In Week 3, the Pittsburgh Steelers did a better job protecting Aaron Rodgers. After allowing him to get sacked seven times through their first two games, Rodgers wasn’t sacked once last week. However, that doesn’t mean that the Steelers’ offensive line is fixed. They’ll face a tough challenge this week in the Minnesota Vikings. Their defense thrives on terrorizing opposing quarterbacks. Nick Wright thinks they could even end Rodgers’ career this week.
“It’s on the board, against this defense with that Pittsburgh offensive line, that this is the last we see of Aaron [Rodgers],” Wright said Friday on his What’s Wright podcast. “I think you’ve gotta be prepared for that. I am legitimately worried for Rodgers in this game. I don’t think that offensive line’s been good, he’s not mobile, and they are gonna heat him up.”
Could the Vikings’ defense beat Rodgers up this week? That’s entirely possible. Their defensive line is one of their greatest strengths, and they’ve got experience rattling Rodgers. He played against them last year, and he got sacked three times. However, the Vikings record 11 total quarterback hits. They made Rodgers have a bad day.
Despite that previous success, it’s a stretch to say that they’re going to end his career. It’s almost impossible to predict injuries in the NFL. Any player could get hurt any week. That’s part of the job. Players know what they’ve signed up for.
Also, the Steelers are likely aware of Rodgers’ recent history against the Vikings, and their offensive line’s struggles. Last week, they faced the team that was leading the league in sacks. To counteract that, they had Rodgers get the ball out of his hands quickly. The New England Patriots didn’t have many opportunities to sack Rodgers.
Just as well, the Vikings will be missing linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, a key piece of their defense. He’s currently tied for lead in sacks on their team with two. Last year, he posted 11.5 sacks for them. While they have 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner to replace him, losing Van Ginkel is big for the Vikings’ defense.
That should make the Steelers’ offensive line’s job a little easier. That doesn’t mean they won’t have trouble against the Vikings’ pass defense. There are a lot of variables that go into NFL games. Predicting that Rodgers’ career could end this week feels like a massive stretch, though.
