The Pittsburgh Steelers had a rough week leading up to their Week 14 game against the Baltimore Ravens. They had lost their previous two games, getting crushed by the Buffalo Bills last week. Things looked bleak in Pittsburgh. The negative outside noise was getting loud, especially concerning Mike Tomlin. However, the Steelers came out and secured a big win against the Ravens. Aaron Rodgers hopes that will keep the doubters quiet for a little bit.
“It means maybe you guys will shut the hell up for a week,” Rodgers told reporters after the game via the team’s YouTube channel.
Rodgers has a long history with the media, not being afraid to speak his mind. Sometimes, he is criticized for that. Perhaps all the pessimistic talk about the Steelers gave Rodgers extra motivation this week.
He came out with guns blazing. His first pass of the day was a 52-yard bomb to DK Metcalf. That set the Steelers up for an early touchdown, helping them build a lead against the Ravens in the first half.
Rodgers’ good day didn’t stop there, though. He completed multiple deep passes. That was an area that the Steelers were seriously lacking in most of this season. However, Rodgers was mostly on the money against the Ravens. He completed 23 of his 34 passes for 284 yards and one touchdown.
He and DK Metcalf finally got their connection going. Rodgers acknowledged after the game that this season has featured a lot of ups and downs for everyone. He still had confidence in Metcalf, though. That led to the receiver’s best day for Pittsburgh, catching seven passes for 148 yards.
We’ll see if that’s enough to quiet some of the Steelers’ doubters. That might not happen, though. Yes, they won, but it wasn’t a clean effort. The Steelers once again came out sluggish in the second half. That’s been one of their biggest problems, and they haven’t fixed it yet.
However, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Steelers. They’re in the driver’s seat in the AFC North. With only a few weeks left in the season, that’s huge. If Rodgers and Metcalf continue firing on all cylinders like they did this week, that could help fuel the Steelers down the stretch. They have flaws, but their season isn’t over yet.
