Steelers' Red-Zone Nightmare Raises Alarming Questions About Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have established themselves as one of the AFC's top teams through the first half of the 2026 season, but their inability to consistently score touchdowns in the red zone remains a concerning weakness. Pittsburgh has found success running the football, yet that approach has too often disappeared when the offense gets close to the end zone.

With the Steelers entering their bye week, questions are mounting about why the offense keeps settling for field goals instead of taking advantage of its scoring opportunities. While Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio has acknowledged that the coaching staff is reviewing its red-zone play calls, longtime Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac believes quarterback Aaron Rodgers deserves a significant share of the scrutiny.

During his recent Steelers chat, Dulac was asked whether Rodgers or Head Coach Mike McCarthy was responsible for checking out of running plays and turning them into passes. His response pointed directly toward the veteran quarterback.

"That's more on Rodgers. He has so many RPOs every game and has the ability to check out of them. With the way they were running the ball, those plays/decisions were inexcusable," Dulac responded.

That is a significant assessment from a reporter who has covered the Steelers for years. Although McCarthy and Angelichio are responsible for designing the offense and calling plays, Rodgers has considerable authority to change what happens at the line of scrimmage.

The distinction matters because Pittsburgh's struggles have not necessarily been caused by an inability to move the ball. Instead, the offense has repeatedly reached scoring territory before making decisions that leave points on the field.

Steelers Must Find a Way to Finish Drives

The Steelers' recent performances have highlighted the disconnect between their success running the football and their red-zone execution. Pittsburgh has demonstrated that it can control games on the ground, but the offense has become far less consistent when the field shrinks near the goal line.

The matchup against the Cleveland Browns provided another example. Pittsburgh reached the 2-yard line on one first-half possession and the 8-yard line on another, yet both drives ended with field goals. Rodgers threw multiple incompletions during those sequences, preventing the Steelers from maximizing their opportunities.

Those possessions help explain why the team's red-zone efficiency has become such a major talking point. Pittsburgh has converted approximately 50% of its red-zone trips into touchdowns, ranking 26th in the NFL.

For a team with postseason aspirations, that is an area that needs immediate improvement. Field goals can keep a team competitive, but repeatedly settling for three points instead of seven makes winning more difficult, particularly against opponents capable of scoring touchdowns consistently.

Dulac's criticism also raises questions about how Pittsburgh is using its running backs. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle have provided the offense with a productive ground game, giving the Steelers a foundation they should be able to rely on when they reach the red zone.

If Rodgers is frequently choosing to pass out of run-pass options, the coaching staff needs to determine whether those decisions are appropriate for the defensive looks he is seeing. RPOs are designed to give quarterbacks flexibility, allowing them to read the defense and select the more favorable option. However, that flexibility only helps when the decision produces an advantage.

There are situations where a defense loads the box or presents a look that makes throwing the correct decision. But if Pittsburgh is abandoning productive running plays despite favorable circumstances, the offense could be making scoring opportunities unnecessarily difficult.

That does not mean Rodgers is solely responsible for every red-zone failure. Play design, execution, protection and defensive adjustments all contribute to the outcome of a possession. Still, Dulac's comments suggest that the quarterback's freedom to change plays deserves closer examination.

The coaching staff has already acknowledged that it needs to review its approach during the bye week. Angelichio has discussed evaluating the team's checks and run-pass options, indicating that Pittsburgh is considering whether its current system is putting players in the best position to succeed.

That review should include communication between the coaching staff and Rodgers. The Steelers need to establish when changing a play makes sense and when sticking with the original call gives the offense its best chance. Rodgers' experience is one of his biggest strengths, but the Steelers need that experience to translate into better decisions in the most important areas of the field.

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