4 minSports
Rodgers Throws Three Touchdowns as Steelers Beat Colts 34-22
Aaron Rodgers passed for 235 yards and three touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 34-22 win over Indianapolis, moving past Peyton Manning for third on the career touchdown passes list and past Ben Roethlisberger for fifth in regular-season wins by a starting quarterback.
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 34-22 on Sunday, improving to 3-2 and extending the 42-year-old quarterback's streak of three-touchdown games to three. Rodgers finished with 235 passing yards and no turnovers, a marked turnaround from the first two weeks of the season, when he threw one touchdown against two turnovers.
The performance came after a rocky start. Pittsburgh's opening possession lost 15 yards before a punt, but Rodgers responded on the next drive by finding running back Jaylen Warren on a short completion just before taking a hit from defensive tackle Grover Stewart. Warren turned the catch into an 80-yard touchdown. Rodgers completed his first 11 passes and did not record an incompletion until midway through the second quarter.
Warren was central to the offensive output, finishing with 188 yards from scrimmage and adding a 50-yard touchdown run alongside his long receiving score. His production helped inflate Rodgers' passing numbers, but the veteran quarterback also delivered in the game's decisive moment. With Pittsburgh leading 24-22 in the fourth quarter, Rodgers connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 17-yard touchdown on third-and-6. It was Freiermuth's second touchdown catch of the afternoon and effectively sealed the win.
Over the past three games, Rodgers has passed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns. He has also thrown three interceptions in that stretch, leaving him with an average of one turnover per game, a figure the Steelers will want reduced as the season progresses. Sunday's clean performance, however, offered evidence that the 42-year-old still has productive football left in his right arm.
The game carried historical significance. The touchdown pass to Warren moved Rodgers ahead of Peyton Manning for third place on the career touchdown passes list, including the postseason. Only Tom Brady and Drew Brees remain ahead of him. The victory also gave Rodgers 166 regular-season wins as a starting quarterback, moving him past Ben Roethlisberger into fifth place all time. Passing a Steelers legend while wearing a Steelers uniform added a notable footnote to the afternoon.
For Pittsburgh, the more immediate question is whether Rodgers can sustain this level of play. The Steelers need an offense that capitalizes when the defense gets stops, finishes drives with touchdowns and produces big plays when games tighten. Rodgers and Warren provided all three elements against Indianapolis.
The AFC North remains highly competitive, with all four teams already holding three wins. Pittsburgh's upcoming schedule offers an opportunity to keep rolling. The Steelers play at Tampa Bay in Week 6 and then face New Orleans in Paris. The Buccaneers and Saints have a combined record of 2-8. After that come two crucial division games against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, with a bye week in between.
Whether Rodgers can maintain this production as the season wears on is uncertain, and three strong games do not settle every question about the team. But after nine touchdown passes in three weeks, the early-season doubts about the quarterback's viability have faded considerably.
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