Stats reveal big concern about Steelers' Aaron Rodgers ahead of Bengals game

The marriage between the Pittsburgh Steelers and 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers appears to be a match made in heaven as he's guided the club to a 4-1 start this season. 

Ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 7 "Thursday Night Football" game at the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals (2-4), however, ESPN's Brooke Pryor shared some alarming stats regarding how Rodgers has played across his first five contests. 

What is biggest concern about Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers offense?

"The biggest knock on the Rodgers-led offense is the lack of deep passes," Pryor wrote. "Rodgers is last in air yards per attempt (5.3), but the Steelers' playmakers lead the league in average yards after the catch per reception (7.3). The Steelers have 15 receptions of at least 20 yards, but they have just two passes of 20 air yards or more." 

The good news for Steelers fans is that the club has notched a handful of wins despite the Pittsburgh passing attack's lackluster performance. While ESPN stats show that Rodgers began Thursday ranked 23rd in the NFL among qualified players with a 49.0 adjusted QBR, he was also eighth with a 105.4 passer rating. His 10 touchdown passes had him tied for ninth in the league. 

That said, Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger pointed out in late September that it appeared as if Pittsburgh was "afraid to take shots down the field because that forces your quarterback to stay in the pocket and hold it a little bit longer." There's no sign that will change anytime soon, which is understandable considering the multiple injury setbacks Rodgers dealt with as a member of the New York Jets last season. 

Aaron Rodgers has embraced Steelers' "organizational culture"

A story from earlier in the week noted how Rodgers quickly "hit it off" with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith after the future Hall of Famer signed with Pittsburgh in June. For Thursday's article, Pryor expanded on Rodgers' relationships with other members of the franchise.

"Rodgers is playing smart football within the offense and integrating seamlessly in the organizational culture," Pryor explained. "Defensive captain Cameron Heyward said this year's team has been closer from top to bottom, and he said Rodgers has been a big part of that."

Rodgers will look to remain a positive force for the Steelers beyond Thursday's game. If he can stay healthy through Week 18, he could guide Pittsburgh to a playoff win for the first time since 2016.