Aaron Rodgers and Darnell Washington gave the Steelers exactly the kind of jolt that can turn a routine division game into a runaway.
Pittsburgh rolled past Cleveland 27-6 on Sunday, a one-sided win that pushed the Steelers into the No. 1 spot in the AFC North. It wasn’t a tense finish or a back-and-forth battle. The Steelers controlled it and made it look easy.
The biggest spark came from Rodgers and Washington, who teamed up for one of the game’s defining plays. Early in the third quarter, Rodgers hit Washington on a 58-yard catch-and-run that carried Pittsburgh all the way to the goal line. Jaylen Warren finished the series with a touchdown, and the Steelers stretched the lead to 27-6.
Washington turned in a career performance, finishing with three receptions for 94 yards, according to the Steelers’ official website. Rodgers completed 13 of 25 passes for 172 yards before Mason Rudolph took over once the result was all but settled.
The win stood out as a strong step for a team trying to make history. With Rodgers at quarterback and new head coach Mike McCarthy leading the way, the Steelers have a setup that would be groundbreaking if it keeps producing results like this.
Pittsburgh is back on the road now, but the team will return home on Nov. 27 to face the Broncos. For now, the Steelers head into their bye week and the stretch ahead riding the confidence from a convincing division win.
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Steelers Hit Bye Week In First Place With One Clear Concern
The Steelers went into their bye week with a 27-6 win over Cleveland, a 6-2 record and first place in the AFC North at the seasons midpoint. It was the kind of result that reinforces what Pittsburgh has built so far under Aaron Rodgers and T.J. Watt: a team that can find different paths to a win and keep itself in position in a tight division race.
Still, the comfort level is not complete. Rodgers pointed to the offenses uneven showing after the Browns game, even in a victory that widened the gap in the standings, and the Steelers know the schedule does not get any softer coming out of the break. Cincinnati is next, and with key divisional matchups still ahead, Pittsburghs margin for error will stay slim if the offense cannot become more consistent. [Read more 🡒]