Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Genuinely Dissects Problem Facing The Pittsburgh Offense

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been working out some kinks on both sides of the ball early on in the 2025 season. Despite the fact that things have not been perfect, the Steelers still have a 3-1 record as they get ready to start in-division play against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. Pittsburgh sits alone at the top of the division, and if Pittsburgh can continue to take care of business, the team should be able to set itself up for its first AFC North crown since the 2020 season. The group needs to continue to improve, but things so far have provided some optimism for the fan base.

There were some questions about the Steelers' offense coming into the 2025 campaign. The worries and concerns mainly surrounded the loss of guys like George Pickens and Najee Harris, while being unsure what DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers would bring to the team as new members. Rodgers and Metcalf's chemistry continues to grow, but fans want to see some more deep shots down the field. The quarterback was asked about just that while speaking with the media on Wednesday, and he shared why Pittsburgh has not been able to unlock that part of its offense.

"Teams are playing Cover 2," Rodgers said. "When you're playing Cover 2, there's not gonna be a ton of big shots down the field. Until we get them in one-high, it's gonna be precision passing and short of the sticks. If you're playing Cover 2, there's not gonna be a lot of shots open down the boundary. We're just trying to be efficient."

The NFL is cyclical; it flips back and forth between being a passing league and a running league, and that is often determined by trends on defense. Currently, a lot of teams are playing Cover 2. This means the quarterback is seeing two-high safeties in the middle of the field, typically playing on each hash. Their job is not to let anything behind them in the passing game, while also providing support against the run.

There are many variations of Cover 2, but primarily it is seen when cornerbacks are covering the flats with two safeties playing deep cover each half of the field. The linebackers will have a combination of blitzes, or they can all be playing in the hook-to-curl area of the field. The weaknesses for this defense are hole shots along the sideline, which is a throw between the corner in the flat and the safety to that side of the field. Another option are shorter, underneath throws that allow some run after the catch opportunities.

Another spot to attack is over the middle of the field with some layered throws. This essentially means throwing over the linebackers' heads, but not throwing deep enough for the safety to make a play on it, a dig route is something seen in this situation often. Rodgers nearly threw an interception in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks trying to do this.

Steelers Need To Get Opposing Defenses Out Of Cover 2

Pittsburgh needs to find a way to get defenses out of Cover 2, at least occasionally. Rodgers mentioned he thought the offense was playing efficient football by throwing short of the sticks and allowing some run after the catch, and that has been working. However, teams are not usually able to go through an entire season doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting the same results.

The Steelers can limit the amount of Cover 2 it sees by running the football efficiently, which is something the team did well in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings. Another way to do this would be spreading the defense out, and this happens by lining up in a empty set, or in a simple two by two formation. It spreads the zones apart and could open up some holes for Rodgers and his receivers. That is all easier said than done, but it will be interesting to watch as the season moves along.