Steelers Aaron Rodgers had a rough go in Pittsburgh debut. Though that was hardly his fault as he was sacked four times game against the Jets. The 41-year-old quarterback said he felt some tightness in his back. He thinks a lack of mobility because of that resulted in missed opportunities and breakdowns in pass protection. This situation raised concerns among the Steelers coaching staff and fans alike as they look to improve their offensive line performance.
Both on and off the mat, Rodgers became very aware of how his back condition affected his performance. He stated that he “ran kind of into at least one or two sacks” due to limited mobility on the field. The quarterback’s situation became evident early, as he was sacked on the Steelers’ first play of the game. Williams, a dynamo on the Jets’ defensive front, rolled right guard Mason Cole and tossed left tackle Broderick Jones aside. He raced through to deliver the game-winning sack.
Even with that tough start Rodgers said he wasn’t worried about Jones, who was making his debut as the starting left tackle. Jones had a rough debut under fire, giving up three sacks. “He’s really not a mobile threat to anyone,” Jones remarked about Rodgers, emphasizing the need for the offensive line to provide better protection for their seasoned quarterback.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin made it clear protecting Rodgers was priority No. 1 in the Steelers’ home opener. “I’d like to see us do a better job of protecting Aaron, particularly on play pass,” Tomlin stated. He pointed to the pressure on the team to complete play passes. He acknowledged that there’s risk on the play, but with the right preparations, there shouldn’t be more than one sack in an outing.
I’m sure the Steelers coaching staff and players alike know the changes they need to make to help support Rodgers as much as possible. Offensive lineman Troy Fautanu said it was frustrating to have to start a game already in high-stress mode after giving up an early sack. “That’s probably the most stressful thing on us is, and to start the game off like that,” Fautanu said. Reflecting on their performance, he added, “Obviously, if you start a game off like that it can’t get any worse… I felt like we did a better job going into the game as we settled in.”
Rodgers’ target this weekend will be superstar DK Metcalf. Perhaps the most compelling plotline will be Metcalf’s debut against the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2019 draft. This offseason, he took an even bigger one by allowing himself to be traded to the Steelers. The emerging relationship between Rodgers and Metcalf has potential big-play capability that could turn the tide on the Steelers’ offensive production moving forward.
As the team prepares for their next matchup, it remains clear that addressing offensive line issues will be paramount for success. Rodgers emphasized the need for fundamental improvements, stating, “There’s a couple fundamental things to clean up, but [offensive line coach] Pat [Meyer]’s taking care of those guys, and I just got to get the ball out.”
Leave a Reply