It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:
- Browns DE Myles Garrett extends sack streak, moves closer to single-season sack record in Week 15 vs Bears (Dawgs by Nature)
- Ravens rookie LB Teddye Buchanan out for season with torn ACL (Baltimore Beatdown)
- Ravens rookie LB Teddye Buchanan out for season with torn ACL (Cincy Jungle)
What’s the latest on the Steelers’ upcoming opponent?
- Detroit Lions film review: Why run game has been inconsistent (Pride of Detroit)
- Can the Detroit Lions’ season be saved? (Pride of Detroit)
Now, onto some
Steelers news and discussion:
Aaron Rodgers, Steelers beat Dolphins with help of ‘castoffs’
(From ESPN’s Brooke Pryor): “There’s some castoffs if you look at our roster, which makes it really special,” Rodgers said with a grin, adding that he doesn’t consider himself a castoff. “Kenny Gainwell signed a next-to-nothing contract. Connor Heyward, an afterthought, had a touchdown run. Marquez has been on a couple teams. Adam Thielen got cut. Samuel was on the street for a long time. So says a lot about the character of the guys we brought in.”
Rodgers has started to push an “island of misfit toys” narrative regarding the 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers — while excluding himself from the label, funnily enough. He’s not entirely wrong, though. Some of the biggest players in the Steelers’ recent winning streak have been under-the-radar or midseason free agent signings.
The Steelers can lose the next two and still play for the AFC North title in Week 18
(From Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio): The Steelers face the Lions in Detroit and the Browns in Cleveland. If Pittsburgh loses both (and even if the Ravens beat both the Patriots and the Packers), it will all come down to Week 18.
Under that scenario, the Steelers would be 8-8 and the Ravens would be 9-7 entering the season finale: Ravens at Steelers. A Pittsburgh win would result in a 9-8 tie. With a sweep of the Ravens, the Steelers would win the division on the first tiebreaker.
The Steelers can lock up the AFC North before Week 18, but it’s also likely the division title — and a playoff spot — comes down to the regular season finale against the Ravens. The good news for the Steelers is that their win over Miami means they’re guaranteed to stay in the playoff hunt through the end of the season, even if they drop their next two games.
You can play with ESPN’s playoff machine to determine the different possible outcomes of a competitive AFC playoff picture this year. There’s a chance Week 17 is meaningless to both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but I don’t buy the possibility of either team sitting its starters.
Dolphins-Steelers on ‘Monday Night Football’: What We Learned from Pittsburgh’s 28-15 win
(From NFL.com’s Nick Shook): Rodgers happy to have some veterans along for the ride. It’s been known for some time that Rodgers prefers familiar faces in his receiving corps (remember how much he disliked throwing to Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs at the end of his Packers tenure?), so it was no surprise to see him break out a wide grin after he connected with his old pal, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, for a 19-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. Adam Thielen is also in the mix now, and while Thielen only finished with one catch for 7 yards — and Thielen and Valdes-Scantling combined for just two catches — their presence seems to have eased Rodgers’ generally testy nature.
Shook brings up a good point that Rodgers hasn’t meshed well with young receivers late in his career. It’s no coincidence he’s playing better with two new veterans in the fold.
A night to honor three Steelers legends
(From Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley): Linebacker Joey Porter Sr., center Maurkice Pouncey and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger all made a huge impact on the organization and completed a class that brought plenty of glory to the black and gold.
The Class of 2025 was officially enshrined during a dinner on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium, and will be honored during Monday night’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Pittsburgh’s big win over Miami was the headliner Monday night, but don’t forget that some Steelers royalty received well-earned inductions into the team’s Hall of Honor as well. Varley’s piece captures some great quotes and pictures from the event.
Another former Aaron Rodgers wide receiver hits the open market for Steelers
(From PennLive’s Nick Farabaugh): The New York Jets have released former Aaron Rodgers target Allen Lazard, according to multiple reports. Lazard requested his release and now will find a new home, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely on that short list.
The Jets have moved on from a veteran receiver and longtime target of Aaron Rodgers. Lazard has 10 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown this year on the
Will the Steelers sign Allen Lazard?
With Lazard requesting a release and Pittsburgh on a streak of signing veteran pass catchers, the writing seems on the wall. The Steelers do have two open spots on their practice squad (and they can no longer bring back Ke’Shawn Williams) and it would make sense for Lazard to fill one.
With three games left in the regular season, Pittsburgh would be able to elevate Lazard whenever it wants from the practice squad, and as evidenced earlier, Rodgers loves to reunite with his favorite receivers.
Lazard has had a down 2025, but in 2024 with the Jets he had the second-best year of his career with 530 receiving yards. The 30-year-old has a big frame at 6’5 and makes some sense for Pittsburgh from a roster-building standpoint. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if Lazard rejoins his longtime quarterback in the Steel City to close out the season.
Do you think the Steelers will want to sign Allen Lazard? Should they? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
