The Steelers walked out of Acrisure Stadium with a 34-22 win over the Colts, and the scoreboard matched the way the game felt for Pittsburgh: mostly in control, with the offense carrying the load and the coaching staff drawing praise after a much cleaner Week 5 showing.
Aaron Rodgers made a little franchise history in the process. He became just the third quarterback in Steelers history, alongside Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, to throw three touchdown passes in three straight games or more. Rodgers finished 22 of 31 for 235 yards and three scores.
He had plenty of help. Pittsburgh’s offensive line kept him upright for most of the afternoon, allowing only one sack and giving him room to operate.
Jaylen Warren was the day’s biggest problem for Indianapolis. The running back piled up 15 carries for 101 yards and added six catches for 87 yards, plus a touchdown through the air. One of his scores came on a 50-yard burst, and another came when he turned a screen pass into an 87-yard touchdown.
Rookie receiver Germie Bernard also stepped into a bigger role and delivered his best game so far. With Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson leaving at halftime, Bernard became a frequent target and responded with six catches for 80 yards on nine targets.
Pittsburgh’s defense had one clear success: it bottled up Jonathan Taylor. The Colts’ star runner was held to under 50 yards on the ground.
But the unit wasn’t spotless. Daniel Jones threw for 267 yards, the Steelers managed only one sack, and Tyler Warren found space often enough to finish with seven receptions for 83 yards on nine targets.
Even with those issues, Pittsburgh did enough on that side of the ball to hold the line and finish the job. The bigger story was that the defense still showed cracks even in victory.
Special teams also did its part. Chris Boswell bounced back by making both of his field-goal attempts, including a 54-yarder that helped push the Steelers ahead by 12 late in the game.
Cameron Johnson was steady as well, averaging 52.0 yards on three punts. Rookie Kaden Wetjen added value in the return game, totaling 110 yards on five kickoff returns for a 22.0-yard average.
All told, it was a strong response to the Week 4 stinker. The offense was sharp, the special teams were reliable, and the coaching staff earned its share of credit.
Head coach Mike McCarthy called a great game offensively, but Patrick Graham moving from the booth to the sideline was a big difference maker. Maybe it was a placebo effect, but the communication was much smoother and well-mannered in Week 5 compared to Week 4.
In Other News...
Steelers May Have Found A Timely Answer On The Defensive Line
A fresh body showed up on the Steelers defensive line in Week 5, and Gabriel Rubio made the most of his first regular-season appearance against the Colts. The rookie tackle was used in a limited role, but his presence fit neatly into Pittsburghs run defense plan and gave the staff a useful look at a player who had yet to see game action.
Rubios impact was most noticeable in the situations where the Steelers needed him to hold his ground and help narrow running lanes. Even in a small sample, he looked effective when asked to do the dirty work inside, which matters for a defense that has had to piece together answers up front. The bigger question now is whether that debut can turn into a more regular role as the weeks move on. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Have Another Reason To Question Omar Khans Trade Judgment
The George Pickens trade has become an uncomfortable comparison point for the Steelers, especially with Pickens settling in well for Dallas while Pittsburghs return has not looked nearly as robust. Any time a deal like that starts to age, it tends to drag general manager Omar Khans judgment back into the conversation, and this one has been no exception as fans continue to measure what the Steelers gave up against what they got back.
The contrast has only sharpened because another receiver move involving Marvin Harrison Jr. has given the market a clearer benchmark, and Pittsburghs package looks lighter next to it. With the draft capital involved in that deal, the Steelers side of the ledger has been left looking thin, which is why the Pickens trade is now being used as another example of why Khans recent decisions are drawing scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Offense Suddenly Looks Different And Aaron Rodgers Is Why
Over the last three weeks, the Steelers offense has started to look like a different unit, and the numbers back it up. Since Week 3, Pittsburgh has ranked fourth in EPA per play, a sharp rise for a group that spent much of the early season searching for rhythm. Aaron Rodgers has been at the center of the turnaround, throwing nine touchdown passes and piling up 827 yards in that stretch, while the passing game has found a steadier flow around him.
The lift has not come from Rodgers alone. Jaylen Warren has given the Steelers a needed spark out of the backfield, Pat Freiermuth has been a reliable target in the middle of the field, and rookie Germie Bernard has started to add another layer to the attack. For a team that needed its offense to settle in quickly, the past three games have offered a promising glimpse of what this group can look like when the pieces start clicking together. [Read more 🡒]