New England Patriots shock Pittsburgh Steelers with upset 21-18 victory… Bailey Zappe throws for three touchdowns after starting over Mac Jones

The New England Patriots recorded a surprising 21-18 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday evening.

New England improved to 3-10, while Pittsburgh fell to 7-6 in a tight AFC playoff race.

Midway through the second quarter, the Patriots led 21-3, and despite not scoring in the final 37 minutes of the game, they held on for the win.

The Steelers loss drops them from a tie for fifth in the AFC standings to eighth, the best position for a team that doesn't make the playoffs.

Given the expected crowds on the Wild Card field in the conference, a loss to one of the worst teams in the NFL at home may have hurt the Steelers' chances of a playoff berth.

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe threw for three touchdowns in the game

Zappe started the game, replacing Mac Jones, who has held the Patriots' starting job for the past three seasons.

Jones has been terrible this season, causing New England's offense to stagnate and win just two of 12 starts. Zappe is now 1-0 in the starting lineup this season.

At 3-10, New England is still the worst team in the AFC.

Pittsburgh has lost three of its last four games and with four games left in the regular season, the schedule is not letting up.

The Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts on the road next week and then host the Cincinnati Bengals.

Next, Pittsburgh closes out the season with a pair of games on the road against the Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens.