I’m not everyone had the highest of expectations for Aaron Rodgers going into the 2025 season. So far, we’ve seen something of a mixed bag from the veteran quarterback. He’s had great moments, throwing for seven touchdowns in three games with four of them coming in the season opener. However, there have been some ugly throws mixed in as well.
Brian Flores is the next defensive coordinator tasked with stopping Rodgers, and he had a lot of praise for the four-time NFL MVP Tuesday.
“Look, this is one of the all-time greats at the quarterback position,” Flores said during a press conference via audio provided by the Vikings. “He can still play at a high level. The velocity on the throws is there, the touch is there, the movements there. This will certainly be a big challenge for us, kind of working through the different personnel groupings that they present. From a tight end standpoint, tight ends, backs, receivers, they do a great job.”
If there’s something we know about the Steelers through three games, it’s that they’re going to start fast offensively. Against the New York Jets they scored their first opening-drive touchdown to begin the season in over a decade. They jumped out to 14 quick points against the Seattle Seahawks, and did the same against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Their biggest problem has been maintaining that momentum. Aaron Rodgers looked excellent in Week 1, but he got a lot of help from a poor defense and some great play calling. Those opportunities weren’t as abundant in Weeks 2 or 3. Since his four-touchdown performance to start the year, Rodgers has thrown three touchdown passed and three interceptions in the following two weeks. Those interceptions have been ugly for the most part as well.
To get the most out of their passing game, the Steelers just need to run the ball. They’ve yet to have a 50-yard rusher in any of their three games. Even after running well to begin the game last week, that success waned during the entire second and third quarters. If they can’t run, the play-action isn’t effective, which is what Rodgers really needs to get himself going as a passer.
The test is extremely tough against Flores and his Minnesota Vikings this week. Flores is one of the better defensive coordinators in the league, and his Vikings had quite a showing against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Cincinnati lost three fumbles a threw two interceptions in a lopsided loss.
That’s going to be difficult for Rodgers, who has thrown ugly interceptions in back to back weeks. It’s also not an easy matchup for a team struggling to run the ball. The added layer of overseas travel only makes things even more complicated. Flores knows it’s a big test. But Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers might be looking at Minnesota with the same thought.
