Postseason preparation begins long before the final week of the regular season. The smartest teams treat December like an early playoff slate—every decision, every adjustment, every personnel call carries weight. The Pittsburgh Steelers have earned a reputation for being one of those deliberate, forward-thinking franchises.
But on Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, their choice to start Aaron Rodgers against the Buffalo Bills felt like a rare misstep—one that may have done more harm than good.
Rodgers wasn’t brought to Pittsburgh just to throw passes. He was brought to stabilize a wandering offense, to serve as a guiding light for a quarterback room full of questions and raw talent.