The Pittsburgh Steelers opened their season with a statement win, edging the New York Jets 34-32 in a high-paced thriller.
Behind Aaron Rodgers’ vintage performance and key defensive stops, Pittsburgh showed both promise and areas in need of growth as they moved to 1-0.
Rodgers Sparks the Offense
Aaron Rodgers wasted no time making his presence felt. On the opening drive—Pittsburgh’s first season-opening touchdown drive since 2008—he connected with Ben Skowronek to cap off a 71-yard march.
Rodgers went on to throw four touchdown passes and led six scoring drives, including the final possession that set up Chris Boswell’s 60-yard game-winning field goal.
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With questions surrounding the receiver corps behind D.K. Metcalf, Calvin Austin stepped up. He hauled in 70 yards and a touchdown, flashing the big-play ability that should make him a reliable No. 2 option in a contract year.
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Rodgers’ comfort with his new weapons is an encouraging sign for a Steelers offense seeking stability since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
Defensive Stars Shine
Jalen Ramsey, another new addition for the Steelers, also made an immediate impact during his debut in black and gold. The veteran cornerback allowed just six yards while recording two crucial pass breakups—proving he can still compete with the best.
Both of Ramsey’s pass breakups came in the closing minutes. One came on 2nd-and-3 against Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds to keep New York out of field goal range. The other came on 4th-and-3, denying a pass to Garrett Wilson and forcing the Jets off the field.
Edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith also lived up to expectations, creating pressure despite struggles along the defensive front.
Areas of Concern
Even with a Week 1 win, the Steelers still have room for improvement.
Left tackle Broderick Jones had a rough outing. He was credited with three sacks and four pressures by Pro Football Focus.
Jones is transitioning from right tackle to left, and that adjustment will take time. Patience will be needed, and facing a talented Jets front could help him improve down the line. Still, the Steelers need him to improve as the season progresses, especially with a 41-year-old quarterback at the helm.
Jones wasn’t the only lineman to struggle, as Pittsburgh lost the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, the Steelers struggled to move New York’s defensive front, anchored by Quinnen Williams and Will McDonald IV. They managed just 53 rushing yards, putting a substantial workload on Rodgers’ shoulders.
Defensively, they surrendered 182 rushing yards, including 107 to Breece Hall alone. Justin Fields and Braelon Allen also gave Pittsburgh fits on the ground.
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Inside linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson need to step up moving forward. They struggled to shed blocks, and as key run defenders, they need to pick up the physicality.
Week 2 Outlook
The Steelers now turn their focus to the home opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
On the note of improving the run defense, Seattle boasts a strong running back tandem of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Pittsburgh needs to improve in that area while also dealing with perimeter weapons such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
Defensively, the Seahawks feature a strong secondary led by Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Coby Bryant, plus safety Julian Love. Up front, Leonard Williams, Boye Mafe, DeMarcus Lawrence and Ernest Jones are also players to watch.
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Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, with the game broadcast on Fox.
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