A 30-27 Week 3 win against the Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t have come at a better time for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A sluggish start left fans questioning whether Mike McCarthy’s offensive changes were actually working.
Well, that was until Aaron Rodgers led his crew to their first offensive explosion of the season. And they couldn’t have done it without a significant contribution from Roman Wilson.
Yes, that Roman Wilson—the young receiver Steelers fans have been waiting to see break out. Since 2025, the former Michigan Wolverine has accounted for 280 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions. It’s minor production from a player with a high ceiling.
Injuries throughout his rookie season limited his playing time and potential impact on the field. Still, McCarthy views Wilson as an impact player. And it showed against Cincinnati.
Heading into Week 3, the 2024 third-round pick has earned just 44 yards receiving on 12 targets this season.
But everything seemed different against the Bengals.
Roman Wilson showed up in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ important AFC North win
On Sunday, Wilson played a huge role in capturing a victory. Wilson’s speed and slot expertise created headaches for Cincinnati’s secondary. It resulted in six targets for 60 receiving yards on three receptions, including a 38-yard dart from Rodgers to help Pittsburgh put an end to their 69 straight first quarters without scoring more than seven points.
The explosion from Wilson felt like Christmas for Pittsburgh fans. We knew it was only a matter of time before the young wideout adjusted to the professional gridiron. But truthfully, I didn’t expect him to become a top contributor during a crucial divisional game. He became a reliable target for Rodgers as the offense yearned to add more points. Only Darnell Washington earned more receiving yards (67) than Wilson Sunday afternoon.
Truthfully, I wonder if this is what we can expect from Pittsburgh’s slot receiver moving forward?
This was by far the most impressive performance by Wilson with the Steelers to date. But it wasn’t flawless, by any means. His biggest blemish? A catchable pass that bounced off Wilson’s fingertips and landed in the hands of a Cincinnati defender. The turnover allowed Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins to tie the game with a late touchdown right before the half.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can build on an impressive divisional win. McCarthy’s offensive explosion led to a 30-point outing—the first one since a 34-12 win against Cincinnati on November 16th, 2025.
Pittsburgh can keep its offensive resurgence as long as they continue to keep Wilson involved early and often. Even with what could have been a game-changing drop in Week 3, Wilson has proven he can get open and make plays when targeted in the Steelers' passing game.
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