For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to field a decent offense. However, this season, they’ve had some more encouraging performances. And in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, the Steelers turned in one of their offensive performances in a while.
It even had Colin Cowherd singing their praises.
“That is the best game offensively I have seen the Steelers play in maybe six years,” Cowherd said Monday on FS1’s The Herd. “Aaron [Rodgers] was tremendous. The back-shoulder throws, the tempo. The Steelers have had an offensive line issue and a run game issue since Big Ben [Roethlisberger’s] second-to-last year.
“DK Metcalf and Aaron really connected. Steelers had six sacks, and a lot of that is the Vikings’ o-line is all banged up, but I don’t want to hear about it. All I know is, when I watched that game, that was a 2025 offense. A number one receiver, a consistent run game, good pass pro. Aaron deserves credit. He is leading this offense.”
Cowherd has long criticized the Steelers. He hasn’t been afraid to bash them for their team-building philosophy. It isn’t often that he praises their offense, which says even more about the Steelers’ performance this week.
The Steelers’ offense wasn’t perfect, but overall, they had a balanced, consistent day. Rodgers didn’t have to do too much, but he was efficient, completing 18-of-22 passes for 200 yards and one touchdown. His connection with Metcalf was on display early and often, too.
Where the Steelers saw real improvement was up front. Their young offensive linemen put together their best day together. Rodgers was only sacked twice, and the Steelers’ run game was dominant. Kenneth Gainwell rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards on carries.
However, it’s not like the Steelers’ offense hasn’t had great days over the last few years. In 2024, against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Steelers’ offense put up 37 points, with Russell Wilson throwing for three touchdowns and over 400 yards. They also totaled over 100 rushing yards.
The performance against the Vikings in Ireland might be more impressive because of the circumstances involved. Minnesota’s defense is leagues better than the Bengals’ defense was. It feels like what the Steelers’ offense did this week is more sustainable, too. That’s the brand of football they want to play on offense, running the ball well and having their quarterback do just enough to put them over the top.
We’ll see if the Steelers can repeat this performance. Yes, they played well this week, but that means less if it was just a one-time thing. There’s a lot of the season left, and hopefully, the Steelers’ offense can string together more good games.
