Aaron Rodgers may be walking into the kind of matchup that lets him put his stamp on the Steelers offense.
After a Week 1 opener against Atlanta that looked ordinary in the box score but hinted at something bigger underneath, Rodgers now gets New England in Week 2 at Gillette Stadium. If Pittsburgh is going to unlock the passing game early in the season, this looks like the spot.
His first appearance in a Steelers uniform against the Patriots last year came in a Week 3 win, but the numbers were modest: 139 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. This time, the setup feels different. New England just came off a loss to Seattle, and while the Patriots limited the Seahawks to 13 points, the underlying pass-defense numbers weren’t especially comforting.
Seattle still finished Week 1 with the 10th-highest EPA per pass at +0.12 according to Next Gen Stats, which puts a spotlight on what Pittsburgh might be able to do through the air. Head coach Mike Vrabel is widely respected for what he brings defensively, and the Patriots do have talent on that side of the ball. But Rodgers has a real path to stress them.
The Steelers spent all offseason with questions hanging over the passing game, and most of them pointed straight at Rodgers. At 42, the arm talent is still there, but the mobility issues and an offensive line that has been shaky in pass protection created obvious concerns about how sustainable this offense would be.
Those issues showed up against Atlanta. Rodgers was under pressure too often, and the passing game never really found easy rhythm. Still, the final line - 221 yards and a touchdown on 40 attempts - doesn’t tell the whole story.
He didn’t have a single turnover-worthy play, according to Pro Football Focus, and his 9.2 air yards per target was his highest mark in a game since arriving in Pittsburgh, per Next Gen Stats. The missed opportunities around him mattered too. DK Metcalf had drops on accurate throws, and Roman Wilson nearly hauled in a ball in the end zone before it came loose.
There were also two especially glaring non-pass interference calls against Metcalf and Wilson, plays that could have changed the feel of the game. Because of those miscues, Rodgers’ day looked less efficient than it really was.
That’s part of why the Steelers should feel better about where the offense is headed after Week 1. The results weren’t flashy, but Rodgers looked sharper than the raw totals suggested.
New England’s run defense was strong against Seattle, holding the Seahawks to -0.10 EPA per rush. If that carries over, Pittsburgh could be pushed into another pass-heavy script, much like the one it faced against Atlanta.
The Patriots also beefed up their pass rush this offseason with EDGE additions Dre’Mont Jones and second-round pick Gabe Jacas, but it still doesn’t look like an elite group, or maybe even an above-average one, especially with Harold Landry on the reserve/PUP list.
With Pittsburgh clearly intent on stretching the field and taking more downfield shots under Mike McCarthy, Rodgers should have chances to attack vertically. If the Steelers clean up the finishing touches that were missing in Week 1, this could be the game where Rodgers delivers his biggest outing yet in black and gold.
In Other News...
Steelers Hit With Two Costly Absences Ahead Of Patriots Trip
The Steelers head into their trip to New England dealing with a pair of absences that change both sides of the ball. Joey Porter Jr. is out while contract negotiations continue, and Michael Pittman Jr. will miss the game because of a foot injury, leaving Pittsburgh thinner at cornerback and taking away one of its receiving options before facing the Patriots.
Germie Bernard now looks set for a bigger role with Pittman Jr. sidelined, which gives the rookie a chance to make himself part of the conversation a little earlier than expected. For a Steelers team trying to stay steady on the road, the timing of these absences only adds to the challenge of getting through a tricky AFC test. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Wont Like What Joey Porter Jr. Might Be Worth
The contract picture around Joey Porter Jr. has become one of the more uncomfortable talking points in Pittsburgh, because the Steelers and the young corner still have not reached an extension agreement. For a team that has invested in developing Porter into a key part of its secondary, the lack of a deal has naturally led to trade speculation, even if nothing has been publicly finalized.
What may sting most for Steelers fans is the sense that the return would not match the talent or the expectations surrounding him. Early talk suggests Pittsburgh might only be looking at a second- or third-round pick if it ever got serious about moving him, which is a far cry from the kind of haul some around the league may have once imagined. For now, the situation is still unresolved, and the longer it drags on, the more it invites questions about where Porter fits in the Steelers' future. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Secondary Faces A Different Kind Of Test This Week
A.J. Brown landing on injured reserve changes the shape of Pittsburghs Week 2 assignment, but it does not make the Patriots passing game any easier to sort out. Mike Vrabel said Brown worked from multiple receiver spots, and with him out, New England is expected to spread those looks around, using players such as Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Romeo Doubs in different ways.
For the Steelers secondary, the challenge becomes less about tracking one featured target and more about adjusting to a receiver rotation that can shift from snap to snap. Browns absence removes a familiar centerpiece, but it also leaves Pittsburgh preparing for a more varied New England attack, which can be its own kind of test for a defensive backfield. [Read more 🡒]