Aaron Rodgers is nowhere near the MVP conversation this season. At times in his second season with the Steelers, the nearly 43-year-old showed glimpses of the player he was in his prime, slinging the ball with energy and precision, able to suspend any coverage. Other times, he looks like, well, a man in his 40s playing a young man’s game.
Rodgers looked more like prime Rodgers in the Steelers’ gritty 16-10 win over the Saints in Paris. He wasn’t satisfied with his side of the ball, telling reporter Molly McGrath, “I don’t think we played very well on offense today.” But Rodgers did enough to secure the win, including a 51-yard strike to DK Metcalf in the second quarter. He later scrambled for a first down on third-and-six to secure the win.
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Sure, there were points left on the table – the Steelers had several stalled drives and scored just one touchdown on four red-zone trips – and 16 points against a two-win team isn’t impressive. But the Steelers left France with a win, a 5-2 record and a ton of upside.
So here’s a crazy thought: Could Rodgers win a Super Bowl in his final NFL season?
But when you consider the parts around Rodgers, maybe it’s not so bad. As good as Rodgers was against the Saints, the defense stole the show. They stopped Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, and shut down the Saints run game just as Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen predicted. This Steelers defense is punishing and only getting better. In Weeks 1-4, they allowed 4.5 yards per carry. Over the last three weeks, it’s down to 2.8 yards per carry. All told, Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed just three touchdowns in the last 15 quarters. That’s some 2025 Seahawks-level dominance.
Offensively, Rodgers was no worse than Sam Darnold was last year when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. He threw for 13 touchdowns and five interceptions for 1,699 yards in his first seven games this season – Darnold had 12 TDs, four picks and 1,754 yards in the same span in 2025. Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss likened Rodgers to a point guard, citing the upside he has in the NFL. “Even though he’s old, I think that’s an advantage for him, in his mind,” Elliss said after Sunday’s game. “And I think he used that today.”
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Perhaps Rodgers’ football IQ can propel Pittsburgh to a deep playoff run in the AFC. Yes, there are perennial Super Bowl contenders like Kansas City and Buffalo, but no AFC team this season is a winning machine like the Patriots in the Brady-Belichick era.
And, after a ho-hum Super Bowl from a star power perspective, a Rodger back on the big stage would be fired up.
Of course, Rodgers carries a lot of baggage because of his commitment to his “own research” during the Covid era, his ridiculous antipathy to Anthony Fauci and his tendency to call out coaches and teammates. Lately, though, he seems to have realized that keeping his opinions to himself is probably the best course of action. His worst take of the weekend appeared to be thinking that Peaky Blinders was set in France rather than England. He’s not likable, but considering what he’s said in the past, his recent behavior seems like progress.
It’s not just that he’s quiet. In Paris, when asked about the International Series, he informed that team owners are considering a 16-game schedule with a full international week, where teams play around the world and two byes. Instead, according to Rodgers, they chose the 17-game schedule to get more money. Rodgers added that the league “can be pretty tight on money,” a refreshing level of shade that will win him some fans.
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Frankly, Rodgers and the Steelers will need good luck to make it to the Super Bowl this year. But that’s the case for many teams. A run to the title game will send Rodgers’ shyness off the charts, but you have to admit his last game come Super Bowl Sunday will be interesting.
MVP of the week
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals. Down 13-0 at the half, the Bengals looked destined for an upset loss, an art they have mastered. They mustered just 49 passing yards, and struggled to sustain drives. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ supposedly retooled defense couldn’t get the Ravens on the field. At the half, Baltimore, led by a backup quarterback, dominated time of possession 22:20 to 7:40. But again, Cincinnati looks like a fringe playoff team that isn’t meeting their full potential. And after locking down star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins for Joe Burrow in his prime, being a fringe playoff team is unacceptable.
Chase’s halftime team talk seems to have worked. “I said our offense [that] we couldn’t look at our defense the whole time. We’ve got to step this shit up and make something work,” he said after the game. Burrow, who is chasing his first league MVP, duly played out of his mind. He was essentially perfect after the break, dicing up the Ravens secondary for four touchdowns on four drives with 243 yards and an 89% completion percentage. Burrow made it lookless to do as his best lookless.
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Statistics of the week
64. How did the Bucs win a game 43-13 when Baker Mayfield only threw for 64 passing yards? They faced a Panthers team that was a walking comedy of errors. Mayfield threw just 11 passes in his first game back from dislocating his thumb, and connected with Tez Johnson for a score. The damage came unsurprisingly on the ground – Tampa rushed for 258 yards and three touchdowns, including two from Bucky Irving, who topped 100 yards. The Bucs also sacked Bryce Young and returned it for a touchdown. Imagine the score if Mayfield had missed the rock.
Video of the week
Bo Nix entered Sunday’s game with just 37 rushing yards all season. So when the Broncos quarterback nearly doubled that total in one play — a 62-yard touchdown run that gave Denver a late second-quarter lead over Arizona — hell yeah, he was going to add a flourish.
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The spin move on the goalline may not be necessary, but it should be cathartic. Nix was criticized for not providing an offensive spark, even though Denver entered the game 4-2 after navigating one of the league’s toughest schedules. But Nix looked more comfortable – and at times electric – in Sunday’s 30-16 win. He finished with one long rushing touchdown, and 222 passing yards.
Elsewhere around the league
— The Chiefs are undefeated in their game with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks but we know Kansas City has its flaws. Patrick Mahomes has been good instead of great, the receiving corps has broken down and their schedule has been soft to start the season. On Sunday Night Football, they were overwhelmed by Seattle, whose defense became the first unit this season to make former Seahawk Kenneth Walker III look human. And Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba was terrific again, hauling in 150 receiving yards in his team’s 20-3 win. “A hell of a game from Sam Darnold,” Smith-Njigba said, slightly underplaying his own contribution.
–- The Dolphins remain winless after embarrassing the Jets 28-25 at MetLife. Geno Smith was outplayed by Malik Willis, who played clean football and was able to scramble at will, especially in the first half. Jeff Hafley outcoached Aaron Glenn, no mean feat. Given New York’s talent advantage, they have no business losing at home to an 0-5 team with serious salary cap issues. But when the Dolphins had the ball in the final nine minutes of the first half and Glenn entered the break with three timeouts remaining, it was hard to win. The Jets’ star receiver, Garrett Wilson, has cut a disappointing figure recently and was targeted just three times on Sunday. CBS cameras caught him yelling on the sideline, although he later denied that his anger was directed at his quarterback, Geno Smith. “We work together,” Wilson said. “I didn’t think I was talking to Geno.” This fan on Reddit summed it up best.
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–- The Minnesota Vikings moved to 6-0 after an ugly 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. This isn’t the game that will leave the rest of the NFL believing the Vikings are a juggernaut. Colts kicker Spencer Shrader missed two field goals, and Minnesota sealed the win after Daniel Jones delivered the ball right to Harrison Smith. But the Vikings are the only undefeated team left in the league, something few would have predicted at the start of the season.
–- The Houston Texans fell to 2-5 after a 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Giants, moving to 4-2-1 and very competitive in the weak NFC East. It was a masterclass by the Giants offensive line and running back against a Houston team favored by 10.5 points. Cam Skattebo destroyed the Texans line with 18 carries, 124 yards and a touchdown, a week after being benched. In his first start for New York, JJ McCarthy was sensational. Although he had no passing touchdowns, McCarthy (20-of-28, 252 yards and no turnovers) was comfortable in the pocket and was able to anticipate coverage under pressure. One bright spot amid the disappointment for Houston: Tank Dell caught his first pass in 673 days. Dell suffered a torn ACL, MCL, LCL and dislocated kneecap late in 2024, and his comeback was miraculous after multiple surgeries.
–- The Atlanta Falcons handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss of the season. The Falcons were opportunistic in winning 29-20 after a series of miscues by the 49ers. Brock Purdy threw two interceptions, including one on a pass he intended to throw. The loss of the injured Mike Evans was greatly felt, and Christian McCaffrey missed a portion of the game with a thigh injury, though he did return. Given the thin wide receiver corps in San Francisco, there’s probably one lonely camper they could pursue.