The Steelers’ 34-22 win over the Colts at Acrisure Stadium gave Pittsburgh exactly what it needed in Week 5: a complete offensive performance and a reset after some uneven early-season work. Aaron Rodgers and the offense put 34 on an Indianapolis defense that had been allowing just 13 points per game over its previous two outings, and at 3-2, the Steelers have some clear winners emerging from the tape.
The biggest jump belongs to Jaylen Warren, who looked every bit like the centerpiece of the attack. He opened the scoring with an 80-yard catch-and-run, then added a 50-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter after spending much of the first half relatively quiet on the ground.
That made it the third straight game in which Warren topped 100 scrimmage yards. He’s not just producing - he’s driving the offense.
Rodgers keeps climbing, too. The veteran quarterback has helped push Pittsburgh into a much sharper offensive rhythm over the past three weeks, and Sunday brought another milestone: it was the first time he has thrown for 3+ touchdowns in three straight contests since December 2021.
He also began the game 11-of-11 before his first incompletion. The Steelers are getting exactly what they hoped for when they brought him in, and then some.
Pat Freiermuth also made a loud case for a bigger role in the passing game. He finished with five catches and found the end zone twice, giving him four receiving touchdowns on the season and tying him for the league lead among tight ends at the time of writing.
With the wide receiver group banged up, Pittsburgh’s use of the tight ends is looking less like a wrinkle and more like a core part of the offense. Freiermuth may be in line for a career year.
And then there’s Germie Bernard, who turned in the kind of breakout that changes how a coaching staff sees a rookie. The second-round pick led the Steelers with 84 receiving yards, even while dealing with a few drops.
Rodgers was looking his way early and often, and that was before Roman Wilson and Ben Skrownek went down with injuries late in the first half. Bernard clearly earned more snaps moving forward after this one.
Not everything went the Steelers’ way, though, and the state of the receiver room is a real concern. Pittsburgh was already short-handed with Michael Pittman Jr. placed on short-term injured reserve, and then Wilson and Skrownek both exited late in the first half and did not return. Brandon Smith picked up more snaps after the injuries, but if Wilson and Skrownek miss additional time, the Steelers may need to add help at receiver.
Kaden Wetjen also lands in the down column, mostly because the return game still hasn’t shown much life. Pittsburgh’s kickoff team has been shaky all season, and Wetjen has yet to deliver a return that moves the needle. For a player taken with an early Day 3 pick, the Steelers need more impact than this.
As for DK Metcalf, the numbers were muted: three catches for 23 yards. That came after his controversial quote about Colts star cornerback Sauce Gardner, but the broader story was that Pittsburgh didn’t need to force the issue to him.
Bernard led the team in receiving yards, and the tight ends were heavily involved as well. The Steelers would obviously like more from Metcalf, but this offense looked comfortable with other options carrying the load when he was quiet.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Linked To A Marvin Harrison Jr. Swing
A surprising receiver watch has landed on the Steelers doorstep, with Arizona reportedly finalizing a trade involving Marvin Harrison Jr. The Cardinals made him inactive for their Week 5 game, and that alone has been enough to put a jolt through the market as teams around the league start gauging whether there is any path to a deal.
Pittsburgh has been mentioned as a possible landing spot, but the fit is viewed as a long shot, especially with the Steelers still sorting through their own roster needs after recent transactions. If they stay in the conversation, they are not expected to overpay, which leaves the situation very much in wait-and-see mode for now. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Need A Response As Colts Bring Real Momentum
The Steelers get back to Acrisure Stadium on Sunday afternoon with a chance to steady themselves after a frustrating trip to Cleveland. Pittsburgh had its chances in a 27-24 loss to the Browns, but a second-half opportunity slipped away as the offense never fully cashed in on Clevelands miscues, and the result left both the locker room and the standings looking a lot tighter than the Steelers would have liked.
Indianapolis arrives with a little more bounce, riding a two-game winning streak into a matchup of 2-2 teams that already feels important in the AFC race. The game kicks at 1 p.m. ET, and with both sides listing their inactives and the usual broadcast details available, this one has the feel of a midseason measuring stick for a Pittsburgh team that needs a cleaner answer than it found last week. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Warren Just Gave Steelers Fans A New Reason To Believe
The Steelers left Indianapolis with a 3-2 record, and Jaylen Warren made sure the trip came with a performance that stood out well beyond the box score. The running back topped 100 rushing yards and piled up 188 all-purpose yards, giving Pittsburgh a much-needed spark in a game it controlled enough to keep building momentum.
Warrens afternoon had the kind of burst that can reshape how a team views its backfield, blending explosive plays on the ground and through the air into one of the most memorable outings of his career. For a Steelers offense still looking for consistent answers, his showing offered a reminder that the biggest difference-makers do not always come from the most obvious places. [Read more 🡒]