Aaron Rodgers lit it up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, but his stat line of 24-40 for 221 yards and a touchdown barely scratches the surface of what went down. Rodgers had to deal with receivers consistently letting him down, even though he was slinging high-quality throws all over Acrisure Stadium.
Rodgers is Calling Out the Missed Calls That Cost ‘Em
Rodgers was straight up about how misleading that final box score truly is. Speaking to the media, he made it clear there were missed opportunities and flat-out missed calls that could have changed everything. He pointed to a pass interference call on third down that should have been a touchdown, another “blatant PI on DK” that wasn’t called, and even one where he had DK Metcalf “in the end zone, for sure PI,” and Metcalf “still almost made a ridiculous catch.” Rodgers stressed that if “one of those goes, two of those goes, and it’s a whole different conversation.” He saw his veteran QB balling out, hitting guys deep, but the refs just weren’t seeing it the same way.
Yikes, DK Metcalf Had a Brutal Week 1
For all of Rodgers’s fire, DK Metcalf’s performance was just plain frustrating. The Steelers wide receiver actually got booed by the home crowd at Acrisure Stadium after dropping a ball that hit him dead in the hands over the middle, a play that absolutely should have been a huge chunk gain. Not only that, Metcalf got flagged twice for offensive pass interference. Yeah, you read that right: boos and two OPIs. Rodgers even said Metcalf “left some explosive plays on the table,” estimating another 150 yards were out there. It was a tough look, no doubt.
Time for a Week 2 Bounce Back
Despite all that Week 1 drama, Rodgers is not backing down. He’s got faith in Metcalf, flat out saying, “I’m going to keep feeding him.” That’s the kind of confidence a receiver needs after a rough outing. Now, Pittsburgh’s Week 2 clash against the New England Patriots is looking like a massive game for Metcalf. Not only does he need to rebound from a frustrating opener, but he might have to step up even more. Fellow Steelers receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is nursing a foot injury, logging consecutive DNPs on Thursday and Friday after being limited on Wednesday. He’s got a questionable tag for Sunday’s game, meaning Metcalf could be in for some serious extended work. He’s gotta step up and make those catches count.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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