Aaron Rodgers didn’t hide where he stands on Jaylen Warren’s place in the NFL conversation.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 34-22 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Rodgers was asked whether Warren is getting enough attention nationally. The quarterback’s answer was blunt: he doesn’t think so, and he believes the media has leaned into its own set of preferred names.
“They have their favorites and people they wanna talk about, so it is what it is,” Rodgers said.
Warren gave plenty of fuel for that argument against Indianapolis. The fifth-year back out of Oklahoma State piled up 101 rushing yards on 15 carries and added six catches for 87 yards, with both a 80-yard receiving touchdown and a 50-yard rushing touchdown. It was the kind of all-around burst that can change how a player is talked about.
The Steelers moved to 3-2 with the win, and Warren’s performance stood out as something of a breakout moment for him on a bigger stage. He has long been a favorite in Pittsburgh, but his name hasn’t carried the same national buzz as backs like Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving, and Christian McCaffrey, who have drawn more attention this season.
Still, Warren’s early-season numbers weren’t built in one afternoon. He didn’t top 50 yards in either of the first two weeks while sharing work with Rico Dowdle. Since Dowdle’s injury in Week 2, though, Warren has taken off with 127, 93, and 101 rushing yards, while also averaging more than 50 receiving yards per game in that span.
If he keeps that pace going, Rodgers may not have to make the case for long. A stretch like this will force the league to pay attention, and it could put Warren right in the middle of the offensive player of the year conversation.
In Other News...
Steelers Finally Got A Breakout They Desperately Needed In This Win
The Steelers needed a spark in a game that could have gone sideways against Indianapolis, and they got one from Jaylen Warren in a way that immediately changed the feel of the afternoon. Pittsburgh moved to 3-2 with the win, and Warren was central to it, giving the offense the kind of explosive plays it had been searching for while Pat Freiermuth, Germie Bernard and Asante Samuel also turned in notable contributions.
Pittsburgh will take the result, but the broader picture still has a few familiar stress points. The edge rushers on this roster carry real talent, yet the pass rush did not consistently look like a strength, which keeps the conversation around this defense from being settled even after a much-needed victory. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Defense Is Trying A New Fix That Has To Work Fast
The Steelers are trying a different setup on defense for Sundays game against the Colts, shifting defensive coordinator Patrick Graham from the booth to the sideline. Graham had been calling games from above, where the view helps with sorting out offensive personnel, but Mike McCarthy wanted him closer to the action for more direct face-to-face communication with players.
The hope is that the move will speed up adjustments and make the in-game communication cleaner when problems start to pile up. McCarthy said he will keep evaluating whether the change actually helps, so for now it remains one of those fixes that sounds practical on paper and needs to show it can work fast. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Offense Just Got Scarier Despite Another Injury Concern
Aaron Rodgers kept the Steelers offense humming in Week 5, and Jaylen Warren gave it a burst of big-play juice in a 34-22 win over the Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Warren topped 100 scrimmage yards for the third straight game and found the end zone twice, while Rodgers continued his recent run of production with another three-touchdown performance, giving Pittsburgh the kind of balanced attack it has been chasing.
The concern, as usual, came with the celebration. The Steelers were already dealing with questions in their wide receiver room when Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek both left late in the first half with injuries and did not return, leaving more uncertainty around a group that has been trying to stay intact. For a team whose offense suddenly looks far more dangerous, the next test may be whether it can keep enough healthy pieces on the field to sustain it. [Read more 🡒]