You might have seen a close Steelers win coming in advance of their 2025 season opener against the New York Jets.

I did. I picked them to win by two points.

Unfortunately, I said the final score was going to be 15-13. That’s 28 total points, folks. Most gambling outlets had the over-under in the neighborhood of 38.5 points.

Naturally, the Steelers and Jets managed to combine for 36 on the board by halftime and 66 for the game.

In the end, the Steelers ended up winning an exciting, offensively oriented, back-and-forth affair at MetLife Stadium by a stunning final score of 34-32.

See! Two points! Just like I said. I truly am a sports prognosticating genius.

Here are this week’s “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength” for the first of 17 weeks.

FEATS OF STRENGTH

Rodgers returns: With a June arrival in Pittsburgh and no work in the preseason, there were plenty of reasons to be concerned about Aaron Rodgers. Yet, he was very good in his Steelers debut.

The former Jet went 22 of 30 for 244 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. That effort resulted in a passer rating of 136.7 during his return to MetLife Stadium.

Aaron Rodgers throws his 4th TD to give Pittsburgh the lead!

PITvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/3bU0DRNvjN

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

“There’s a lot of garbage being talked about myself or (offensive coordinator) Arthur (Smith) out there,” Rodgers said on CBS after the game. “How are we going to coexist? We’ve got a great relationship. He called a really good game. I’ve got to play a little better in spots but happy to be 1-0.”

The 41-year-old did take four sacks. On at least three of those, though, he didn’t have much of a chance. As coach Mike Tomlin pointed out, a lot of the pressure issues came on play action with Rodgers’ back to the defense.

Out of the fire: For most of the day, the defense was junk. We’ll get to that.

That said, it came up huge on New York’s last two possessions.

With the Steelers trailing 32-31, the defense forced a three-and-out. On third down with 3 yards to go, linebacker Alex Highsmith and safety Chuck Clark blew up a Justin Fields rush attempt. The Steelers got the ball back with just over three minutes left, and Chris Boswell eventually ended up kicking a career-long, winning field goal from 60 yards.

CAREER-LONG, GO-AHEAD FG FOR CHRIS BOSWELL

A 60-yarder puts the Steelers back in front late! pic.twitter.com/r7j1WOGUxy

— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) September 7, 2025

After New York got the ball back with 56 seconds remaining, the Steelers took over on downs as Jalen Ramsey broke up a pass with a ferocious hit on Garrett Wilson on what would have been a fourth-down conversion approaching midfield.

JALEN RAMSEY CALLS GAME pic.twitter.com/pNqQkufvRp

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

That play was football justice for Ramsey, who was hosed on a terrible defensive low block call earlier in the fourth quarter.

Special teams turnaround: For most of the day, the special teams were junk. We’ll get to that.

What a minute. Didn’t I just say that?

But by the end of the day, the two biggest plays of the game were the result of huge special teams plays.

Boswell’s winning field goal was a franchise record. He also nailed a 56-yarder.

“Boz always wants to bang from deep,” Tomlin said. “That one he made in the first half, I don’t know if he looked at me. He just walked out on the field. That’s the type of guy you want banging for you under those circumstances.”

Meanwhile, Kenneth Gainwell’s strip on a kickoff after the Steelers pulled to within two points during the fourth quarter turned the tide. It was recovered by Ben Skowronek.

STEELERS FOOTBALL

Fantastic special teams play by Kenneth Gainwell to punch the ball out! pic.twitter.com/hdt7ucPQPj

— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) September 7, 2025

That’s good because the Steelers’ special teams were rocky early. They allowed a 40-yard return to Xavier Gipson in the first quarter. They had a penalty on a missed extra point. That allowed the Jets to go for two after a Garrett Wilson’s touchdown.

New York failed and should’ve taken the gift. They chased that two-point miss all day.

Kaleb Johnson also fumbled on the ensuing kick return. Fortunately, the Steelers got the ball back.

Plus, Connor Heyward administered a unnecessary, late, blindside hit at the end of a punt that cost the Steelers 15 yards before the start of their second possession of the second half.

Yakity YAC: DK Metcalf’s run-after-catch ability was on display. It was key to putting up points.

On the first drive, Metcalf took a short pass on a third-and-10 and ran 23 yards with it to keep the drive alive. The Steelers eventually scored on a touchdown pass from Rodgers to Skowronek.

On the second drive, Metcalf caught a pass 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 31-yard gain.

During the first play, Metcalf shook Tony Adams. On that second play, Michael Carter II was the victim.

He then posted an 18-yard reception on a short crossing route in the third quarter on his third reception. His fourth catch, late in the contest, defied description.

Through a couple hands. Not your ordinary reception.

PITvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/4zsjaHEWv2

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

It shall go down as the “Immaculate Deflection.”

Down the liners: A bunch of guys who are not on the top of the marquee made crucial plays for the Steelers.

Not only did Gainwell have the massive special teams turnover, he also had two huge blocks on the Steelers’ first touchdown drive.

That possession ended with a catch in the end zone by Skowronek, who is probably fourth or fifth on the receiving depth chart.

Aaron Rodgers to Ben Skowronek for a Steelers TD!

PITvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/QV0Sm3q3Qv

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

Plus, Skowronek had the fumble recovery on Gainwell’s strip.

Don’t forget Clark’s key tackle on Fields’ attempt to pick up a third down on the last possession. He led the team with eight on the afternoon. Then there was Brandin Echols’ gutsy tackle to keep Fields out of the end zone on a third down in the red zone.

Granted, Fields scored on fourth down. At the time, however, that looked like it could’ve been a game-saving play by the “other” former Jet returning to MetLife.

AIRING OF GRIEVANCES

Let’s revise history: At training camp, Tomlin said the Steelers’ defense had the potential to be “historic.” The only history it might make is how bad it might be.

In the first half against the Jets, the Steelers didn’t force a single punt. The defense yielded two touchdowns and two field goals. Justin Fields opened the game 9 of 11 for 134 yards and a 12.2 average per attempt. He wasn’t sacked or intercepted, threw a touchdown and posted a 147.7 rating.

He also put up 30 rushing yards on five carries. The Jets, as a team, also put up 5 yards per carry.

In the final box score, New York posted 394 total yards, converted seven third downs, ate up almost 35 minutes of possession time, allowed just one sack and churned 182 rushing yards.

Fields finished with a 119 rating and accounted for three total touchdowns.

Running from reality: The Steelers have a lot of work to do when it comes to the run game. They averaged only 2.7 yards per carry. That was a result of 20 attempts for 53 yards.

“We have to get a lot better between Week 1 and Week 2,” Tomlin said. “We are going to need to. Our slip was showing in some areas. We weren’t good enough in the running game, particularly the RPO running game.”

Jaylen Warren was the leading rusher with only 37 yards.

Still a long way to go: Broderick Jones has been moved to his more natural left tackle position. He still had issues on Sunday.

Jones gave up three sacks. Quinnen Williams beat him for one on the first play of the game. Then Will McDonald got him for one in the second quarter.

Broderick Jones getting owned by Will McDonald. And Aaron Rodgers can't move anymore. Bad combo. pic.twitter.com/bLNthxVkVx

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) September 7, 2025

McDonald replicated that effort on the Steelers’ second drive of the third quarter.

party in the backfield

????: #PITvsNYJ on CBS, @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/5DswjY6Qy3

— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 7, 2025

In the fourth, he cleanly beat Jones and nearly forced a pick.

Keep in mind, McDonald was the guy the Jets seemed to panic-pick after the Steelers jumped in front of them to draft Jones. He had 10 1/2 sacks last year. If that game had been one quarter longer, Jones might have given up 10 1/2 in one afternoon.

LISTEN: Tim Benz discusses Cam Heyward’s contract resolution with the Steelers.

 

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