My final Pittsburgh Steelers thoughts as the team hosts the Green Bay Packers for their third home game at Acrisure Stadium.
1. NOT A REVENGE GAME THIS TIME
In the week leading up to the season opener at the New York Jets, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was calm and unemotional as he told the media over and over that the game didn’t have any additional meaning because he was playing his former team. A team that made him fly across the country for an in-person meeting that reportedly lasted less than half an hour and resulted in his exit without a chance to provide his input. After the win, it was obvious from Rodgers’ post-game comments that he wanted that victory to show the Jets they were wrong, as much as he wanted his team to start the season 1-0. It’s safe to assume that Mike Tomlin awarded Rodgers a “petty game ball” behind the scenes.
Rodgers will now face the team that drafted him, and his former home for 18 years of his career. The Steelers will also be facing QB Jordan Love, who was drafted to replace Rodgers and eventually did. Once again, Rodgers is assuring everyone who asks that he holds no ill will against the Packers organization (while also mentioning that he earned league MVP awards two years in a row only one year before Love took his job).
This time, Rodgers is probably telling the truth. He will likely sign a one-day contract some day to retire as a member of the Green Bay Packers and will enter the NFL Hall of Fame as a Packer. Sure, Rodgers wants to win this game. He wants to win every game. But this match-up doesn’t stir the animosity that the Jets game did.
2. THE OFFENSIVE LINE IS FINDING THEIR SWAGGER
It wasn’t pretty in training camp or early in the regular season, and the Steelers offensive line still certainly has their share of issues. But more than a third of the way through the season, they are trending up. The run game finally has some legs. While that is partly due to extra help from tight end Darnell Washington and tackle Spencer Anderson, they are all working better together. You see that after big plays in the exuberance that Broderick Jones has discovered as well as Mason McCormick, who never misses a celebration of any kind.
With that improved performance comes increased confidence. They have gone up against talented players like Myles Garrett and found a way to slow them down. They will certainly have their work cut out for them this week, facing the game wrecking Micah Parsons, newly acquired by the Packers in a head scratching trade with the Cowboys. The o-line will need to keep that same energy…although it would be better if Jones didn’t go full Labrador puppy and tackle his own nearly 42-year-old quarterback as part of the celebration.
3. WE NEED TO SEE NICK HERBIG MORE
No, that doesn’t mean that the Steelers coaches should leave OLB Alex Highsmith out of the game plan. He has been solid since returning from injury. That doesn’t change the fact that Herbig makes the most of his snaps and finds ways to get to the quarterback on passing plays.
It would be refreshing to see DC Teryl Austin back up his comments prior to the Browns game and get Nick Herbig on the field more. He makes a difference with almost every opportunity.
4. THE STEELERS MAY HAVE BETTER FIELD POSITION TO START THEIR DRIVES
While it isn’t clear who will be kicking off for the Packers tomorrow night (more on that later), the Steelers offense could wind up with decent starting field position following kickoffs. The two Packers kickers have a combined touchback rate of 30.3 percent, with 10 touchbacks on 33 kickoffs. That means that the Steelers could be starting from their own 35 yard line without having to return the ball almost a third of the time. This is based on a rule change which moved the ball placement from the 30 yard line in 2024.
When the Steelers are kicking off, K Chris Boswell has a three percent touchback rate, with just one lone touchback on 33 kickoffs.
5. IT COULD ALL COME DOWN TO THE KICKERS
It wouldn’t be Steelers football without a heart-pounding finish, providing free cardiac testing to the fans. This game could be a shootout, with the win going to whichever team holds the ball last. In a year that has seen some historically long kicks, the Steelers know they can rely on Boswell, who is nearly an automatic three points (barring horrible and inexcusably bad field conditions that caused him to slip).
Packers K Brandon McManus is has a “questionable” game status due to a quadriceps injury that has kept him on the sidelines since their overtime tie with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4. Filling in the past two weeks, Lucas Havrisik has done his job, making all four field goal attempts, including a 61-yard attempts last week. Even if McManus can’t go, the Packers will have a reliable kicker who could make a game-winning kick if needed.
