Aaron Rodgers may be the face of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense, but he isn’t the entire unit. That’s the point offensive coordinator Arthur Smith made Thursday when asked to review Rodgers’ play, dodging the question directly to offer a broader view of a group that must be better.
“It’s all of us,” Smith said via the Trib’s Chris Adamski when asked about Rodgers’ recent performance. “We’re a team and offensively you look at every game, whether you win or lose, certainly very critical of myself. When you’re trying to be objective, it’s not being a victim. And that’s the name of the game. You look at everything you’re doing. What do you need to execute better? What do we need? Things we need to change. That’s an ongoing process.”
Rodgers played a poor game last Sunday, his worst as a Steeler. He finished 16-of-31 with one touchdown and two interceptions, his lone score coming in garbage time to pad stats and place his completion percentage above 50 percent. His 50.6 QB rating was sixth worst of the 250 games he’s started throughout his career, and he repeatedly missed wide-open receivers in critical moments.
But he also didn’t receive enough help. Receivers struggled to get open consistently, WR Calvin Austin III dropped a pass that led to an interception, DK Metcalf didn’t adjust his route on a potential touchdown, and the offensive line could’ve blocked better against the Chargers’ rush.
“It’s a collective effort,” Smith said. “It’s never on one person. And I know certain positions get more attention than the others. That’s the way it goes in this league. But the reality is it takes all 11. And I put it on myself. Not the result you want, but you get a chance to come back and you gotta play well.”
Smith is correct the loss and performance isn’t all on Rodgers. And Smith was careful to avoid laying any blame at Rodgers’ feet. Maybe out of respect for their relationship or knowing the headlines it will generate if Smith offered a more candid answer. A former head coach, Smith is well-aware of how his answers can turn into media stories. Especially as pundits begin dusting off summer takes over the state of the Smith/Rodgers relationship.
The best thing Smith, Rodgers, and the rest can do to quiet the noise is play well against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. The good news is Pittsburgh is facing a Bengals defense on track to be literally the worst in modern NFL history, on pace to shatter the record for most total points allowed in a season.
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