The Pittsburgh Steelers have a tall task in front of them in the form of the New York Jets. Don’t be fooled by the Jets recently firing their head coach. They’re more talented than their 2-4 record indicates. Aaron Rodgers clearly isn’t the same player he once was, but he’s still great. Add Davante Adams, who is expected play this week, and they look dangerous. Former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh believes the Jets’ offense is primed for a huge day against the Steelers.
“Aaron Rodgers has not had a 300-yard game since December of 2021,” Houshmandzadeh said Friday on FS1’s The Facility. “Dak Prescott just lit the Steelers up for over 300 yards passing. I believe Davante and Aaron Rodgers are gonna put on a show.
“Aaron Rodgers, 300-yard game, finally. If Dak can do it, why can’t Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Garrett Wilson do it?”
Houshmandzadeh seems confident, but there’s a lot to unpack here. First, it is true that Rodgers hasn’t passed for 300 yards in a game since 2021, and funny enough, that was the same year the Green Bay Packers traded Adams. Last year, Rodgers got hurt before he could even throw for 30 yards. The last time he was really elite, he had Adams. With the two now reunited, Rodgers could look like his old self.
However, the Jets only just acquired Adams. He hasn’t even been with them for a week yet. It might be a little presumptuous to say Adams and Rodgers are going to pick up right where they left off. While there is a lot of familiarity between the two, getting thrown into an entirely different system might be a little jarring for Adams.
Also, Prescott did have a good game against the Steelers a few weeks ago, but it’s not like the Cowboys put on a show against the Steelers. The game was ugly, and the Cowboys needed every second available to beat the Steelers. Prescott also threw two ugly interceptions. He did have 352 passing yards, but much of that was due to miscommunication on the Steelers’ part.
The Steelers’ defense seemed to put a big emphasis on fixing those issues after that game. Against the Las Vegas Raiders, the defense seemed better, but that offense doesn’t have the firepower that the Jets do. The Steelers are also getting Alex Highsmith back this week. Their defense has faltered at times, but it’s still one of the NFL’s best.
Rodgers could very easily have a fantastic day against the Steelers. They haven’t looked impenetrable this year, and Rodgers is a wily veteran. The Steelers are likely going to have a tough time stopping them for the duration of an entire game. However, putting on a show is a different story. T.J. Watt might have something to say about that.
