Connor Heyward scores a touchdown in the Steelers' 23-9 win over the Browns at Acrisure Stadium.
In typical AFC North fashion, there weren't many plays from the Steelers' 23-9 victory over the Browns on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium that'll be in the running for SportsCenter's Top 10. However, Aaron Rodgers had at least one play that'll remind everyone why he's a four-time MVP.
Midway through the third quarter, the Steelers made their first trip into the red zone. They had settled for three Chris Boswell field goals earlier in the game, but hadn't ventured inside Cleveland's 20-yard line.
Wanting to secure a touchdown, Arthur Smith dialed up a similar play that worked against the Jets in Week 1, moving Rodgers out of the pocket and, well, just watch:
Before we get to how ridiculous of a throw that is, Rodgers broke down the play after the game to explain how he got to Connor Heyward.
"First look is in the flat," Rodgers explained. "Second is kind of DK [Metcalf] on the back side. Connor is really kind of a clear-out route. Though we had a similar play against the Jets in Week 1 to Calvin [Austin III] for a touchdown. Different formation. Kind of different thing we're doing. So I just got out there. Connor is a really smart player, and I was just kind of, like, either you or DK, one of you guys see this and go that way. Connor did, and I put a decent ball on, and he made a nice catch."
Rodgers is just being modest.
"I knew I had all this room (on the left) because I had a guy pinned on my side," Heyward told Dejan Kovacevic after the game. "He threw one of those balls where he points at me and ... it's a hose. I'm just glad I caught it."
Yeah, that's more like it. By the time Rodgers throws the ball, he is outside the numbers at the 16-yard line. He doesn't set his feet, throwing it off-platform. He throws it against his body to place it on the other side of Heyward, who's nearly aligned with the near hash and about eight yards deep in the back of the end zone.
There are only a handful of quarterbacks that can make that throw. And even at 41 years old, Rodgers can still sling it.
The other great thing about this play is how easy they made it look out of structure. Teams spend so much time working on plays that go into the game plan each and every week. But, these guys still find time to work on scramble drills so communication doesn't break down when a quarterback is on the move.
"We talk about it all the time," Heyward said after the game. "Aaron talks about it privately with us, but also the coaches. Just making sure everybody's on the same page. If somebody's high, somebody else is low. Just not being in the same spot."
Rodgers' communication and leadership has been one of the reasons why this offense is succeeding more often in certain areas, specifically in the red zone. The team has now scored 10 touchdowns in 14 red-zone trips, a rate of 71.4%. That's a complete turnaround from the 48.2% last season, which ranked 29th in the NFL.
But, let's also not discount that arm. Yeah, there's a lot of mileage. In fact, Rodgers is now just 116 yards away from passing Ben Roethlisberger for fifth place all-time. But, don't let the age fool you. The arm is still very much alive.
THE ASYLUM
The Big Play: Rodgers can still sling it
KARL ROSER / STEELERS
Connor Heyward scores a touchdown in the Steelers' 23-9 win over the Browns at Acrisure Stadium.
In typical AFC North fashion, there weren't many plays from the Steelers' 23-9 victory over the Browns on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium that'll be in the running for SportsCenter's Top 10. However, Aaron Rodgers had at least one play that'll remind everyone why he's a four-time MVP.
Midway through the third quarter, the Steelers made their first trip into the red zone. They had settled for three Chris Boswell field goals earlier in the game, but hadn't ventured inside Cleveland's 20-yard line.
Wanting to secure a touchdown, Arthur Smith dialed up a similar play that worked against the Jets in Week 1, moving Rodgers out of the pocket and, well, just watch:
Before we get to how ridiculous of a throw that is, Rodgers broke down the play after the game to explain how he got to Connor Heyward.
"First look is in the flat," Rodgers explained. "Second is kind of DK [Metcalf] on the back side. Connor is really kind of a clear-out route. Though we had a similar play against the Jets in Week 1 to Calvin [Austin III] for a touchdown. Different formation. Kind of different thing we're doing. So I just got out there. Connor is a really smart player, and I was just kind of, like, either you or DK, one of you guys see this and go that way. Connor did, and I put a decent ball on, and he made a nice catch."
Rodgers is just being modest.
"I knew I had all this room (on the left) because I had a guy pinned on my side," Heyward told Dejan Kovacevic after the game. "He threw one of those balls where he points at me and ... it's a hose. I'm just glad I caught it."
Yeah, that's more like it. By the time Rodgers throws the ball, he is outside the numbers at the 16-yard line. He doesn't set his feet, throwing it off-platform. He throws it against his body to place it on the other side of Heyward, who's nearly aligned with the near hash and about eight yards deep in the back of the end zone.
There are only a handful of quarterbacks that can make that throw. And even at 41 years old, Rodgers can still sling it.
The other great thing about this play is how easy they made it look out of structure. Teams spend so much time working on plays that go into the game plan each and every week. But, these guys still find time to work on scramble drills so communication doesn't break down when a quarterback is on the move.
"We talk about it all the time," Heyward said after the game. "Aaron talks about it privately with us, but also the coaches. Just making sure everybody's on the same page. If somebody's high, somebody else is low. Just not being in the same spot."
Rodgers' communication and leadership has been one of the reasons why this offense is succeeding more often in certain areas, specifically in the red zone. The team has now scored 10 touchdowns in 14 red-zone trips, a rate of 71.4%. That's a complete turnaround from the 48.2% last season, which ranked 29th in the NFL.
But, let's also not discount that arm. Yeah, there's a lot of mileage. In fact, Rodgers is now just 116 yards away from passing Ben Roethlisberger for fifth place all-time. But, don't let the age fool you. The arm is still very much alive.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits!
We’d love to have you!