The Pittsburgh Steelers are welcoming the NFC-leading Green Bay Packers to Acrisure Stadium this Sunday night. In what could be one of the biggest games in recent years for the Steelers, four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers will face off against his old team. The former Super Bowl MVP played 18 seasons in Green Bay (2005-2022), guiding the team to 11 playoff appearances, eight division titles, and a Super Bowl win. While this game will have a lot of headlines around it because of Rodgers himself, this game is significant because it will be a tough test for Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and co.
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Aaron Rodgers stands with Mike Tomlin before a game while he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.
Steelers legend and former Super Bowl champion defender James Harrison spoke recently on the significance of this matchup between Pittsburgh and Green Bay via Deebo & Joe.
"We are playing the Green Bay Packers. All of these people out here who want to say that the Steelers haven't played anybody, we're about to play somebody," said Harrison. "We're about to play a formidable opponent. That way, once we win, nobody can say anything."
Pittsburgh is off to a solid start at 4-2. However, their only quality win so far came in September on the road against the 5-2 New England Patriots. Furthermore, they beat the 0-7 New York Jets by just two points, lost to the 5-2 Seattle Seahawks by 14 points, beat the J.J. McCarthy-less Minnesota Vikings, the 2-5 Cleveland Browns, and lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, who are also down their starting quarterback. While the Steelers are leading the division, they haven't necessarily had a convincing victory. Even when they beat New England, Rodgers threw for just 139 yards.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates with wide receiver Calvin Austin III after the game-winning touchdown versus the Patriots in Week 3.
The Green Bay Packers are sitting in the top spot in their conference, have an elite roster, and are looking to win the Super Bowl this season. They are the only remaining one-loss team in the NFC. If Tomlin, Rodgers, and co. can find a way to pull off the upset, their season will be more than back on track.
How the Steelers Can Shock the Packers
For Pittsburgh to hang in this game and possibly pull off a big win, a couple of things will need to happen. On offense, Rodgers (105.0 passer rating) will need to play with his hair on fire like he has done for much of the season. He is coming off his second four-touchdown performance through six games and will be looking to dish out the same type of pain against his former team that he did on the Bengals.
If the Steelers' offensive line can protect against the likes of star edge-rushers Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary, it could potentially be a long night for some of those Green Bay defensive backs. Remember, the Steelers have allowed zero sacks in three of the last four games.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during a regular season game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland.
Of course, the biggest key for the Steelers may very well be whether or not their 28th-ranked defense can get stops. It has allowed multiple 30-point games already through the early part of the 2025 season. Additionally, it is in the bottom half of the NFL in run defense (115.8 yards allowed per game). Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin is going to have to be able to mix it up against a very explosive Green Bay offense that is one of seven teams currently averaging over 26.0 points per game.
Essentially, the Steelers need to put together a complete performance in order to have a chance in this matchup of storied franchises. Even if Rodgers plays elite, it might not be enough. He was unbelievable in crunch time against the Bengals, but it didn't help that his defense gave up 33 points. If 40-year-old Joe Flacco can light up Pittsburgh off the couch, what do you think the Packers, who beat the Bengals two weeks ago, are capable of?
Do you agree with Harrison? Comment below!
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