Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Makes History In 21-14 Win Over New England Patriots

Justin Rimpi

You know that feeling when you show up to a group project and your teammates basically carry you to an A? That’s exactly what happened to Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday against the Patriots. And give the man credit—he didn’t try to sugarcoat it.

Rodgers Calls Spade a Spade After Ugly Win

After the Steelers scraped together a 21-14 victory over New England, Rodgers faced the music like a seasoned pro. “We were terrible on offense after the first two drives,” he said, looking about as comfortable as a vegetarian at a barbecue cook-off. “I didn’t have a good game.”

Ouch. That’s the kind of brutal honesty you don’t hear from quarterbacks very often. Most would dance around it, throw out some coach-speak about “executing better” or “building on the positives.” Not Rodgers. The future Hall of Famer served up a reality sandwich with no mayo.

The numbers back up his assessment, too. Rodgers managed just 139 passing yards—the kind of stat line that makes fantasy football owners consider therapy. Sure, he tossed two touchdown passes, but he also threw an interception and watched his team muster a whopping 64 rushing yards. If offensive performances were rated like movies, this would’ve been straight to streaming.

Defense Saves the Day (Again)

While Rodgers and company were busy looking like they were playing with their shoelaces tied together, the Pittsburgh defense turned into absolute ball magnets. Five turnovers. FIVE. That’s the kind of performance that makes defensive coordinators consider framing game film.

Those turnovers came at clutch moments too, including a couple that prevented what looked like easy Patriots touchdowns. It’s like having a friend who keeps bailing you out of awkward social situations—eventually, you owe them dinner. “[The defense] came out and played incredible,” Rodgers said, giving credit where credit was due. Smart move, considering they basically gift-wrapped this victory and put a bow on it.

Historic Day Despite the Struggles

Here’s where things get interesting. Despite looking like he was throwing passes through molasses, Rodgers still managed to make some NFL history. His 12-yard touchdown toss to DK Metcalf pushed him past Brett Favre for fourth place on the all-time touchdown pass list with 509 career scoring strikes.

Think about that for a second. Rodgers surpassed his former Packers teammate—the guy who mentored him from 2005 to 2007—on a day when he admittedly stunk up the joint. That’s like getting promoted on your worst day at work.

What’s Next For the Struggling Steelers Offense?

The Steelers head to Dublin, Ireland, next Sunday to face Carson Wentz and a Vikings team that just obliterated the Bengals 48-10. If you thought the Patriots game was ugly, wait until Pittsburgh’s offense tries to keep up with a Minnesota squad that’s feeling itself right now.

Rodgers and his offensive unit better figure things out fast, because playing defense and hoping for five turnovers isn’t exactly a sustainable game plan. Even the best defenses can’t bail you out every week—though Pittsburgh’s unit is certainly making a strong case for trying.

The beauty of Rodgers’ postgame comments wasn’t just the honesty—it was the accountability. In a league where quarterbacks often deflect blame faster than they throw slants, seeing a veteran own his performance feels refreshing. Now he needs to back up those words with better play when the Steelers take the field in the Emerald Isle.

Justin has been a sportswriter for nearly a decade. He has previously written for 247 Sports an Sports Illustrated.

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