Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers threw for a season-high 284 yards in the team’s Week 14 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Reflecting on that victory, Rodgers believes that offensive cohesion was the key. Against the Bills, Jonnu Smith missed a signal that would’ve led to a touchdown. Rodgers subsequently harped on players showing up to film sessions and running the right route when he checks to it. Last week was a different story, though. Rodgers said everybody was on the same page throughout the win over Baltimore.
“No sacks, obviously, has to do a lot with the offensive line. But another part of the sacks is [that] everybody [is] on the same page. I don’t feel like we had many plays where 10 guys, nine guys are doing it right, and one or two guys aren’t doing it right. You gotta give credit to those guys for the way they’ve prepared, their pros, they’ve played a lot of football at a high level, so I wasn’t surprised. But it definitely helps with the passing game when everybody’s in the right spot every single time,” Rodgers said via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter.
It’s a little problematic that the offense still has lapses when it comes to everyone doing the same thing. At least it’s positive that things went smoothly in a must-win game against Baltimore. That’s what needs to keep happening as the road to the playoffs narrows. The Steelers have a one-game lead in the AFC North, which is by no means safe, as they look to secure a playoff spot.
The Steelers mixed things up a little bit offensively, with Adam Thielen brought into the mix and Marquez Valdes-Scantling elevated. Conversely, Roman Wilson was inactive. Having two veterans in Thielen and Valdes-Scantling seemed to help things go smoothly. Given the overall offensive success in Week 14, the two of them could continue to get a hat.
Every detail of a play matters, and one person not doing the right thing can mess up the entire operation. If Rodgers expects one thing and someone does something differently, it messes up the timing of the play and can lead to a sack or an incompletion. Obviously, the offensive line also deserves credit for keeping him upright. But players doing their jobs to keep the operation running smoothly is huge in Rodgers’ protection.
A good week of practice last week seemed to help matters. Hopefully, the Steelers can build off their success and continue to be a cohesive unit.
