HH. Steelers Legend Terry Bradshaw Calls Out Deep Passing as Pittsburgh’s Fatal Weakness
Pittsburgh Steelers icon Terry Bradshaw has issued a stark warning about the team’s offensive struggles, identifying deep passing as a “fatal flaw” that threatens their 4-1 record. The Hall of Fame quarterback, who led the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s, expressed concern that this weakness could jeopardize their AFC North aspirations.
Bradshaw analyzed the Steelers’ recent 23-9 triumph over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6, where Aaron Rodgers threw for 235 yards. “Aaron’s still got that magic at 41—his reads and precision are top-notch,” Bradshaw remarked. “But the deep ball? That’s the killer. We’re stuck at 7.8 yards per attempt, 26th in big plays with just 17 through six weeks. Back in my day, we aired it out to Stallworth and Swann. Now, it’s all short routes and dinks. Without stretching the field, you’re an open book for defenses like Cincinnati’s.”
Bradshaw’s critique aligns with Pittsburgh’s offensive trends. Rodgers has completed 70% of his passes for 1,200 yards and 8 TDs, but only 15% are 20+ yard throws, according to Next Gen Stats. DK Metcalf’s 80-yard TD in Week 4 stands out, yet Calvin Austin III’s shoulder injury and Roman Wilson’s limited impact (1 catch, 7 yards) have stifled vertical threats. The run game, averaging 78.7 yards per game (28th in NFL), pushes Rodgers toward conservative play, amplifying the problem.
A four-time Super Bowl MVP with 27,989 passing yards, Bradshaw knows winning requires balance. “We had a dominant line and stretched defenses with deep balls,” he added. “Pittsburgh’s got Metcalf and Austin when healthy, but Tomlin and Smith must let them fly. Otherwise, this offense stays good—not great.”
Steelers Nation on X agrees, with #DeepPassFix trending: “Terry’s spot on—Rodgers needs to air it out!” As the 4-1 Steelers gear up for Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Bradshaw’s insight serves as a clarion call. Will Pittsburgh address this fatal flaw to chase Super Bowl glory, or will it hinder their postseason run?
Vikings QB Carson Wentz Primed for ‘Revenge Game’ in Week 7
There is one specific storyline that’s going to come up whenever any NFL team faces one of its old starting quarterbacks. One part of that formula is we can usually ratchet up that attention the higher the draft pick.
While some of that luster may have been lost for a variety of reasons, when the Minnesota Vikings host the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, they’ll do so with Carson Wentz starting at quarterback in place of injured 2024 first round pick J.J. McCarthy.
That’s notable because Wentz, once upon a time, was the player the Eagles pinned all of their franchise hopes and dreams on.
To recap: Philadelphia drafted Wentz No. 2 overall out of North Dakota State in the 2016 NFL draft, watched him earn NFL All-Pro honors and win a Super Bowl in his second season and signed him to a 4-year, $128 million contract extension before the 2019 season.
To say Wentz doesn’t have extra motivation against the team he used to play for and the player who ultimately took his spot in quarterback and reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts would be to simply deny the human condition.
No matter what anyone on either side might say, it matters.
There was some speculation McCarthy might return for the Vikings after missing the last 4 games due to an ankle injury until head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Wentz would make his fourth consecutive start.
“The Carson Wentz revenge game is officially on,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account on October 17. “Kevin O’Connell announces Wentz will start for the Vikings against the Eagles.”
‘Revenge’ Narrative Not Really What It Seems
This isn’t the first time Wentz has faced his old team. In his only other time facing the Eagles, Wentz started for the Washington Commanders in a 24-8 loss in 2022 in which he was largely ineffective, going 25-of-43 passing for 211 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
No matter how media types might want to spin it, sometimes a “revenge” narrative might not always be what it seems — something Eagles Pin Pull podcast host Shane Haff astutely pointed out is the case with Wentz.
“Hard to call it a revenge game when the team benched you while you were playing terribly and then acquiesced to your trade request in the offseason, trading you to the coach you wanted to play for,” Haff wrote on his official X account on October 17. “The Eagles didn’t do wrong by Carson Wentz. Every time a player plays a former team we don’t have to call it a ‘revenge’ game.”
Wentz Made NFL History in 2025
Wentz made NFL history when he started for the Vikings in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, becoming the first quarterback to start for 6 different teams in 6 consecutive seasons.
Wentz started 12 games for the Eagles in 2020, 17 games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2021, 7 games for the Commanders in 2022, 1 game for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and 1 game for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024.
“If he starts for the Vikings this weekend, Carson Wentz would become the first quarterback in NFL history to start at least one game for six different teams in six consecutive seasons,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote on his official X account on September 15.
