Packer Central

Packers-Steelers Score, Live Updates as Jordan Love Beats Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) will face the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) on Sunday night. Follow along for all the updates as Jordan Love and the Packers go against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.
Bill Huber|
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is leading the team into Sunday night's game at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is leading the team into Sunday night's game at the Pittsburgh Steelers. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers will play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night in a hyped matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love and teams that are atop their division.

Who will win? Follow along all night for updates.

Final Score: Packers 35, Steelers 25

Fourth Quarter

Packers 35, Steelers 25 (2:07 remaining)

Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers aren’t dead yet. But close. Rodgers threw a strike to Roman Wilson for a 21-yard touchdown, as he controlled the ball long enough before Carrington Valentine knocked the ball loose. The Steelers needed two points to keep the game alive. After Valentine was flagged for interference on the first try, linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper pried the ball loose before tight end Jonnu Smith could gain control.

Romeo Doubs recovered the onside kick.

Packers 35, Steelers 19 (3:59 remaining)

Set up at Pittsburgh’s 26 following Cooper’s fumble, the Packers managed a 25-yard field goal to make it a 16-point game.

Jordan Love has 360 passing yards – 111 more than Aaron Rodgers.

Packers 32, Steelers 19 (5:07 remaining)

Edgerrin Cooper forced a fumble and Javon Bullard recovered, and that probably will seal Green Bay’s come-from-behind victory.

Packers 32, Steelers 19 (5:28 remaining)

A 28-yard completion to Christian Watson and a 14-yard completion to Romeo Doubs on third-and-9 – those were Jordan Love’s 19th and 20th consecutive – set up Brandon McManus’ 28-yard field goal.

Packers 29, Steelers 19 (8:56 remaining)

The Steelers had a third-and-2 but turned into third-and-17 when D.K. Metcalf shoved linebacker Quay Walker long after the play was over. Rashan Gary took down Aaron Rodgers for his second sack of the game for a three-and-out punt.

Packers 29, Steelers 19 (10:57 remaining)

Nobody can stop Tucker Kraft. And nobody can stop the Packers in the second half. On third-and-4 and with Darian Kinnard in at right tackle for injured Zach Tom, Love ripped a slant to Kraft, who caught the ball at the 19 against safety Chuck Clark and outran him for the touchdown.

Kraft has seven receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns and Love is up to 317 yards and three touchdowns.

Packers 22, Steelers 19 (12:58 remaining)

What time is it? Micah Parsons:30. Parsons sacked Aaron Rodgers on first down and forced a throwaway on second down. That led to a three-and-out punt. A good return by Romeo Doubs and a personal foul by Nick Herbig will set up the Packers at Pittsburgh’s 45.

Packers 22, Steelers 19 (14:55 remaining)

On third-and-7 on the second-to-last play of the third quarter, Jordan Love escaped to his right and saw Christian Watson streaking diagonally to the left. Love’s pass floated over safety Juan Thornhill to Watson for a gain of 33 against cornerback Brandin Echols to the 7. On second-and-goal from the 3, Josh Jacobs put the Packers on top. Watson blocked safety Chuck Clark at the line and Jacobs ran through Thornhill’s tackle attempt. Love’s pass to wide-open Romeo Doubs tacked on two points.

Third Quarter

Steelers 19, Packers 14 (5:34 remaining)

Chris Boswell booted his third 50-plus-yard field goal of the night, this time a 56-yarder. A 24-yard pass to D.K. Metcalf with one missed tackle and an 11-yard completion to Jaylen Warren with two missed tackles got the Steelers into scoring position. On first down, Karl Brooks appeared to have sacked Aaron Rodgers and forced a fumble that Rashan Gary fumbled. Rodgers, however, flipped the ball about a foot into the calf of Warren for one of the best incompletions of his life.

Steelers 16, Packers 14 (8:48 remaining)

On third-and-5 from the 15 at the start of the drive, Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen beat the Packers running back Josh Jacobs on a blitz. Jordan Love thew an absolute prayer in the direction of Tucker Kraft, who shoved DeShon Elliott and made the catch at the 32. Kraft turned a potential disaster into a gain of 59 that included 42 yards after the catch and one broken tackle.

The Packers capitalized. On fourth-and-1, a play-action fake set up a pass into the flat to Kraft, who gained 7 yards to the 10. On second-and-goal from the 9 after a screen to Kraft left the star tight end shaken up, Savion Williams motioned across the formation to the left and caught a flare from Love. With Chris Brooks delivering the key block, Williams scored his first career touchdown.

Steelers 16, Packers 7 (14:01 remaining)

On third-and-8, Aaron Rodgers coaxed Devonte Wyatt offside and threw incomplete, with Keisean Nixon breaking up the pass. Somehow, no flag was thrown. After an officiating conference, the officials determined that the Packers still weren’t offside. Javon Bullard was flagged for holding on the return, Green Bay’s second return-unit penalty of the night.

Halftime: Steelers 16, Packers 7

Green Bay looks nothing like the team that beat the Lions and Commanders to start the season. The Steelers are rolling at halftime. Green Bay can’t run the ball. It can’t move the chains. It can’t stop the run. It can’t kick field goals. And it can’t stop Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers is 11-of-15 for 102 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to D.K. Metcalf with 34 seconds left in the half. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is outrushing the Packers 81-19.

At least Jordan Love drove the Packers into field-goal range before halftime, but Brandon McManus missed his second field goal of the half.

Second Quarter

Steelers 16, Packers 7 (0:00 remaining)

Brandon McManus missed a 44-yard field goal, a fitting ending to a hideous first half by the first-place Packers. Jordan Love drove the Packers into position with a 19-yard completion to Christian Watson and a facemask by T.J. Watt.

Steelers 16, Packers 7 (0:34 remaining)

With Aaron Rodgers’ 2-yard touchdown pass to D.K. Metcalf, the Packers are in big trouble with the Steelers set to get the ball to open the second half.

Pittsburgh’s rushing attack destroyed the Packers. With Carrington Valentine at corner, the Steelers ran back-to-back tosses his way with physical receiver Ben Skowronek as the lead blocker. That resulted in gains of 9 and 17 to the left. One play later, Kenneth Gainwell bounced a run to the right for 14 to Green Bay’s 37 at the 2-minute warning.

It might not have mattered, though. On third-and-9, Edgerrin Cooper exploded up the middle on the blitz and buried Rodgers. Rodgers got the pass off, though, and Nixon ran through Calvin Austin for a 21-yard penalty for interference.

Steelers 9, Packers 7 (4:06 remaining)

Another three-and-out for the Packers, which they couldn’t afford with the Steelers set to get the ball to start the second half. On third-and-3, Tucker Kraft dropped an easy pass.

Pittsburgh’s run defense, ranking just below the league average entering the game and was routed last week by the Bengals’ woeful rushing attack, has held the Packers to 19 rushing yards on seven carries.

Steelers 9, Packers 7 (5:52 remaining)

The Packers had the Steelers in a third-and-8 at the start of the drive. Under pressure, Aaron Rodgers went deep to D.K. Metcalf, with Evan Williams making a leaping breakup, but Keisean Nixon was flagged for holding. Jaylen Warren exploded through two big holes for a combined gain of 15 but Kingsley Enagbare crushed Warren for a loss of 5 and ruined a screen before Chris Boswell kicked a 48-yard, go-ahead field goal.

Packers 7, Steelers 6 (12:18 remaining)

The Packers went three-and-out. Jordan Love is 8-of-12; three of the incompletions are to Romeo Doubs, including a first-down bomb.

Packers 7, Steelers 6 (12:18 remaining)

The Packers’ Brandon McManus missed a long field goal but the Steelers’ Chris Boswell is 2-for-2 from long distance, including a 50-yarder. Given a short field after McManus missed from 57, Aaron Rodgers went deep to D.K. Metcalf on third-and-3. Metcalf had position against Carrington Valentine but Valentine broke up the pass in the end zone.

Packers 7, Steelers 3 (14:50 remaining)

Brandon McManus, back after missing the last two games, was short from 57 yards. After Emanuel Wilson gained one first down, Love threw a pass into the flat to Tucker Kraft, who sprinted past the angle of one defender and broke a tackle attempt by Joey Porter Jr. for a gain of 33 that included 32 after the catch. On the first play of the second quarter, Love went deep to Romeo Doubs, who had a chance to make the play but dropped the ball.

First Quarter

Packers 7, Steelers 3 (3:20 remaining)

The Packers forced a three-and-out. On second down, Edgerrin Cooper led Aaron Rodgers like a book and was a step away from an interception. On third-and-13, Cooper was all over a checkdown to Pat Freiermuth.

With light work on defense, former All-Pro returner Keisean Nixon was back for the punt. He muffed the kick, but Zayne Anderson saved his bacon.

So much for this:

Carrington Valentine is playing in Hobbs’ spot.

Packers 7, Steelers 3 (5:05 remaining)

Tucker Kraft in the open field is a mismatch. Jordan Love zinged one around T.J. Watt to Kraft, who caught the ball at the 17, broke two tackles and scored a 16-yard touchdown. On the second play of the drive, Green Bay lined up in the I-formation, faked the handoff to Josh Jacobs and completed a pass to Romeo Doubs for 24. One play before the touchdown, Malik Heath caught a pass at the line of scrimmage, broke a tackle and gained 16.

Steelers 3, Packers 0 (8:41 remaining)

Chris Boswell made a 56-yard field goal. The Packers have to keep this a third-and-long game. That was evident at the start. On third-and-3, Aaron Rodgers broke contain, the Packers blew coverage and Rodgers hit Roman Wilson for 45. The drive stalled, though, because of offensive pass interference, which turned second-and-5 into, ultimately, third-and-15. Micah Parsons lined up at middle linebacker, won his matchup and forced Rodgers to step up in the pocket. Rashan Gary sacked Rodgers.

Packers 0, Steelers 0 (13:26 remaining)

The Packers went three-and-out. After a 5-yard completion to Christian Watson in his return to the lineup, they opted to throw it on third-and-1. The Steelers blitzed, Josh Jacobs picked it up but Jordan Love’s pass went off the hands of Romeo Doubs.

Clutch Jordan Love

There, obviously, has been an incredible amount of focus on Aaron Rodgers facing his former team. Rodgers, of course, won’t be the only quarterback on the field, and his understudy is off to an impressive start to the season.

Last week, Jordan Love put together his second fourth-quarter comeback and first game-winning drive of the season. Not part of those numbers are the five consecutive drives in which he rallied Green Bay to a tie at Dallas.

Coming through in the clutch is a necessity to be considered a top quarterback.

“It’s not just him, but I would say one of his superpowers is his ability to stay composed in the most chaotic of moments,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “And I think that’s true with most great quarterbacks is they just are going to stay even keel and play the next play and treat it as its own entity. And I think he has done a really nice job with that.

“But I also think just having some of these guys now that have been through the fire a little bit (and) are a little bit more battle tested to be in those moments to help him, because football is not like basketball, where you can go out and a guy can just take over a game and score 50 points. Football, you need everybody around you. That’s why we say, always say it takes all 11.”

Yes, but one of those 11 is more important than the others. That’s why they get paid the big bucks is to be that rising tide that lifts all boats.

Love has shown that ability this season.

“If you have great quarterback play,” LaFleur continued, “you can overcome some shortcomings in different areas. But, ultimately, you need the people around you to be on the same page with you so that you can go out there and drive the team down the field.”

Leaky Packers Pass Defense?

In Week 4, the Packers couldn’t stop Dak Prescott in a 40-40 tie at Dallas. After the bye, the Packers needed a late field goal to hold off a second-half comeback by Joe Flacco and the Bengals in Week 6. Last week, backup Jacoby Brissett completed 14 consecutive passes and had the Cardinals in position to upset the Packers.

If the Packers couldn’t stop Flacco and Brissett, how are they going to stop Aaron Rodgers?

Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley dismissed any questions about his pass defense.

“Our secondary right now, in the NFL, has given up less pass yards per play than any secondary in the National Football League and I don't think they get enough credit for that,” he said on Thursday. “Our secondary is No. 1 in the NFL in yards per pass play, and I give them huge credit for that, along with the rush.”

Sure enough, Green Bay entered Week 8 atop the league with 5.34 yards allowed per passing attempt. Even over those last three games, the Packers are tied for ninth in yards allowed per attempt.

“I’m with Haf,” safety Xavier McKinney said. “I think statistically if you look at the numbers, that’s going to tell you what all you need to know. Like I said, I’m with Haf and I’m not going to go against Haf on that one.”

McKinney’s concern was the missed assignments that cropped up last week but hadn’t been an issue to start the season. He wasn’t worried, though, and repeated a phrase that special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia uses.

“Bumper sticker says, ‘Sh** happens,’” McKinney said. “We’re not going to be perfect all the time. In this league, guys are getting paid just like we’re getting paid. We’re going to make mistakes; nobody’s perfect. I think the biggest thing, especially in the DB room, you’ve got to be short-minded. Something happen bad? All right, next play. Something good happen? All right, next play. We didn’t really dwell on it.

“Obviously, we talked about it and made our adjustments but we’re not going to sit up here and keep talking about it. We’re going to fix it, correct it, and we’re going to move on and keep it from happening again.”

Aaron Rodgers’ Snap Count

Packers coach Matt LaFleur has grown a bit exasperated about his defense doing silly things like jumping offside. His defense has been flagged six times for defensive offside or neutral-zone infraction.

“The thing that we definitely have to clean up, (and) you can sit there and talk about it until you’re blue in the face in terms of third down,” he said. “What is an offense going to try to do? They’re going to try to draw you offsides. The fact that we did it twice is really disappointing.”

Parsons has been guilty of six penalties – fourth-most in the league. Five of them are for offside or neutral-zone infractions.

Enter the quarterback master of cadence, Aaron Rodgers.

“I’m not worried,” Parsons said. “I don’t go to bed thinking about that cadence. I know I’ve got a tendency to jump offsides, but I tell them I’m trying to help the team. That’s just me playing hard. I just hope I just don’t cause people a rough time. I just hope I don’t cost the team. Every penalty cost the team, but I just hope I don’t hurt us too bad. I’m going to try not to jump offsides, and I’m going to focus.

“It’s a focus thing more than his cadence thing. I just when you get tired, you try and make a play, we all make mistakes, but I’m going to try to clean that up, but I’m not worried about it at all.”

Packers-Steelers Quick Hits

- Between regular season and playoffs, Aaron Rodgers threw 520 touchdown passes in a Packers uniform. With a win on Sunday, he’d join Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees as the quarterbacks to have beaten every team.

- Last week, Rodgers moved up to fifth place on the all-time list for passing yards.

- On Sunday nights, Jordan Love has thrown 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions, good for a 121.1 passer rating. He’ll look to join Brees (twice) and Rodgers as the only quarterbacks with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of at least 100 in five consecutive Sunday night starts.

- With last week’s three-sack game, Micah Parsons recorded his 16th game of two-plus sacks since being drafted in 2021. Only Hall of Famers Reggie White (24 games), Richard Dent (19) and Jared Allen (17) as future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt (21) have more.

The Cardinals were the only team to give Parsons a steady diet of one-on-one blocks. That failed miserably.

“It’s about playing to win,” Parsons said. “It’s hard to win games max protecting every game and doing two-man routes. If you’re going to go out there and win, you’ve got to see what you’ve got. We’re about to hit November football – October’s almost up – and you talk about making the playoffs and championships and going the distance, it happens now.

“You’ve got to see what you’ve got on your team. Even us, we’ve got to challenge ourselves and push ourselves to go out there and be competitive regardless of circumstances. If they’re going to chip in playoff football, then we’ve got to be ready to learn how to beat chips. It challenges all. If they’re going to play us one on one, then we’ve got to learn how to win one on one blocks.”

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.