After a four-touchdown performance, fans are claiming that future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers is back in a big way. In a revenge game against the New York Jets, Rodgers thrived for the Pittsburgh Steelers in what was his debut with the team. The quarterback threw for 244 yards and looked more like his old Green Bay Packers self than the version that fans saw in New York.
The Steelers have been in quarterback purgatory since Ben Roethlisberger retired, which has led them to being a pretty mediocre team in recent years. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh has always had enough talent that the Steelers have never finished a season below .500 during the Mike Tomlin era.
This nonlosing streak is one of the most impressive feats in the NFL, and now the team has arguably their best quarterback in years. However, Rodgers' presence might not be enough to keep Tomlin's streak alive as the Steelers have a new problem. Pittsburgh's always impressive defense doesn't look so great anymore, and that could come back to bite them.
Steelers' defense has taken a noticeable step back
Elite defensive units are a Steelers staple, not just during the Tomlin era but throughout the team's entire existence. While Tomlin has been coaching the team, superstars such as James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, and Ryan Clark established themselves as franchise legends. Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt are still with the team, too.
Hayward recently agreed to a revised contract that allowed him to play in Week 1, and Watt is one of the best players in the entire NFL. In addition to Heyward and Watt, Jalen Ramsey is another big-name player on the roster. Ramsey came up big with the game-winning stop against the Jets, but the offseason trade for him that involved Minkah Fitzpatrick was controversial.
Outside of those three, there isn't as much talent on defense as Steelers fans have become accustomed to. Heyward and Ramsey aren't quite as elite as they once were, either. The team allowed the Jets to put up 32 points. Coming into the season, Justin Fields was viewed as one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league, and Garrett Wilson was expected to have a down season. There have even been question marks about Breece Hall and his future with the team.
All three of those players looked great against the Steelers' defense, though. Hall broke off numerous big runs and finished the game with 107 yards on the ground. Fields added two rushing scores of his own, and Wilson caught seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The Jets were not expected to find so much offensive success, but the Steelers struggled to slow them down. Even though they walked away victorious in Week 1, defensive woes could come back to haunt the Steelers, even potentially ending Tomlin's nonlosing streak in the process.
