Coming into Week 10, it looked like Aaron Rodgers was playing better than he did last season as a member of the New York Jets. His pass completion percentage, touchdown percentage, yards per pass attempt and passer rating were all higher than they were in 2024, and he had guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to a solid 5-3 record and first place in the AFC North.
But then came Sunday’s game against the short-handed Los Angeles Chargers. Rodgers completed just 16 of 31 pass attempts and threw two interceptions against one touchdown pass in a 25-10 loss. In the first quarter, he was even sacked in his own end zone by Khalil Mack for a safety.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith let Rodgers have it following that clunker of a performance and even accused the future Hall of Famer of not showing up emotionally.
"He was awful," Smith said. "It was clearly his worst performance as a Steeler. Three sacks, season-worst 50.6 passer rating. Couldn't complete a pass. It was underthrown, overthrown, looked jittery in the pocket. Most importantly, looked moody. Didn't look ‘there,' if you get what I'm saying. From opening tap, how are you gonna take a sack in the end zone from Khalil Mack? 0-for-5 on passes 15 yards or more downfield. 2-for-11 on third downs? The defense is now better than the offense, and we know how awful the defense has been. I'm very disgusted right now."
This was perhaps only Rodgers’ second poor performance of the season after he also had one touchdown pass and two interceptions in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. On Sunday, Rodgers seemed unnerved about what transpired, especially on offense.
Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, Pittsburgh’s one bona fide threat on that side of the football, was targeted seven times by Rodgers but had just three catches for 35 yards. After starting to look more like the Green Bay Packers of himself for several games in a row, Rodgers once again looked like a greybeard shadow of his former self, just as he often did last year with the Jets.
Perhaps Rodgers’ poor play was more a function of Pittsburgh’s lack of offensive weapons and the Chargers’ iron will than it was a sign that he needs to hang up his cleats. The team had been relying on him less as the season has unfolded, but with the Baltimore Ravens starting to figure things out and Joe Burrow close to returning for the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh may need to lean on Rodgers more in order to reach the playoffs.
The team will play the Bengals this coming Sunday and will face the Ravens on Dec. 7 and Jan. 4.
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