It’s been just under four years since Super Bowl LV took place when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers faced off for the Lombardi Trophy which would have been the Steelers’ seventh title. Instead, by beating Pittsburgh 31-25, the Packers won their fourth game. It was the Steelers’ eighth visit to the Super Bowl and the Packers’ fifth.
Now, the two teams meet again on Sunday Night Football, but there is a significant difference in who will play quarterback. For the Steelers, it’s the same man who masterminded Green Bay’s victory in Super Bowl LV, Aaron Rodgers. He now has the chance to taste victory for the team he defeated and also try his luck against the team that replaced him with the one he will face in this match, Jordan Love.
The NFL works in strange ways sometimes and Rodgers was in the same boat that Love was in as he had to wait his turn until Rodgers left the team and for Aaron Rodgers it was Brett Favre who he sat behind before getting his chance. Since the 2011 Super Bowl which took place on February 6 at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers and Packers have met four more times, with the Steelers winning three of them. Two games were held in Green Bay and two in Burgh.
These last four games took place in the 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2023 seasons. In that order, Pittsburgh won 38-31, then again 31-28, the next they lost to Green Bay 27-17, winning the last meeting on November 12, 2023, 23-19. As for the history between these two legendary franchises, the first game took place the year the Steelers were born, 1933. Among the Steelers and Packers, they are not only two of the oldest franchises in the National Football League, but also two of the most respected.
That first meeting 92 years ago took place in Green Bay when the Steelers were called the Pirates and Pittsburgh never had a chance to be shut out 47-0. The Pirates, then renamed the Steelers, would then lose the next eight in a row. Pittsburgh finally won one in 1947 with a final score of 18-17. You would think that with a history that began in 1933, these two teams would have played a lot of games against each other. But there were only 37 matches. The series was close with the Pack winning 20 games and the Black and Gold 17.
Green Bay has hurt the Steelers several times, eliminating the Steelers in 1941 by a score of 54-7 and then 47-0 in that first game. Pittsburgh also lost in 1936 42-10 and in 1965 by a final of 41-9. Green Bay has shut out the Steelers three times since 1933. The Steelers have yet to throw a shutout. Pittsburgh has never scored more than 40 against Green Bay, but has topped 30 eight times, with the most points scored by the Steelers coming in 1948 when Pittsburgh 38-7.
The Steelers have won three straight times, twice from 1947 to 1949 and again between 1951 and 1954. When they last met on November 12, 2023, Kenny Pickett was the record quarterback for Pittsburgh and Jordan Love for Green Bay as the Steelers won 23-19. In Ben Roethlisberger’s final snap against the Packers in 2021, Green Bay won 27-17 and Big Ben finished 26 of 40 for 232 yards, had two sacks and threw an interception. Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, went 20 of 36 for 248 yards and two touchdowns.
The next three games are absolutely going to define the 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s something of a challenge with Green Bay first, then the hot Indianapolis Colts at home for a second straight home field advantage before the Steelers hit the road and take on the Chargers in Indianapolis. This is where Pittsburgh finds out where they rank among the best teams in the league. There are also some tough games beyond that with Buffalo and Detroit, but these three up front are crucial.
When the Packers have the ball
Much hype has been made about the Packers being the favorites in the NFC after the Micah Parsons trade, but what about Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense? Coming into this game, the Packers find themselves in the middle of the league in total offense averaging 343.3 yards per game. 225.8 of them come from the passing game and their rushing attack reaches a rating of 117.5.
As for Jordan Love, he has totaled 1,438 passing yards, which ranks him 14th in the NFL. However, he has only thrown 10 touchdowns, which ranks him 15th. The Packers offensive line protected the will of their quarterback as he was only sacked 10 times. What’s even more impressive is that he was only arrested twice.
On the ground, Josh Jacobs leads all rushers with 414 yards in six games, an average of just 3.7 yards per carry. His longest run from scrimmage was just 19 yards, but he scored eight times. Tucker Kraft and Romeo Doubs are the leading receivers with 23 and 24 receptions for 326 and 306 yards, respectively, with both players scoring four times so far. Rookie Matthew Golden caught 18 passes for 179 yards.
As a team, Green Bay is averaging 26.3 points per game while its defense has given up 20.8 and has mostly shown that it has been involved in close games this season. The offensive time of possession is almost equal to that of their opponents, 30:53 to 30:46. Their kicker Dylan Cunanan only missed one field goal and it was outside of 50 yards. He made seven attempts.
Faced with this Green Bay attack, the Steelers absolutely cannot repeat the performance they achieved in Cincinnati a week earlier. Joe Flacco, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins got into it on defense and it was pathetic. What we saw in the Cleveland game needs to reflect how their defense performs in this one to avoid any chance of another shootout like the one that took place with the Bengals.
When the Steelers have the ball
This morning I heard former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky say that the Steelers and their offensive attack revolves around Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf and that’s it. This has got to be the stupidest thing I’ve heard all season, especially from someone who’s supposed to be an expert. Of course, Metcalf is the only WIDE RECEIVER threat, although Calvin Austin can do some damage. But he ignored the performance of the tight ends that made his statement so irrelevant.
Obviously, Orlovsky wasn’t watching the Bengals game and if he was, then he’s blind. Tight end Pat Freiermuth scored a good score late in this game only to see the defense squander the lead and the game. Big offensive tackle tight end Darnell Washington is increasingly becoming an important part of the offense and now has nine receptions for 84 yards and a score. Let’s not forget another new addition joining Metcalf as the first Black and Gold player, namely Jonnu Smith. He added 20 receptions for 117 yards and scored twice.
Even Cameron Heyward’s little brother, Conner, got into the tight end game with two receptions and a touchdown. Between the four tight ends, there were six touchdowns. So, Dan Orlovsky…be realistic. As for Aaron Rodgers, he is having an exceptional season so far considering what was expected of him. 1,270 passing yards in six games with 14 touchdowns and a 68.6 completion percentage. He threw five picks, but some were just bad throws. Nine bags is nothing to worry about. His quarterback rating is 105.0.
As for DK Metcalf, I think he’s just getting rolling. He now has 406 yards on 22 receptions and his per-catch average of 18.5 is impressive. Freiermuth comes in with 187 yards and a 14.4 average, then Jaylen Warren comes in with another 184 yards for a 10.8 average. When Calvin Austin was active, he had 139 receiving yards with a mark of 13.9. Don’t forget Jonnu Smith’s 117 yards.
Jaylen Warren has officially warmed up and the yards are starting to pile up. Now, with 311 rushing yards, his per carry average is 4.4, which includes a 37-yard run. He hasn’t reached the end zone yet, but he will. Kenneth Gainwell also improved from day one and ran another 190 with a 4.3 average.
When it comes to Green Bay’s defense, one player defines the package…Micah Parsons. You stop the former Cowboy and can successfully attack his defense. We hope Pittsburgh’s offensive line is up to the task. On ESPN, an analyst said Aaron Rodgers had to get rid of the ball in less than three seconds. That’s how quickly Parson can get into the backfield. To the Steelers’ advantage, Rodgers did that and better.
I believe if they can keep Rodgers safe and keep Parsons at bay, this will be a solid game for the Steelers offense. Getting Calvin Austin back from injury helps. Now I wonder if it was a mistake to trade George Pickens. Can you imagine him lining up with DK Metcalf? For now though I think defense is the Achilles Heal and not offense.
Intangible assets
Home field advantage isn’t what it used to be. Still, it helps to have this game in Pittsburgh. It is a Sunday night football game in America, broadcast nationally. There is intrigue. Just because Aaron Rodgers is facing the team he spent 18 seasons with and the first time he will be playing against some of his former teammates. Rodgers also beat every team in the NFL except the Packers.
In Sunday night games, Rodgers has a winning record of 21-14. For Mike Tomlin, we’ve found that Thursday nights don’t necessarily work for him (9-11), but on Mondays he’s 21-3 and on Sundays? 17-8. Steelers fans will pack Acrisure Stadium for this one. Mike Tomlin’s teams, after a dismal loss, usually play better the next time around, especially in a nationally televised game. Expect a better defensive performance in this one.
Prediction
I feel very good about the Steelers’ chances here. If this were a 1:00 p.m. game in Green Bay, I might lean the other way. But I think the defense that was red in Cincinnati now has something to prove. They will prove themselves in a big way. Pride goes a long way in Pittsburgh. Steelers 23, Green Bay 17.
