PITTSBURGH _ The New England Patriots broke open a close game in the second half to beat the Steelers, 27-16, Sunday at Heinz Field.
Playing without Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers missed early scoring chances and never led.
Former Steelers halfback LeGarrette Blount ran 127 yards and two touchdowns. Landry Jones threw one touchdown pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey but the Steelers kept settling for field goal tries after that and Chris Boswell made three and missed two. A second TD to Heyward-Bey was nullified by a holding call and then Boswell missed a 42-yard field goal. Jones also threw an interception in the end zone from the New England 16 in the first quarter.
The Patriots (6-1) ran away with it after the Steelers closed within 14-13 early in the third quarter.
After Baltimore (3-4) also lost Sunday to the New York Jets, the Steelers still lead the AFC North by themselves at 4-3. They have next weekend off before they play at Baltimore Nov. 6.
Boswell's third field goal, from 44 yards, sliced New England's lead to 20-16 early in the fourth quarter.
For the second time in the second half, the Patriots responded to a Steelers field goal with a quick touchdown drive. This one carried 75 yards on six plays, the final a 5-yard score by Blount, his second of the game. He also topped 100 yards rushing.
New England's Julian Edelman fumbled a punt, forced by Steven Johnson and recovered by Greg Warren at New England's 43.
But, on fourth down and three yards to go at the 36, Mike Tomlin oddly opted to try a 54-yard field goal rather than go for the first down. Boswell missed wide right and the Patriots still led by 11 with nine minutes to go.
The Patriots held a 20-13 lead after three quarters.
The Steelers cut New England's lead to one point on Boswell's second field goal of the game, from 46 yards with 8:44 to go in the third quarter.
The Patriots answered with a quick touchdown on their next series. It took them just five plays to go 25 yards. The final 36 came when tight end Rob Gronkowski, quiet for much of the game, beat safety Robert Golden over the middle, catching Tom Brady's pass at the 10 and high-tailing it into the end zone. Stephen Gostkowski missed the kick and New England led 20-13.
New England clung to a 14-10 lead at the half.
Jones completed 14 of 20 passes for 179 passes and one touchdown in the first half as the Steelers came from 14 behind to score twice in the second quarter.
The Patriots put together a second consecutive long scoring drive to go ahead 14-0 on Blount's 3-yard run in the second quarter. It ended a series that covered 84 yards on 11 plays. Tom Brady was 11 of 12 for 109 yards passing at that point.
But then, Jones unleashed on the Patriots. He threw a deep pass to Antonio Brown, who caught it at the Patriots' 40 and landed at their 20 for a 51-yard pickup. On third down, Jones found Heyward-Bey in the back left corner of the end zone for a 14-yard scoring strike,
That cut New England's lead in half, 14-7.
Heyward-Bey had a second 14-yard TD on third down called back on the next series by a holding call against tackle Chris Hubbard. Instead of tying the game, Boswell tried a 42-yard field goal that was wide right and the Patriots still led by 7.
Boswell made his next chance, from 32 yards, with two seconds to go after Jones guided them 66 yards for the score that brought the Steelers within 14-10.
The Patriots led 7-0 after one quarter, both teams losing a turnover in the opening period.
The Steelers needed to force some turnovers in order to pull the upset and they did just that on New England's first play. Brady completed a 10-yard pass to Chris Hogan. Linebacker Jarvis Jones stripped the ball as he tackled the receiver and he also recovered it at the Patriots 45.
Jones then hit Brown for a 25-yard pass to the 20. However, on third down from the 16, Jones threw into double coverage for Brown in the end zone and Malcolm Butler easily intercepted it.
The Patriots then methodically moved 80 yards on 13 plays with running back James White scooting in with a screen pass from 19 yards away for a 7-0 New England lead.
