We all have a parent, grandparent, uncle, or aunt too stuck in their ways to recognize that anything needs to change. If there's an NFL equivalent, it's Aaron Rodgers. At 42 years old, the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback doesn't seem to have much interest in changing how he plays football. He runs his offense the way he wants to run it, whether it works or not.
Pittsburgh's bye week might be the opportunity for self-reflection he needs, though. To his credit, Rodgers has led an effective offense this season, especially in recent weeks. The Steelers are leaning into their identity as a downhill running team.
But Rodgers still drifts toward his comfort zone of operating in a quick, spread-out passing attack, especially in the red zone. If he can surrender that last bit of familiarity, the Steelers will be better for it.
Aaron Rodgers has a glaring Steelers reality to face during the bye week
The Steelers' offense knows who they are, and it's beautiful. They're loading up the line of scrimmage with extra offensive linemen and burly tight ends, and they're bullying their opponents. Jaylen Warren has become the engine of the offense.
Since Week 3, the Steelers have led the NFL in EPA per rush at 0.12. No other team has more than 0.06. Their dominance at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball has given them an identity to build around.
But Rodgers seems to have a white-knuckled grip on the system he's used to operating, especially when he gets into the red zone.
The Steelers rank fifth in pass rate and fifth in 11-personnel rate in the red zone since Week 3. When they get close to scoring, they spread the formation out and throw the ball, a classic Rodgers system. It shouldn't come as a surprise that they're converting red zone trips into touchdowns at a bottom-six rate as a result.
They're effective at moving through the other 80 yards of the field, but they've stalled out time and time again in the red zone. If Rodgers can take the bye week to loosen his grip on the system he's used to running, the Steelers' offense can fix its biggest remaining issue.
Steelers must lean even further into the running game after the bye week
There is no reason for the most effective rushing offense in the NFL to run the ball at a bottom-ten rate, but that's exactly what the Steelers are doing. They're caught between the Rodgers offense and the offense that has clearly been working for them.
If they're going to fully lean into playing "three yards and a cloud of dust" football, the bye week is the time to do it.
They can take a hint from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who just won a game in a storm without completing a single pass. Mike McCarthy doesn't have to reach that extreme, but if he's taking a look at what has worked so far and what hasn't, he should be reaching near-Bucs levels of reliance on the run.
Some level of Rodgers ball is inevitable, but the Steelers have to maximize what they do best if they're going to be a serious contender in the playoffs.
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