ESPN debates if Aaron Rodgers can lead Steelers to playoff success

The new Aaron Rodgers debate is if he can be the difference maker in a playoff team or playoff wins for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. ESPN’s Peter Schrager can see it, so long as he just plays football, but Dan Orlovsky isn’t as high on the partnership.

Rodgers signed a one-year deal with the Steelers so this could very well be it. But for a team that consistently can make playoffs, but not make any runs recently, needs something.

Schrager is on board with Rodgers being able to do so. However, there are stipulations.

“He showed up to New York two years ago, and it was, here’s the entire franchise, save us, make it happen. And he brought in all his guys and his offensive coordinator, and there’s the weight of the world is behind him,” Schrager said on Get Up. “He comes in here, $10 million contract, which is a great value from Omar Khan in the front office. And we’re going to put you in a situation where we have veterans already, just play football. You have a one year deal. Just play football and be great. 

“And I think the Arthur Smith offense works. But I’ll add this. You might look at that mix between the Pittsburgh culture of blue collar, hard working. Guys, his greatest success has been with Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh guy, Alex Van Pelt, Pittsburgh guy, Tom Clements, Pittsburgh guy. I think Rdogers knows that Pittsburgh mindset, knows that market, and I think it actually makes a lot of sense that you can be plugged right in. Let’s go play football, win games.”

Orlovsky fired back that Rodgers adds something but doesn’t necessarily think this is going to be highly successful. The long term answer is in the future and Rodgers could hinder the long term plans in Pittsburgh.

“Worst place they could be in,” Orlovsky said. “So he’s good enough, they’re good enough. They’re gonna go 9-8, 10-7, they won’t matter in the playoffs, we all know that. And then they’re not bad enough to get a top eight pick and finally find the quarterback in the future. And so anybody who says that Aaron can’t play anymore, you’re just being a hater because of some of the things you don’t like about him as a person. But this still is a subpar offensive line. They only really have DK Metcalf on the perimeter. Freiermuth is a really nice tight end. They don’t work the middle of the field with Arthur Smith right now, maybe that’ll change with Aaron, but Aaron didn’t necessarily do it a ton last year. 

“So you’re in that area where, great, we’re going to be a contending team, but we are not better than Buffalo, (Kansas City, Denver, Chargers, Bengals and Ravens). Are we really going to matter? No, but we’re not gonna be bad enough.”