Hunter Henry Leads Patriots Offense With Birthday Touchdowns Vs. Steelers

The New England Patriots found a spark in their offense to snap their five-game losing streak and earn a 21-18 road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night at Acrisure Stadium.

In the first half, one Patriots captain stepped up to give his offense a much-needed boost.

On his 29th birthday, New England’s tight end Hunter Henry helped revitalize the offense with two touchdowns in the first half to push the Patriots out to an early lead.

The pair of early scores helped the Patriots establish a rhythm and play with an early lead.

“We started fast,” Henry told Kaylee Hartung, per Prime Video’s postgame coverage. “That was a good change for us. We came out fast and put some points on the board. Play from ahead, that’s what we’ve been wanting to do. Being able to execute that tonight in a hostile environment was big for us.”

With Bailey Zappe leading the group in his second straight start, Henry noted how an aggressive first half helped the Patriots find opportunities against a quality Pittsburgh defense.

“We were desperate to score some touchdowns,” Henry added. “I was able to come up big tonight. I couldn’t have done it without all the other guys.”

“Winning always feels good,” Henry said. “Winning is fun.”

The Patriots get 10 days to prepare for their Week 15 battle with the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 17.