After weeks of searching for answers on offense, the Pittsburgh Steelers may have finally found their spark-and it came in the form of a vintage Aaron Rodgers performance that lit up the Baltimore Ravens in a crucial divisional win.
Rodgers, who has weathered a season of inconsistency and questions about his fit in Pittsburgh’s evolving offense, looked every bit like the quarterback who once carved up defenses with surgical precision. Against Baltimore, he didn’t just manage the game-he took it over. One analyst went so far as to call it his best performance since 2021, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment.
The deep ball, long absent from the Steelers’ offensive arsenal, came roaring back to life. Rodgers uncorked a 52-yard bomb to DK Metcalf that was as much art as it was execution-an arcing sideline rainbow that dropped perfectly into Metcalf’s hands.
Later, he nearly connected on a 75-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin III, a would-be highlight that was wiped out by a penalty. But the throw itself?
Pure money. Austin had daylight, and if not for a clip by Chidobe Awuzie, he might still be running.
But this wasn’t just Rodgers playing hero ball. The Steelers made real, tangible adjustments to their offensive structure-particularly in how they used Metcalf.
Rather than keeping him static or predictable, Pittsburgh moved him around the formation, sending him on digs, crossers, and other route concepts designed to shake loose from safety help. That shift forced Baltimore to defend more space and more looks, and it opened up the kind of one-on-one matchups Metcalf thrives on.
Baltimore, for its part, came in with a clear plan: stop the run and force Pittsburgh to win through the air. It was a strategy that had worked for other teams, most notably the Bills.
But this time, the Steelers were ready. They leaned into the challenge, and Rodgers delivered.
A big part of that success came from the guys up front. The offensive line gave Rodgers exactly what he needed-time.
And when Rodgers has time, the game slows down for him. He looked calm, composed, and in total control.
He moved well, extended plays when needed, and threw with confidence. As one observer put it, he looked like a quarterback playing without the weight of the world on his shoulders.
One of the most telling plays of the night was a scramble drill that turned into yet another chunk gain to Metcalf. It started as a short curl route, but when the play broke down, Metcalf improvised-up the field, then across it-and Rodgers stayed with him the whole way before firing a dart for a big gain. It was the kind of off-script magic that’s been missing from this offense, and a reminder of what Rodgers can still do when the conditions are right.
And maybe that’s the biggest takeaway from this game. It wasn’t just about individual plays or one explosive drive.
It felt like a breakthrough. The vertical passing game, which had been bottled up all season, finally burst open.
You could feel the release-not just on the field, but on the sideline, in the booth, and among fans who’ve been waiting for this offense to show signs of life.
Now, the question becomes: was this a one-off, or the start of something more? The Steelers are still leading their division, and with massive December matchups looming-including a showdown with the Dolphins and a season-ending rematch with these same Ravens-they’ll need every bit of this offensive momentum to hold their ground.
If Rodgers can keep playing like this, and if the Steelers continue to scheme creatively and protect him up front, this team suddenly looks a lot more dangerous heading into the stretch run. The vertical game is back in Pittsburgh-and just in time.