PITTSBURGH - Although it's said that it's better to give than to receive, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense doesn't subscribe to that notion.

In the first two games of the year against Tennessee and Houston, it manufactured three fumbles and two interceptions for a total of five turnovers.

New England promised to be a tougher nut to crack Sunday at Heinz Field, but the Steelers proved to be up to the task as they picked the Patriots' pockets for three turnovers, including two in the red zone to stifle scoring threats.

Unfortunately, the Steelers could do little to exploit those turnovers in their 23-20 loss.

"It comes back to haunt you, it really does," said Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher. "You've got to score points whenever you get the chance, and we had some opportunities down there. They're a quality football team, and you can't make those mistakes and win games."

Linebacker Clark Haggans' hunger for the ball was greater than his teammates, as he forced two fumbles by New England running back Kevin Faulk. With the help of a tip by defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen, safety Chris Hope also stole an interception from quarterback Tom Brady.

Haggans made his appearance for the first forced fumble early in the second quarter.

The Patriots used 14 plays to move from their own 17-yard line to the Steelers' 14. The 15th play was their last on the drive, however, when Brady hit Faulk with a pass that he carried for six yards before Haggans stripped him of the ball.

Fellow linebacker Larry Foote picked it up on the bounce and advanced it 27 yards to the Pittsburgh 35.

"I just tried to step up and tried to do something and tried to get the ball out when I could," Haggans said. "That was a big turnaround for us and it was a momentum grabber. They had prime opportunities to score on us."

The Steelers could do nothing with this turn of events, however. Two plays later, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lofted a pass to receiver Antwaan Randle El for a 49-yard completion. Randle El wanted more yardage and tried to pitch the ball back to receiver Hines Ward.

But Ward wasn't expecting the pitch and the ball bounced off his hands and ended up underneath Patriots safety Eugene Wilson.

New England paid another visit to the red zone later in the quarter, setting up shop at the 8-yard line with 41 seconds left in the half after a 23-yard Brady-to-Faulk connection and a five-yard false-start penalty.

The Steelers closed that shop quickly when von Oelhoffen tipped a Brady pass that was gobbled up by Hope at the 4-yard line. Roethlisberger then took a knee to end the half.

"We came up with some big plays here and there in the red zone," Haggans said. "There were times we capitalized on them and there were times when we didn't capitalize on them. That's the way big football games go."

In the third quarter, the Patriots were facing a third-and-15 at their 26-yard line when Haggans knocked the ball from Faulk's grasp and it was recovered by defensive end Travis Kirschke at the New England 28.

But the Steelers could garner only three points on a 24-yard Jeff Reed field goal.

Haggans had a stellar game personally, recording 12 tackles, including nine solos, a sack and the two forced fumbles.

Those accomplishments offered him little comfort after his team's hard-fought defeat.

"Winning's the only thing," Haggans said. "I don't keep track of what's going on, except the score at the end of the fourth quarter. We lost by three, so that says it all."