defensive back T.J. Heath (26) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. Carolina won 23-6. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t042320z_1_mtzeb944uqw4k_rtrfipp_800_fbn-panthers-steelers_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Josh Scobee (8) kicks a field goal held by punter Brad Wing (9) against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Heinz Field. The Panthers won the game, 23-6. (Jason Bridge/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t042344z_1_mtzeb944urk4o_rtrfipp_800_fbn-panthers-steelers_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Will Johnson (46) rushes the ball against Carolina Panthers defensive back T.J. Heath (26) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. Carolina won 23-6. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t040507z_1_mtzeb944twkzo_rtrfipp_800_fbn-giants-patriots_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Darryl Roberts (28) runs the ball against New York Giants defensive back Brandon Meriweather (43) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Mark L. Baer/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t042235z_1_mtzeb944upn4e_rtrfipp_800_fbn-panthers-steelers_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Sammie Coates (14) catches a pass behind Carolina Panthers defensive back Carrington Byndom (R) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. Carolina won 23-6. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t040020z_1_mtzeb944toky9_rtrfipp_800_fbn-giants-patriots_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (R) celebrates a field goal with New England Patriots punter Ryan Allen (L) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Mark L. Baer/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-08-29t214904z_1_mtzeb8tv35som_rtrfipp_800_fbn-steelers-buffalo_0.jpg)
Aug 29, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) looks to pass during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t024015z_74333275_nocid_rtrmadp_3_nfl-preseason-new-york-giants-at-new-england-patriots_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Darryl Roberts (28) runs the ball against New York Giants defensive back Brandon Meriweather (43) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Mark L. Baer/USA TodaySports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t024319z_1674623672_nocid_rtrmadp_3_nfl-preseason-new-york-giants-at-new-england-patriots_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; San Francisco Giants third base coach Roberto Kelly (39) forces New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) out of bounds during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. (Stew Milne/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t035756z_1_mtzeb944tkkxl_rtrfipp_800_fbn-giants-patriots_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Rufus Johnson (70) tackles New York Giants quarterback Ryan Nassib (12) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Mark L. Baer/USA Today Sports)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015-09-04t040129z_1_mtzeb944tqhyo_rtrfipp_800_fbn-giants-patriots_0.jpg)
Sep 3, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New York Giants quarterback Ryan Nassib (12) knocks a loose ball away from New England Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers (74) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Mark L. Baer/USA Today Sports)
Tom Brady moved past a stormy offseason throwing four touchdowns as the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots scored a season-opening 28-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday in front of a frenzied home crowd.
Brady, whose status for the first four games of the season was in doubt until last week because of an NFL-imposed “Deflategate” ban, led his team onto the field to rousing cheers before putting on his silver helmet and delivering a stellar performance.
“It was a pretty special night so I was excited. Our whole team was excited,” the 38-year-old quarterback told reporters.
“It is always fun getting out there and getting the opportunity to go play and we took advantage of it, it was a good win, I thought our guys played hard.”
On New England’s opening possession, Brady completed his first three passes to get New England into Pittsburgh territory. He then threw pair of incomplete passes and was sacked, forcing the Patriots to punt.
Brady eventually opened the scoring in the second quarter when he capped a 13-play, 90-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski. He finished the game having completed 25 of 32 passes for 288 yards.
“He was an unbelievable performer tonight,” said Gronkowski, who caught three touchdown passes in the win, “He’s our leader. He’s just a great player and it’s fun playing with him.”
Even a constant rain could not dampen the party atmosphere as fans showed support for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time by sporting replica Brady jerseys, T-shirts with slogans like “Vindicated” and holding up signs reading “In Tom We Trust.”
It was the first time Patriots supporters were able to shower Brady with adulation since a federal judge vacated his four-game ban a week ago as part of the “Deflategate” saga that engulfed the nation’s most popular sport over the last nine months.
GOODELL JEERED
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who normally attends the first game of a season, was absent and perhaps it was a wise move as fans would no doubt have given him a hostile reception as he was the one who upheld Brady’s ban in July.
That didn’t stop the fans in attendance from jeering him as they joined in unison with a “Where is Roger?” chant during the fourth quarter while the Patriots held a comfortable 28-14 lead.
When Brady came out for pregame warmups, he ran the length of the field and then fist-pumped voraciously. He then was all smiles as he made time for a brief on-field embrace and dialogue with Steelers counterpart Ben Roethlisberger.
Thousands of fans arrived hours before kickoff for pre-game festivities outside the stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where the usual celebratory mood that accompanies season-opening games was in overdrive given the excitement over Brady.
Brady, a four-times Super Bowl champion who is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer player when he becomes eligible for induction, was the focus of a probe into his alleged role in a scheme to deflate footballs used in a playoff win last season that sent New England to the Super Bowl.
A league investigative report initially determined Brady was most likely aware that two team equipment staff members deflated balls in an apparent bid to give him a better grip. His suspension was ultimately tossed out as a judge said Goodell’s ruling was plagued by “several significant legal deficiencies.”
But while Brady had a largely unimpressive preseason, he seemed to flick a switch when the season kicked off shortly after the Patriots unveiled their fourth Super Bowl banner, this one commemorating last season’s triumph.
“You don’t really forget how to play football in the seven months,” said Brady. “It’s a little bit different than the preseason.”