Aaron Rodgers is hoping the Pittsburgh Steelers can bottle up the good fortune they received in the final seconds Sunday night and take it into the playoffs.
Rodgers is entering the postseason for the first time since 2021, and the Steelers are division champions for the first time since 2020 thanks to a game-winning field-goal attempt that sailed wide right as time expired at Acrisure Stadium.
Tyler Loop’s missed kick allowed the Steelers to exhale with a 26-24 victory against the Baltimore Ravens that sends them to the AFC playoffs as the No. 4 seed. The Steelers (10-7) will host the No. 5 seed Houston Texans (12-5) on Monday night.
The Steelers might have an inferior record to the surging Texans, and they haven’t won in the postseason since 2016. But that matters not a bit to Rodgers, who signed a one-year contract with the Steelers in June for a chance to end his career in the playoffs.
“It just takes a little belief at this point of the season,” Rodgers said after leading the Steelers to 23 second-half points, including a pair of touchdowns in the final 3 minutes, 49 seconds.
Coach Mike Tomlin recruited Rodgers for the scenario the Steelers faced against the Ravens: winner-take-all with the division title serving as the spoils and an early offseason awaiting the loser.
“This was the vision in the spring when we pursued him,” Tomlin said. “That’s why you do business with a 41- 42-year-old guy, an I’ve been there, done that guy with a resume like his. He’s not only capable. Man, he thrives in it.”
Rodgers led the Steelers back from a 10-0 deficit in the first half, which ended with Kenny Gainwell getting stopped on a run from the Ravens’ 1 and denying the Steelers a chance to tie the score at intermission.
Minus top wide receiver DK Metcalf, who was serving the second of a two-game suspension, the Steelers had totaled just three field goals in six quarters without him. Then, Rodgers directed three touchdown drives in the second half, answering each time in the final quarter after the Steelers couldn’t hold 13-10 and 20-17 leads.
“We had a lot of talented guys, capable guys,” Rodgers said. “I’m proud of the way we responded.”
With the Steelers trailing 24-20, Rodgers threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds remaining. Rodgers saw Austin in single coverage along the left sideline. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie slipped on the play, allowing Austin to get leverage.
“A gimme touchdown,” Rodgers said.
Austin, who missed the previous week’s 13-6 loss at Cleveland with a hamstring injury, caught three passes for 55 yards. He got the go-ahead drive started with a 16-yard catch that pushed the ball across midfield.
“We’ve been practicing that route for a little minute,” Austin said of the touchdown catch. “You never know when it’s going to come into fruition. Shoutout to (Rodgers) for believing in me. That was perfect.”
Each time the Ravens stunned the Steelers’ defense with a long touchdown pass — Lamar Jackson had TD passes of 50 and 64 yards to Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter — Rodgers provided the answer.
“It was a weird, no-panic feeling,” outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “Just calm. It was just confidence. We’ve seen him work the two-minute drill so many times. … Just complete confidence in him and the offense.”
With Rodgers at quarterback, the Steelers will play a home postseason game for the first time since they were stunned by Cleveland, 48-37, after the 2020 season. The next three postseason losses came on the road in the wild-card round.
For Rodgers, he returns to the playoffs for the first time since his penultimate season with the Green Bay Packers when he also won the NFL MVP award for the fourth time. Last season, he slogged through a 5-12 season with the New York Jets.
“It’s nice to be back in this position,” Rodgers said.