One week, one big win on the road over the New York Jets, and a number of huge contributions from new members of the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday inside MetLife Stadium.
None of the contributions might have been bigger than those made by 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He went 22-of-30 for 244 yards and four touchdowns, hooking up with Ben Skowronek, Jonnu Smith, Jaylen Warren and Calvin Austin III for touchdowns in the Steelers’ 34-32 win over the Jets.
Others like running back Kenneth Gainwell, defensive back Jalen Ramsey, wide receiver DK Metcalf, and even Smith also played big parts in the win over the Jets.
“I’m excited about the new Steelers, whether they’re new to the league or new to us. Man, we got a lot of plays from a lot of new Steelers today,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “And they’re earning their place in Steeler lore with their efforts. And we talked about a little bit about that last night. I don’t care about what means you get here, man. You play one play for this organization, you’re a Steeler.
“And so a lot of guys etched their names into that legacy with their efforts in play today.”
All eyes were on Rodgers entering the matchup. He went against his former team in the Jets, which released him in March after two tough years. There was a revenge factor at play, but there were also questions about Rodgers’ ability to be a winning quarterback once again.
He put those questions to rest — at least for one week — emphatically. Rodgers took care of the football, hit some plays down the field and kept the Steelers intact offensively on a day in which the defense struggled to do anything right against the Jets. Having that quarterback who can get the offense into the right spots and can still make all the throws could be a real difference maker for the Steelers moving forward.
As for Gainwell, he seemed to be the primary RB1 for stretches of the game, seeing a ton of work offensively. He rushed for just 19 yards on seven carries and hauled in three passes for four yards, so the production wasn’t all that good despite the extensive playing time. But his biggest contribution came on special teams, where he forced a fumble on New York’s Xavier Gipson on a kickoff, leading to a Skowronek recovery. An Austin touchdown two plays later gave the Steelers a lead in the fourth quarter.
“Can’t say enough about Kenny G, that offensive player making a tackle on kickoff and knocking that ball loose,” Tomlin said. “It’s just an example of making plays in all three phases and being a football player first and a positional player second.”
Smith hauled in five passes for just 15 yards, but he found the end zone late in the second quarter, making it a two-point game at the half. He should see more work and have better production moving forward, especially as he gets his legs back underneath him after being limited in stretches of training camp and missing the preseason while battling injuries.
Metcalf made some huge plays for the Steelers, too. He finished with four receptions for 83 yards, making a pair of big-time plays in the first half that sparked the offense, including a 23-yard catch-and-run on a 3rd and 10 and later a 31-yard catch-and-run on a WR screen.
He had some issues with drops, but he made plays in key spots.
Ramsey made the play of the day for Pittsburgh though, separating New York receiver Garrett Wilson from the football on a 4th and 5, sealing the Steelers’ win.
In big spots, new faces stepped up and made big plays, helping lead the Steelers to a win.
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