Baltimore Beatdown
The race for the AFC North got a little closer this past Sunday, with all but one team losing.
Instead of capitalizing on a weak division and furthering their lead, the Pittsburgh Steelers have now dropped two consecutive games. On Sunday, they blew a 16-7 halftime lead in a 35-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers faced his longtime team for the first time since leaving Green Bay in 2023, but it was his replacement that stole the spotlight. Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 29 of 37 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions. Rodgers had a solid performance as well, completing 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions, but it was not enough to overcome the offensive onslaught of the Packers. Tight end Tucker Kraft was a particular nuisance for Pittsburgh’s struggling defense, racking up 143 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches.
Second-year wide receiver Roman Wilson led the Steelers with 74 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches, while running back Jaylen Warren led the way on the ground with 62 rushing yards on 13 carries. DK Metcalf, who caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, let his frustrations boil over in a costly move during the game; the star receiver seemingly poked Packers linebacker Quay Walker in the eye, resulting in a 15-yard penalty for Pittsburgh on third down.
To make matters worse for an already reeling defense, the Steelers are feared to have lost safety DeShon Elliott for the season with a knee injury suffered during the game.
A week after an explosive upset over Pittsburgh in primetime, the Cincinnati Bengals came back to Earth with a 39-38 loss, giving the New York Jets their first win of the season.
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco continued his solid play for his new team this week by completing 21 of 34 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The 40-year-old signal caller also added a one-yard rushing touchdown, as well as converting a third down with a 13-yard scramble. Ja’Marr Chase has to be happy with Flacco’s arrival, as the superstar wideout was targeted 19 times, coming down with 12 for 91 yards. Fellow star receiver Tee Higgins had just one catch on two targets, but it went for a 44-yard touchdown. Bengals running back Chase Brown had another strong outing, carrying the ball 12 times for 73 yards and a score, but it was veteran running back Samaje Perine who led Cincinnati with 94 yards on the ground to go with a touchdown on nine carries.
The Bengals led by 15 entering the fourth quarter, but three consecutive scoring drives by the Jets saw Cincinnati trailing by one with just under two minutes remaining. The Bengals then turned the ball over on downs, resulting in their fifth loss of the season, with only one win coming since Week 2. New York...
