Ancient Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is proving you can’t fool Mother Nature.
There’s a reason pro sports leagues are not full of 40-plus-year-old athletes. Admittedly, Joe Flacco, at the ripe old age of 40, is putting up some good numbers as a quarterback, but even that has not been enough to win multiple games for the Cincinnati Bengals, his latest team.
Flacco’s production more than likely will diminish, too, as the season progresses. Mother Nature rules.
That brings us back to Rodgers, the soon-to-be-42-year-old who has begun to struggle. He threw two interceptions, was sacked three times, and generally looked rattled as the Steelers succumbed to
the LA Chargers by a 25-10 score Sunday night.
Afterward, Rodgers took full responsibility. It was his best call of the night.
On that front, I give Rodgers credit. Perhaps it is because Rodgers has won big in his younger days, realizes that his performance of late has been sub-standard, and is secure enough based on that past success that he is willing to admit to struggles now.
The Steelers and Rodgers have been called out in this space months back as a mirage of a team, likely to have a good record mostly owing to a weak schedule, but not having good prospects in the playoffs. That opinion hasn’t changed and has actually been fortified by play in two of the three most recent games.
In some ways it reminds me of the 1983 Steelers season, another memorable mirage effort by the black and gold.
Terry Bradshaw, the Steelers four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, missed the first 14 games of the 1983 season due to an elbow injury and unproven Cliff Stoudt, almost miraculously, was behind center as the Steelers were 9-2 after 11 games.
It was fool’s gold. The Steelers then went on a three-game losing streak, including being humbled 45-3 in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.
That 9-2 record had slipped to 9-5 and all of a sudden the playoffs were looking like less than a certainty.
Stoudt was not holding up well under the pressure, either, blaming others, including his wide receivers, for his failures that included an inability to throw touchdown passes.
Enter the 36-year-old Bradshaw as the Steelers traveled to play the New York Jets in the Jets’ final home game ever at Shea Stadium.
Head coach Chuck Noll decided that Bradshaw, with an ailing right arm, was a better option than Stoudt.
It was magic as Bradshaw, in just over a quarter of play, threw two touchdown passes – one each to Gregg Garrity and Calwin Sweeney – and the Steelers went on to win, 34-7.
Alas, Bradshaw heard a pop in his elbow on the Sweeney pass and his season and career were finished.
The Steelers lost the next game, their regular-season finale vs. Cleveland, but still made the playoffs. Once there, Stoudt continued to struggle and the Los Angeles Raiders won easily, 38-10, to end the Steelers’ campaign.
The Steelers’ struggles this season cannot be blamed entirely on Rodgers. That defense hasn’t played up to its billing, either.
Rodgers is, however, the guy upon whose shoulders will fall the responsibility of invigorating a spotty offense. Just as with Stoudt, the odds are against Rodgers being up to the challenge.
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