Introduction
The latest Steelers game ended with Pittsburgh putting together a 28-9 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium, but the final score only tells part of the story.
This was the preseason opener for both teams and the first game of the Mike McCarthy era in Pittsburgh. McCarthy did not play Aaron Rodgers, instead giving Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar opportunities at quarterback.
For Pittsburgh, the bigger story was depth.
Several young players took advantage of extended opportunities, while Kaden Wetjen delivered one of the game’s biggest plays with a 74-yard catch-and-run. Allar also scored on a three-yard run, while Pittsburgh’s defense repeatedly forced Green Bay into difficult situations.
The Packers, meanwhile, found a few bright spots of their own, particularly rookie kicker Trey Smack, who converted every field-goal attempt he took.
Background and Context
The game represented an important early checkpoint for both organizations.
For Pittsburgh, it was the first preseason game under McCarthy, who was hired to lead the Steelers into a new phase after the team moved on from its previous coaching era.
For Green Bay, the objective was less about the scoreboard and more about getting selected starters meaningful live repetitions.
The Packers started Jordan Love and several first-team players. Love played one possession and finished 3-of-5 for 18 yards, including a 19-yard completion to Jayden Reed. The opening drive ended with a field goal rather than a touchdown.
Pittsburgh took a different approach with its quarterbacks.
Rodgers did not play, leaving Rudolph, Howard and Allar to handle the game. Steelers.com noted that all three provided useful evaluation opportunities for the coaching staff.
That is the real purpose of August football.
The final score matters, but roster decisions matter more.
Latest Update: Steelers Beat Packers 28-9
Pittsburgh gradually pulled away after Green Bay initially held a 9-7 advantage in the third quarter.
The Steelers finished with four touchdown drives, including a 74-yard catch-and-run by Wetjen that became one of the defining plays of the night.
Wetjen, a rookie drafted primarily to contribute in the return game, showed that he can also be a factor at wide receiver. His 74-yard play came on third-and-7 and set up another statement moment for a player competing for a roster spot.
Allar added a rushing touchdown, while the Steelers’ other quarterbacks combined to keep the offense moving.
The final result was convincing, but Pittsburgh’s own postgame analysis pointed to a major area that still needs work: penalties.
The Steelers were assessed 12 penalties, with 11 accepted for 134 yards. Six of the accepted penalties were for unnecessary roughness.
For McCarthy, that was clearly not something to overlook simply because the team won.
Drew Allar Gives Steelers Fans Something to Watch
The most intriguing quarterback development came from rookie Drew Allar.
The former Penn State quarterback entered the game after Rudolph and showed the mobility that made him an interesting prospect for Pittsburgh.
Allar ran for a three-yard touchdown, contributing directly to the Steelers’ scoring attack. Steelers.com identified the rookie as one of the three quarterbacks McCarthy used while evaluating the team’s depth.
The bigger question is not whether Allar will immediately challenge for the starting job.
He will not.
The more interesting question is whether he can force Pittsburgh to consider keeping four quarterbacks or create a difficult roster decision elsewhere.
That is exactly the type of evaluation preseason games are designed to produce.
Kaden Wetjen Emerges as a Potential Roster Story
If there was one player who changed his roster outlook during the Steelers game, it was Wetjen.
The rookie’s 74-yard reception demonstrated more than straight-line speed.
He was drafted to help Pittsburgh in the return game, but his performance against Green Bay gave the coaching staff evidence that he can contribute offensively as well.
He also scored on a four-yard touchdown that extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 21-7 in the fourth quarter.
That combination is valuable.
A player who can contribute in multiple phases has a better chance of surviving the final roster cuts because he does not need to justify his spot through one position alone.
The next two preseason games will determine whether Wetjen can turn one impressive night into a sustained roster push.
Green Bay’s Bright Spot: Trey Smack
The Packers did not leave Pittsburgh empty-handed.
Rookie kicker Trey Smack delivered arguably the strongest individual performance for Green Bay.
He made four field goals, although one 58-yard attempt was wiped out by a Steelers penalty and therefore did not count officially. His other makes included kicks from 37, 58 and 38 yards.
The second 58-yarder came immediately after an impressive two-minute drive led by Kyle McCord.
For a kicker whose training-camp performance had created questions, the night represented an important confidence boost.
Sports Illustrated noted that Smack had converted only 20 of 28 field-goal attempts during training camp before the game. His perfect night in Pittsburgh therefore carried more significance than a simple preseason stat line.
He now has another opportunity to build momentum.
Kyle McCord Provides Another Packers Bright Spot
Green Bay’s third quarterback also gave the coaching staff something positive to evaluate.
Kyle McCord played during the second and third quarters and completed 12 of 16 passes for 102 yards. His most impressive sequence came during a late first-half two-minute drive.
With very little time remaining, McCord completed four consecutive passes and hustled to spike the ball with one second left.
That put Smack in position for the second 58-yard field goal.
Matt LaFleur praised McCord’s poise and execution, while Jordan Love also highlighted the quarterback’s efficiency.
It was precisely the kind of preseason sequence that can affect a backup quarterback competition.
The Steelers Defense Shows Depth
Pittsburgh’s defense was not at full strength.
Several veteran defenders were held out, yet the unit still created enough pressure and disruption to make life difficult for Green Bay’s reserves.
The Steelers’ quarterbacks completed 27 of 33 passes, so there were obvious issues for the Packers’ defense. But Pittsburgh also demonstrated considerable depth on offense and defense.
Jamin Davis was particularly active.
Steelers.com reported that Davis recorded eight tackles, two sacks and three quarterback hits as he competes for a role on the edge.
The performance creates another roster question for Pittsburgh.
The team has several established defensive linemen, while rookie Gabriel Rubio also made a case for consideration with six tackles despite frequently facing double teams.
That is a good problem for a coaching staff to have.
Expert Analysis: Why the Final Score Matters Less
The Steelers game was a 19-point victory, but evaluating it like a regular-season contest would miss the point.
The starters played limited snaps.
Pittsburgh rested Rodgers.
Both teams used experimental combinations.
And neither coaching staff had much incentive to reveal its complete playbook.
Sports Illustrated explicitly framed the final score as less important than the individual developments emerging from the game.
That does not mean the result is meaningless.
A preseason game can expose depth problems, reveal roster candidates and identify players who respond well when the lights come on.
For Pittsburgh, the positives were obvious.
For Green Bay, the defensive breakdowns and the kicking performance provided a useful contrast.
Broader Implications
For the Steelers
Pittsburgh now has several roster decisions becoming more complicated.
The quarterback room is one of them.
The team must decide whether three quarterbacks are enough, while Allar’s performance gives the coaching staff a legitimate reason to continue examining the possibility of keeping four.
The wide receiver competition also received an unexpected boost from Wetjen.
Then there is the defensive front, where Davis and Rubio made strong cases for themselves.
For Mike McCarthy
The win gave McCarthy a positive opening night, but his own postgame comments highlighted the problem that could become a theme during the next two weeks.
Discipline.
The Steelers committed 11 accepted penalties for 134 yards, including six unnecessary-roughness penalties.
McCarthy said the staff would review each penalty and emphasized accountability.
That is especially relevant for a new coaching staff.
Energy is useful.
Undisciplined energy is not.
For Green Bay
The Packers have plenty of film to study.
The first-team offense produced only a field goal, while the reserve defense surrendered four long touchdown drives. Pittsburgh quarterbacks combined for 333 passing yards.
Still, the Packers can point to Smack, McCord and several defensive moments as positives.
The next preseason game will reveal which lessons carry over.
For additional coverage of sports, technology and data-driven performance, an internal link opportunity is The Tech Marketer.
Related History and Comparable Technologies
Preseason football has always served as an evaluation laboratory.
Modern NFL teams now have more data than ever to assess players, from practice performance to game tracking and advanced analytics.
That makes the preseason less about traditional box-score evaluation and more about identifying repeatable traits.
A 74-yard catch can change a player’s roster outlook.
A series of penalties can expose a discipline problem.
A successful two-minute drive can strengthen a quarterback’s case.
A missed field goal in practice can suddenly matter much less after a perfect game under stadium lights.
The Steelers game illustrated all of those dynamics in one night.
What Happens Next
The Steelers return to training camp with two preseason games remaining.
The team’s own postgame analysis noted that Pittsburgh still had four more days at Saint Vincent College and two preseason games before the 53-man roster deadline on August 30.
That gives McCarthy and his staff limited time to make decisions.
Allar will get more opportunities.
Wetjen will have to prove that his breakout performance was not a one-night event.
Davis and Rubio will continue competing for defensive roster spots.
And the coaching staff will be watching the penalty count closely.
Green Bay faces a similar evaluation process.
Smack has given himself momentum in the kicking competition, while McCord has added another strong piece of film to his quarterback evaluation.
The preseason opener is over.
The roster race is only beginning.
Conclusion
The latest Steelers game produced exactly what a preseason opener is supposed to produce: questions.
Pittsburgh won 28-9, but the real story was the emergence of players fighting for roster spots.
Kaden Wetjen showed explosive potential as both a returner and receiver. Drew Allar provided an intriguing glimpse of his mobility. Jamin Davis created pressure. Gabriel Rubio made himself part of the defensive-line conversation.
The biggest concern was discipline.
Eleven accepted penalties for 134 yards is a number McCarthy will not want to see repeated.
Green Bay had its own positives. Trey Smack delivered a perfect night on his field-goal attempts, while Kyle McCord demonstrated poise during a late first-half drive.
None of those developments guarantees anything when roster cuts arrive.
But that is why preseason exists.
The Steelers got the win.
The more important result is that several players gave their coaches something to think about.
FAQ
What was the Steelers game score against the Packers?
Pittsburgh defeated Green Bay 28-9 in the preseason opener at Acrisure Stadium.
Who was the standout player for the Steelers?
Kaden Wetjen was one of Pittsburgh’s biggest standouts, recording a 74-yard catch-and-run and a four-yard touchdown.
Did Aaron Rodgers play in the Steelers game?
No. Steelers.com reported that Mike McCarthy decided not to use Rodgers, giving Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar the quarterback snaps instead.
How did Drew Allar perform?
Allar scored a three-yard rushing touchdown and gained valuable preseason experience in his first NFL game action.
What happened with Trey Smack?
Green Bay rookie kicker Trey Smack made all four field goals he attempted, although one 58-yard kick was erased by a penalty and did not count officially.
Why was the Steelers game important for Kaden Wetjen?
Wetjen was drafted primarily as a returner, but his 74-yard reception and touchdown showed that he could also contribute as a receiver.
What was Pittsburgh’s biggest problem?
Penalties were the biggest concern. The Steelers had 12 penalties assessed, with 11 accepted for 134 yards, including six unnecessary-roughness penalties.
What happens next for the Steelers?
Pittsburgh has two more preseason games to evaluate its roster before the 53-man roster deadline on August 30.
