Aaron Rodgers passed for 212 yards and a touchdown during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win in Paris. If not for running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, that air attack wouldn’t have been nearly as effective in the 16-10 triumph over the Saints.
National radio host Colin Cowherd doesn’t think Mike McCarthy’s model is sustainable.
“Today it was so stark,” Cowherd said Sunday night on “The Colin Cowherd Podcast.” “This was a bad Saints defense, and Jaylen Warren was the offense. DK Metcalf had one long catch, but their second- and third-leading receivers were running backs. What Pittsburgh’s doing will not work in the postseason. It won’t translate. It’s very much like the previous years.”
Metcalf had a pair of receptions, including a 51-yarder while improvising with Rodgers working out of the pocket. Rookie Germie Bernard had 27 yards on three grabs, while Brandon Smith — a practice squad call-up — pulled in the first two passes of his career fro 24 yards.
“There was just nothing here for Aaron,” Cowherd said.
Cowherd also pointed to the fact that the Steelers routinely found top wideouts under ex-longtime general manager Kevin Colbert. His successor, Omar Khan, took over after Colbert directed the 2022 NFL Draft, in which Pittsburgh plucked George Pickens in the second round. Khan shipped the talented-but-volatile receiver to Dallas in May 2025 after acquiring Metcalf from Seattle.
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