PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers went to war with the Indianapolis Colts. Both organizations were looking for their third victory of the season, but the Steelers left Acrisure Stadium victorious.
The Steelers out together an impressive win over the Colts, defeating them by a final score of 34-22.
It was a winning effort from the Steelers, but how impressive were they in victory? Riding high after their third home win of the season, this is how the Steelers' Week 5 performance grades out
Offense: A-
There was tons to like about the offense, which was undoubtedly the best piece of the Steelers in Week 5.
Aaron Rodgers etched his name in Pittsburgh franchise history, joining Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger as the only quarterbacks to record three touchdown passes in three consecutive games or more. He finished Week 5 22/31 for 235 yards and three touchdowns.
Even better news exiting the game was the offensive line keeping Rodgers protected. They only allowed one sack in Week 5 and gave Rodgers plenty of time and space in the pocket.
The star of the game, once again, was running back Jaylen Warren. With 15 carries for 101 yards, plus six receptions for 87 yards and an additional score, Warren was an unstoppable force against the Colts. He broke off a 50-yard run for one of his touchdowns, and took a screen pass 87 yards to the house for another.
Rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard had the biggest game of his young career as well. Without Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson exiting the game at halftime, Bernard was a frequent target. He finished the game with six receptions for 80 yards on nine targets.
Defense: B-
The biggest win of the day for the defense was how they shut down star running back Jonathan Taylor. One of the premier runners in the NFL, the Steelers limited him to less than 50 yards on the ground.
It wasn't a perfect day for the defense, however. They allowed 267 passing yards to quarterback Daniel Jones while only getting him once in the backfield. They also failed to contain tight end Tyler Warren, who posted seven receptions for 83 yards on nine targets.
In the end, the Steelers did enoug defensively to get the victory. But for another week, the defense has had some serious flaws exposed.
Special Teams: B+
Chris Boswell had a bounce back game, hitting both field goals he attempted in Week 5. That included a long of 54 yards and it put the Steelers in front by 12 points in the final moments of the contest.
Punter Cameron Johnson was rock solid in his work as well. He punted three times, posting an average of 52.0 yards per punt.
Even rookie Kaden Wetjen had a good day in the return game. On five kick-off return attempts, he posted 110 yards, good for an average of 22.0 per return.
The Steelers couldn't ask for much more from their special teamsin the win.
Coaching: B+
You can't be critical of this staff's performance in Week 5. Sure, there were things to clean up, but this was an excellent response to the Week 4 stinker they left.
Head coach Mike McCarthy called a great game offensively, but Patrick Graham moving from the booth to the sideline was a big difference maker. Maybe it was a placebo effect, but the communication was much smoother and well-mannered in Week 5 compared to Week 4.
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