The Steelers’ biggest problem right now isn’t Aaron Rodgers. It’s the people supposed to keep him upright.
Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots turned into a rough showcase for everything going wrong in front of Pittsburgh’s quarterback. The line’s issues were impossible to miss: missed assignments, blown communication and defenders getting through untouched. On one ugly snap, linebacker Christian Elliss came free off the edge, then teamed with Robert Spillane to hit Rodgers and force a fumble.
That play spiraled into a 36-yard backward loss before the Steelers finally recovered the ball, setting up a fourth-and-43.
Rodgers was sacked four times in the game, and he also lost another fumble when defensive tackle Christian Barmore beat Spencer Anderson. Elijah Ponder picked up that turnover and took it back for a New England touchdown.
Afterward, Steelers coach Mike McCarthy pointed straight at the protection issues.
“Our protections weren’t clean,” McCarthy said after the loss, acknowledging communication breakdowns and a lack of consistency in the trenches. McCarthy also placed responsibility on himself and the coaching staff for failing to have the unit sufficiently prepared.
The struggles trace back to how Pittsburgh handled the preseason. McCarthy rotated through multiple offensive line combinations during training camp instead of settling on a fixed starting five. Rodgers, meanwhile, did not play in the preseason, which meant the quarterback and his blockers never had much chance to build game-speed chemistry before the games started counting.
Two weeks in, the results have been ugly.
According to ESPN Analytics and NFL Next Gen Stats, Pittsburgh is 13th in pass block win rate at 52.5%. The run game has been worse. The Steelers are near the bottom of the league in run-block win rate and rushing production, and they’re averaging just 74.5 rushing yards per game.
The schedule doesn’t offer much breathing room, either. Pittsburgh hosts the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and Cincinnati is tied for the NFL lead with eight sacks.
With Rodgers now 42, the Steelers can’t keep living with free rushers and busted protection calls. If the front five can’t settle in and start communicating better, the offense may stay stuck in neutral.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans Noticed One Awkward CBS Booth Moment Right Away
Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt were on the call for the Patriots-Steelers game on CBS, with Watt now in the lead analyst seat after Tony Romo went on leave following his July OWI arrest. For Pittsburgh fans tuning in, the broadcast brought a fresh pairing and the usual spotlight that comes with a national window, especially when a marquee AFC team is involved.
One moment, though, stood out almost immediately when Nantz repeated a story Watt had just told about Mike McCarthy receiving a game ball from Aaron Rodgers. The overlap was awkward enough to notice in real time, and it added an unexpected wrinkle to CBSs current setup, with Watt still listed alongside Nantz and Tracy Wolfson for upcoming games while Romo remains off the air. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers May Be Bringing Back A Familiar WR At The Right Time
Isaiah Hodgins only passed through Pittsburgh briefly after joining the Steelers practice squad on Sept. 17, following his release from the San Francisco 49ers, but his connection to the team may not be done yet. He later moved on when the New York Giants signed him to their active roster on Nov. 13, closing out that stop with the Steelers and sending him back into the leagues familiar cycle of roster churn and receiver-needy teams.
Now Hodgins has fueled speculation with a Steelers logo on his Instagram story and a bio update pointing to Pittsburgh, a small social-media clue that has caught attention for a team dealing with injuries at wide receiver. Whether it turns into a real reunion remains to be seen, but the timing makes sense for a Steelers group that could use more depth, and Hodgins name is suddenly back in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Already Faces A Steelers Debate Nobody Wanted
Aaron Rodgers is already drawing fresh scrutiny in Pittsburgh after a rough opening stretch has left the Steelers searching for answers on offense. Through two games, Rodgers has completed 59.5% of his passes with one touchdown and one interception, and the unit around him has not looked like the kind of smooth fit the Steelers hoped for when they brought him in.
Rob Gronkowski added another layer to the conversation during a podcast discussion with Julian Edelman, questioning Rodgers decision to return to the NFL for the 2026 season and suggesting he might end up wishing he had retired last year. For a team trying to steady its offense, the noise around Rodgers is growing quickly, and the bigger question now is whether Pittsburgh can quiet it before the debate starts to shape everything around the season. [Read more 🡒]