Aaron Rodgers Takes Another Beating as Steelers Fall to Bills, 26-7
Aaron Rodgers is no stranger to pain, but even by his standards, Sunday night was a rough one.
Back under center for the Pittsburgh Steelers after missing a game with a fractured wrist, Rodgers suited up with a bulky cast on his non-throwing hand. But by the end of the night, the 41-year-old quarterback left the field with more than just a sore wrist-this time, it was a bloodied face and another loss as the Steelers dropped their fifth game in the last seven, falling 26-7 to the Buffalo Bills.
It was a cold night in Pittsburgh, and things only got colder for the Steelers in the second half. Rodgers, who turns 42 on December 2, took a punishing hit early in the third quarter that changed the tone of the game-and not in the Steelers’ favor.
The Hit That Changed Everything
Pittsburgh started the second half with a slim 7-3 lead and the ball at their own 26-yard line. The first play?
A play-action look that quickly unraveled. Rodgers tried to buy time in the pocket, but the Bills’ defensive front closed in fast.
That’s when defensive end Joey Bosa, a five-time Pro Bowler, came flying in from behind, delivering a crushing sack that jarred the ball loose and sent Rodgers crashing face-first into the turf.
Cornerback Christian Benford scooped up the fumble and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, the Bills had the lead-and the momentum.
Rodgers came up with a gash across the bridge of his nose, blood streaming down his face. He headed straight to the medical tent, missing the next series while getting patched up.
Backup Mason Rudolph stepped in but couldn’t stop the bleeding-figuratively or literally. His first drive ended in a pick, and the Bills capitalized with another touchdown to extend their lead to 16-7.
Rodgers returned, but the offense stalled with a quick three-and-out. From there, it was all Buffalo.
“It Was Bleeding All Over the Place”
After the game, Rodgers addressed the nose injury, downplaying the severity but not the mess.
“I hope it’s not broken,” he said. “Just had to stop the bleeding. It was bleeding all over the place.”
The cut wasn’t the only concern. Rodgers was already playing through a fractured left wrist, an injury he sustained two weeks ago against the Bengals.
That hit knocked him out of that game and kept him sidelined the following week against the Bears. On Sunday, he returned to the field but didn’t take a single snap under center, operating exclusively out of the shotgun to protect the wrist.
That plan worked-until it didn’t. The sack from Bosa sent Rodgers hard to the ground, and his injured wrist took the brunt of the fall.
“Felt good enough to be out there,” Rodgers said postgame. “Not ready to take a snap under center yet. Hopefully, next week for that.”
A Struggling Offense and a Fading Playoff Picture
Rodgers’ stat line told the story of a frustrating night: 10-of-21 passing, just 117 yards, no touchdowns, and a season-worst 47.6% completion rate. His 65.0 quarterback rating was his lowest of the year.
For the season, Rodgers has put up respectable numbers-2,086 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a 95.4 passer rating across 11 games-but the Steelers’ offense has been stuck in neutral far too often. And now, with five losses in their last seven games, Pittsburgh finds itself on the outside looking in when it comes to the AFC playoff picture.
The road doesn’t get any easier. Next up: a trip to Baltimore to face the division-rival Ravens in what’s shaping up to be a pivotal AFC North clash. Both teams sit at 6-6, and with five games left, the margin for error is razor-thin.
Rodgers is still fighting-cast, cuts, and all-but if the Steelers are going to make a late-season push, they’ll need more than just his toughness. They’ll need protection, execution, and a spark on offense that’s been missing for far too long.