The Pittsburgh Steelers' inconsistent offense, led by QB Aaron Rodgers, did enough in a 21-14 victory over the New England Patriots.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – If the first three weeks of the season are any indication, Mike Tomlin’s experiment with Aaron Rodgers should end up just about where everybody predicted it would – no different than how the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season usually ends in the post-prime-Ben-Roethlisberger era.
Pittsburgh will finish with a record slightly above .500. They’ll sneak into the playoffs with an above-average defense and shaky offense. And then promptly exit in the wild-card round, as they’ve done four of the last five seasons.
Because even as the defense finally starts playing like a Tomlin-led unit, the offense – despite the arrival of a 41-year-old all-time great – still lacks the basics, such as cohesion, rhythm and execution.
Yes, the Steelers defeated the New England Patriots 21-14 on Sunday to move to 2-1 in the still-young 2025 season. There aren’t many better alternatives. But Rodgers was brought here to give the Steelers the firepower to make these types of games blowouts and to challenge the elites of the AFC – Baltimore, Buffalo and Kansas City. January football may seem like the distant future, but nothing about September would give a Steelers’ supporter optimism that slaying those kings could be a possibility.
“I think it was one of those weird, disjointed games,” Rodgers said after the game, noting the Steelers scored on their first two drives before a three-and-out halfway through the second quarter.
Rodgers gesticulated angrily while walking toward the sidelines after that drive. And on the third play of the second half, he didn’t see Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane in underneath coverage and hit Spillane right in his hands for an interception.
“We just couldn’t get into a rhythm at all,” Rodgers said. “We came out (in) the second half and I made a terrible throw. (Our) defense just kind of stood on their head all day. I thought the first two drives were good rhythm-wise, and we couldn’t find that rhythm in the second half.”
Luckily for the Steelers, their defense forced five turnovers – four fumbles and a timely interception in the end zone by Brandin Echols with seven seconds remaining before halftime. Rhamondre Stevenson’s second fumble of the day came on the goal line at the start of the third quarter.
“We spend a lot of time on our ball search culture. But it’s just words, it’s an agenda,” Tomlin said after the game. “The efforts of the guys make it real, not only on Sunday but during the course of the week. It just felt like we were heading toward a good game in that area, just the way we worked this week.”
The takeaway margin might disguise the fact that Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, making his 15th career start, outplayed the four-time MVP for most of the game. The Steelers managed to win the 66 rushing yards (before Rodgers’ final two kneel-downs to ice the game). The defense entered with three sacks over the first two games but put Maye on the ground five times.
Rodgers definitely dials it up when he needs to. The back-shoulder throw to Calvin Austin III for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:16 remaining looked like it was from 2015, let alone 202. His passing touchdown to DK Metcalf was equally impressive. A pass up the seam to tight end Jonnu Smith in the first half was a laser.
Too many of the Steelers’ plays are quick passes to keep Rodgers clean; the Patriots recorded zero sacks. Rodgers said he tried to take accountability through the season’s opening weeks on sacks that were “probably my fault.” Against the Patriots, he was mobile enough.
“There’s some things to clean up, but I have a lot of confidence in those guys and thought (offensive coordinator Arthur Smith) did a good job keeping them off balance with some different protection schemes and some moving the pocket stuff. I thought those guys played well. They were a little upset after last week. They played with a better attitude this week.”
In Smith’s quick-game scheme, Rodgers has found an ally in Steelers running back Jaylen Warren, who received a team-high six targets (five catches).
“I just do what he tells me,” Warren told USA TODAY Sports about Rodgers. “That’s a pretty good guy to listen to.”
Rodgers and the Steelers put up gaudy numbers against a listless New York Jets defense in a Week 1 victory that was a revenge game for Rodgers. But the unit was stifled by the Seahawks and Mike Macdonald, three years younger than Rodgers, in Week 2. On Sunday, Pittsburgh put up 203 yards of total offense – 67 of them coming on the game-winning drive – with the Patriots missing their top secondary player in cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Stacking wins against the teams on the schedule is all the Steelers, Tomlin and Rodgers can possibly do. But how they do it matters. Regardless of the small sample size, it’s worth questioning whether bringing in the acquisition of Rodgers this offseason will propel the Steelers to the upper echelons of the AFC.
“Our goals and our expectations are to play until February,” Austin said. “We know as an offense we have to do better if we want to get there. It’s Week 3. We got a win. We got the right guys and stuff. Everybody is locked in, engaged, and happy for each other.”
February? Have to get through January first, something with which the Steelers are all-too familiar.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Rodgers, Mike Tomlin can thank defense for win over Patriots
Category: Football
