It is never a Pittsburgh Steelers game without a near heart attack, and this one was no different. Pittsburgh pulled out a thrilling 34-32 win over the New York Jets in a wild shootout filled with lead changes and shaky defense on both sides.
For a unit that spent all training camp talking about how special it could be, the Steelers defense was far sloppier than expected, leaving plenty to clean up before next week. Still, a win is a win, and they are hard to come by in the NFL.
What ultimately carried Pittsburgh were a few huge plays from some of their newest additions, who made an immediate impact in their first game wearing the black and gold.
Fresh faces power Pittsburgh Steelers to victory against the Jets
This offseason was unlike any other for the Steelers, as the front office went all-in by trading for Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and DK Metcalf while also signing Aaron Rodgers. The message was clear: end the playoff drought and win now. In Week 1, those moves paid off, as the newcomers were at the heart of Pittsburgh’s narrow victory against the New York Jets.
In his Steelers debut, Aaron Rodgers was lights out, throwing for 244 yards and 4 touchdowns in a shootout against the Jets. Down 9 points in the second quarter, Jonnu Smith pulled Pittsburgh back into it with a touchdown grab that cut the deficit to just 2 heading into halftime.
DK Metcalf made his presence felt as well, hauling in 83 receiving yards and making the catch of the night — a circus grab while on the ground that extended a critical drive, setting up Chris Boswell’s clutch 60-yard go-ahead field goal.
The defense sealed the game late. With the Jets driving on 4th-and-3, Jalen Ramsey delivered a huge hit on Garrett Wilson that broke up the pass and ended New York’s comeback hopes.
Offensively, the Steelers showed plenty of promise — outside of shaky play on the offensive line and no game. However, what was surprising and concerning was just how poorly the defense performed for much of the game. If Pittsburgh wants to keep winning, that unit needs to turn things around quickly, especially with Seattle coming to town next week.
Still, it was encouraging to see the immediate impact of the offseason additions. The core of the new Steelers was the difference, and the reason Pittsburgh walked away with a Week 1 win.