The Steelers’ offense sputtered during a critical 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, with Pittsburgh’s passing game particularly struggling to mount any form of serious threat.
The lackluster performance, which contributed to Pittsburgh’s second straight loss and its third in the last four games, marked future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ third consecutive sub-200-yard outing.
With the air attack’s ineptitude threatening to derail the team’s season, Rodgers was unsurprisingly pressed in his postgame news conference about how the team may be able to reverse course before postseason hopes slip away.
Aaron Rodgers Offers Simple Solution to Steelers’ Offensive Issues
Rodgers, who entered Week 13 already sporting a No. 27 Impact Ranking and D+ grade (69.5) in PFSN’s QBi leaderboard, had a particularly difficult afternoon against the Bills’ talented secondary, which came into Sunday allowing an NFL-low 148.6 passing yards per road game. Rodgers finished the Steelers’ loss with 117 passing yards at 5.6 yards per attempt and no touchdowns or interceptions.
Additionally, Rodgers exited the game for a series after being strip-sacked by Joey Bosa on the first play of the second half, a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and began to turn the tide of the game. The play also left Rodgers with a bloodied nose and clutching his already injured left wrist in pain.
Rodgers returned after ceding one series to Mason Rudolph, but the Steelers’ final two possessions, while the outcome was still in doubt, resulted in a punt and a turnover on downs.
Asked how he and his targets could get on the same page in order to give the now 6-6 Steelers a chance to continue competing for a playoff spot, Rodgers’ response was laconic and direct, suggesting certain members of his air attack could be much more diligent in preparation and execution.
“When there’s film sessions, everybody shows up. When I check to a route, you do the right route.”
#Steelers QB Aaron Rogers on building a connection with his receivers: “When there’s film sessions, everybody shows up. When i check to a route, you do the right route. Jonnu [Smith] and I weren’t on the same page. I checked to his in-breaker and he ran an out-breaker. Jonnu is a… pic.twitter.com/qaGeY83RS9
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 1, 2025
Rodgers went on to single out veteran tight end Jonnu Smith within the context of Sunday’s game, but a case could easily be made that the entire pass-catching corps underperformed.
Steelers’ Air Attack Lacks Serious Punch Yet Again
Against Buffalo, tight end Darnell Washington led the team with a modest 45 receiving yards, while prize offseason addition DK Metcalf posted a 3-32 line on five targets.
The next two highest receiving yardage totals — a meager 25 and 9 yards — came from running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren, respectively, underscoring that the Steelers appear to have one of the league’s most collectively unproductive wide receiver rooms.
Supporting that notion was the fact that reserve receivers Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek failed to haul in any of their four combined targets.
Thanks in part to a reasonably effective ground attack, the Steelers’ offense still holds a No. 14 ranking and 75.5 (C) grade in PFSN’s Offense Impact leaderboard. However, Pittsburgh is averaging the 10th-fewest passing yards per game (195.1), including 179.7 across the last three games.
Rodgers, long known for his attention to detail and his distrust of younger players who haven’t yet mastered all the nuances of an offense, may be approaching a tipping point in frustration as the losses mount.
That could particularly be the case if he feels some of the players he relies on most aren’t giving maximum effort in preparation each week.
Rodgers and Metcalf appear to have a consistent and generally cohesive connection, and the team’s three tight ends have typically provided solid complementary production when they’ve had opportunities.
Yet Austin and Wilson have combined for just 38 receptions, 444 yards, and four touchdowns.
Those numbers at this advanced stage of the season — from two players expected to be much larger contributors — help illustrate why Rodgers may feel the Steelers are leaving plenty on the table, and doing so at increasing risk of falling out of postseason contention.