The Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers picked up a nice Week 1 win over the New York Jets.
It wasn't easy by any means, as the game was a back-and-forth affair that ended up being decided by Chris Boswell's leg. Rodgers got the last laugh against his former team, and the Steelers escaped with a 34-32 victory in one of the most exciting games of the opening weekend.
Rodgers had an excellent game against his former team as well. The quarterback completed 22 of his 30 pass attempts for 244 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Rodgers only threw for four touchdowns once last season, so it's encouraging to see the veteran do it in his first game as a Steeler.
After every week of action, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports updates his quarterback power rankings. Before Week 1 kicked off, Benjamin had Rodgers all the way down at No. 21. However, after the solid showing against the Jets, Benjamin moved Rodgers up to No. 15.
"Well, well, well. Maybe there is some life in that 41-year-old soul. Rodgers took four sacks in his Steelers debut, but on the whole, he shuffled around and flicked the ball with a comfort not seen in years," Benjamin explained.
As Benjamin noted, Rodgers appeared to be more comfortable than he's been in years. Of course, the veteran still took a few sacks, but his arm strength looked good and he's still just mobile enough.
As far as the other quarterbacks in the AFC North, predictably, Lamar Jackson is ranked the highest at No. 2. Joe Burrow came in at No. 11 and Joe Flacco came in at No. 29. Josh Allen earned the No. 1 ranking after leading the Buffalo Bills on an amazing late-game comeback against the Ravens.
If Rodgers can play near the level he played at in Week 1 all season, then the Steelers could be in good shape. The future Hall of Famer already appears to have solid chemistry with star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, and that could end up being a scary duo for opposing teams to deal with.
In Week 2, the Steelers return home to take on the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks lost their Week 1 matchup and will be desperately fighting for a win, so Rodgers will need to bring it again. After the Seahawks, the Steelers will take on the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings before their bye week.