It was a vintage quarterback matchup on Week 7 of Sunday Night Football.
Russell Wilson debuted for the Pittsburgh Steelers and helped rout Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets 37-15, a stunning result in the AFC clash.
Rodgers and Co. jumped out to a 15-6 lead and looked capable of producing a strong road result, but lost momentum with turnovers and once Wilson got going, Pittsburgh did not look back.
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The result moved Pittsburgh to 5-2 as it enjoyed its best offensive game of the season, with New York dropping to 2-5 as things worsen for Rodgers and the team following Robert Saleh’s firing.
Let’s analyze the game further with three takeaways:
Justin Fields helped Pittsburgh get off to a 3-0 start before some losses entered the frame, but there were doubts when Wilson was named the starter despite the former not necessarily deserving of a benching.
But Wilson, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, showed flashes of his brilliance from the past, completing 16 of 29 passes for 264 yards, two touchdowns, no picks and a rushing touchdown to encapsulate a near-perfect night.
George Pickens also shined with five catches for 111 yards and a score, looking like a new version of himself. But Wilson and Co. will have to prove their production is sustainable, otherwise things could just end up as a purple patch.
Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. With Saleh gone as head coach, the Jets are now 0-2 and the whole season is in jeopardy at 2-5.
Rodgers wasn’t totally at fault for the loss but he didn’t look good, either, completing 24 of 39 passes for 276 yards, one touchdown and two picks. One pick near the end of the first half may have changed the trajectory of the game, as Wilson and Co. capitalized with a touchdown.
Breece Hall had a solid start but tailed off when the Jets did, and Davante Adams did not have the debut he would’ve hoped for, catching just three passes on nine targets for 30 yards.
Perhaps most importantly, the Jets’ defense looked completely out of it, which was one of Saleh’s strong suits the last few years despite the QB shortcomings under his tenure.
The AFC is already incredibly tight as it is. With the Jets at 2-5, their playoff chances are gradually shrinking each week. They currently sit No. 12 in the standings, behind notable teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh.
As things stand, do the Jets have enough to prove they are a top-seven team in the conference? Some tough tests remaining on the schedule include a trip to Buffalo, while they will host Houston, the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams.
They can potentially afford another loss or two, but they desperately need to string a winning streak together with most of the tougher opponents out of the way. They’ll need significant shifts in mentality and playstyle to do so.
