The Pittsburgh Steelers know a huge key to the season opener is centered on their defense stopping the New York Jets’ ground game, forcing quarterback Justin Fields to make plays throwing the football instead.
That may well be easier said than done if first-year head coach Aaron Glenn has his team arrogantly run the football as he’s indicated since taking the job.
Of course, that only covers one side of the ball and frames the game in an incredibly optimistic point of view. After all, Pittsburgh has plenty of questions on its own offense as 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers takes over at quarterback. And while Rodgers may be familiar with the Jets’ defensive personnel after spending the past two seasons in the same locker room, he’s had his share of troubles with Glenn’s defenses in the past.
It certainly isn’t beyond Rodgers, even at his age, to take over the game and put on a show through the air in his first performance, history and analytics be damned. But he isn’t going into Sunday’s game alone, and the Steelers’ biggest question mark, his offensive line, will certainly be tested in Week 1.
Aaron Rodgers’ debut hinges on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest question mark up front
The Steelers' offensive line was the lone position group that general manager Omar Khan didn’t upgrade this offseason. The starting five carries just 14 years of NFL experience, with nine belonging to Isaac Seumalo and one hardly counting with Troy Fautanu missing nearly his entire rookie season. Throw in Broderick Jones swapping sides, and it’s easy to see why faith in the offensive front among Steelers fans is shaky at best.
The Week 1 matchup doesn’t help matters. Despite the Jets' deficiencies on offense, the defense has proven to be more than capable in recent years of keeping things close. While Sauce Gardener deserves his share of the praise in that effort, it’s the defensive front that will be front of mind for Rodgers on Sunday.
Last season, the Jets had 43 sacks, three more than Pittsburgh, backed by 10.5 from Will McDonald IV and six from Quinnen Williams. Jermaine Johnson returns in Week 1, although likely in a limited capacity, after missing most of last season with a torn Achilles. He had 7.5 sacks in 2023.
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The Jets' trio up front is nothing to scoff at. Even without Johnson in the mix last year, the Jets’ defense still finished eighth in pass defense while allowing the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the league.
Now with Glenn in charge of the defense, the Jets will be able to add their obvious talent with his past successes against Rodgers. Rodgers and Glenn haven’t faced each other since 2022, but Glenn had his number then.
The Lions swept the Packers in 2022, thrashing Rodgers in the process. He was sacked three times in those games and threw four interceptions to just two scores. In Rodgers' final game as a Packer, Glenn’s defense managed to pressure Rodgers on 33% of his pass attempts.
All of that ammunition from the Jets puts a ton of pressure on the Steelers’ young offensive line. They knew the drill heading into the season that the only way this Rodgers experiment works is by keeping him upright and establishing a ground game. Even if the Jets aren’t the most talented team in the NFL, the offensive line isn’t getting a free ride in Week 1.
If they get off to a shaky start against a formidable New York defensive front, Steelers fans will be reaching for the panic switch on the 2025 season much earlier than they expected.