The Pittsburgh Steelers moved to 5-3 on Sunday after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 27-20 at Acrisure Stadium. It was a massive win for Pittsburgh as the team had struggled against the Colts over the past two seasons. This time they managed to take down one of the elite teams in the AFC.
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Quarterback Aaron Rodgers delivers a pass during the Steelers' 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season.
This was also a nice win for Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers because they had lost the previous two games. Getting an upset win over one of the best teams in the NFL is always inspiring. The Steelers' offense, led by Aaron Rodgers, was not at its best and played an average game at best, but Rodgers showed he can still make big-time plays. Execution needs to improve, especially in the red zone.
On his podcast Footbahlin, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shared his thoughts on how to help the offense score more touchdowns in the red zone. He is confused about why running back Jaylen Warren is not getting the ball more near the goal line. Roethlisberger believes Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith should give Warren multiple carries in goal-line situations, which could lead to more consistent touchdowns.
"Maybe he has just given total control to Aaron [Rodgers] to throw the little nows or whatever they call them, the little RPO type plays," Roethlisberger said while speaking on his podcast on Tuesday night. "Is it Arthur Smith doing it? I don't know what the deal is, but I would like to see them run it in the goal line. You know you got down to the two or three yard line a couple of times. Why is [Jaylen] Warren not getting the ball three or four times?"
It's very clear that Roethlisberger would like to see Warren get more carries. Especially when that football is near the painted line. Co-host Spencer Te’o pointed out that Warren averages 4.1 yards per carry and is capable of producing in those situations. Roethlisberger agreed with Te'o and then mentioned that the previous week he made the same comments about DK Metcalf.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers throws to DK Metcalf during a win over the Cleveland Browns during the 2025 season.
He wanted Metcalf to receive four targets in goal-line situations. In Roethlisberger’s view, when the Steelers get near the end zone, the offense should focus only on Metcalf or Warren. He believes this is the key to success in the red zone for Smith and the team. If anyone knows how to score touchdowns, it is Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger also noted that some of the issues may come from Rodgers checking out of plays at the line of scrimmage, making it difficult to place full blame. He would like to see Rodgers hand the ball to Warren more often in goal-line situations. If the Steelers can improve execution and commit to using Warren in short-yardage opportunities, they have a chance to turn red zone trips into more touchdowns and strengthen their offense for the rest of the season.
The Steelers Should Use Jaylen Warren More
Warren has carried the ball 99 times for 404 rushing yards and scored two rushing touchdowns through the first eight games. He has also been a weapon in the passing game, recording 21 catches for 193 receiving yards and adding one receiving touchdown.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
If Metcalf is unable to get separation, as was the case during the Colts game, checking the ball down to Warren more often would be a smart move. He has been electric whenever he has the football, and Smith should find ways to get him even more touches and create opportunities to get him into space.
Do you think Jaylen Warren is being used properly? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.
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