Aaron Rodgers showed he has plenty left to help the Steelers
Aaron Rodgers showed he can still sling it with a take-that performance.
Maybe the NFL’s oldest quarterback just needed a fresh start.
The 41-year-old four-time NFL MVP avenged an awkward departure from the New York Jets by tossing four touchdown passes to help the Pittsburgh Steelers beat his former team 34-32 on Sunday.
Rodgers completed 22 of 30 passes for 244 yards with no turnovers, spoiling new Jets coach Aaron Glenn’s homecoming.
“There were probably people in the organization that didn’t think I could play anymore,” Rodgers said after the game. “So, it was nice to remind those people that I still can.”
Rodgers’ two seasons with the Jets were disappointing. He played four snaps in 2023 before tearing his Achilles tendon, and went 5-12 last season.
After Glenn was hired, Rodgers said he flew to New Jersey from California on his own dime for a meeting only for it to be cut short and was told the team didn’t want him back. Rodgers thought it was disrespectful.
The Steelers were happy to take him, even willing to give Rodgers a few months to make a decision on joining the team.
Rodgers was sacked four times and didn’t show much mobility. But he still has his arm strength, he’s a precision passer, his decision-making is sharp and he can pick apart the defense if the offensive line protects him.
Coaching clinic
Kevin O’Connell was the AP NFL Coach of the Year in 2024 when he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record while developing Sam Darnold into a legitimate No. 1 quarterback.
His performance Monday night may have been his best.
Second-year pro J.J. McCarthy struggled in the first 30-plus minutes in his first career start but improved as the game went on and the Vikings rallied to beat the Chicago Bears 27-24 on the road.
After McCarthy threw a pick-6 on Minnesota’s opening possession of the third quarter, O’Connell calmly approached the 2024 first-round pick and helped him get back on the right track.
The Vikings went three-and-out on the next two drives before scoring three straight touchdowns.
Warm seat
The Miami Dolphins suffered the most lopsided loss in Week 1, getting trounced by the Indianapolis Colts 33-8.
Tua Tagovailoa struggled, tossing two interceptions. The defense gave up 418 yards and made Daniel Jones look like an All-Pro.
Coach Mike McDaniel may not stick around for the season if things don’t turn around.
“It was embarrassing flat-out, and in that there’s nowhere to hide,” McDaniel said. “I was really looking forward to seeing the stuff that we’ve really worked on diligently and I didn’t see any of it and that’s a problem.”
Pete and Geno
Pete Carroll and Geno Smith’s Vegas reunion got off to a positive start.
These Raiders won’t be a pushover anymore.
Geno Smith threw for 362 yards and a score in his first game with Las Vegas, helping his former Seahawks coach earn a 20-13 victory over New England in his debut with the Raiders.
The duo ruined Mike Vrabel’s return to the Patriots.
While the Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos get most of the attention in a tough AFC West, the Raiders made it known they’re going to be competitive with Carroll coaching and Smith under center.
Roughing the passer
The NFL has emphasized sportsmanship entering this season, but protecting quarterbacks will always be a top priority.
There were 11 roughing-the-passer penalties called in Week 1. A few of those came in critical spots.
The Buccaneers were penalized twice for roughing Michael Penix Jr. on the same drive that helped Atlanta score a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Baker Mayfield then threw a TD pass one play after the Falcons were penalized 15 yards for roughing him, and Tampa Bay ended up holding on for a 23-20 victory.
A roughing-the-passer penalty on the Rams’ Kobie Turner against C.J. Stroud wiped out an incompletion on third-and-11 right before the two-minute warning and allowed the Texans to extend their drive. But Houston’s Dare Ogunbowale fumbled on the next play and Los Angeles secured a 14-9 win.
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By ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer
