At this point in the season, every single game becomes extremely important for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are tied with the Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North heading into their Week 13 matchup with the Buffalo Bills.
Luckily, the Steelers will have their starting quarterback for the crucial matchup with the Bills, as Aaron Rodgers has been cleared to return to action after a one-week stay on the sideline.
Aaron Rodgers will play in Week 13 vs. Bills
"He was a full participant today with no designation for the game," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Rodgers after practice on Friday. "So it's all systems go."
Rodgers missed Pittsburgh’s 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12 due to a left wrist fracture that he suffered the previous week against the Cincinnati Bengals. On the season, Rodgers has thrown for 1,969 yards and 19 touchdowns.
The extra week on the sideline afforded both Rodgers, and the doctors, some added confidence.
"Just more reps certainly, but certainly it's another week," Tomlin said. "And so I'm sure there's more comfort there -- not only in him, but in the medical experts."
The Steelers will need Rodgers to be at his best moving forward if they're going to qualify for postseason play for a third consecutive season. They have a tough stretch of schedule to close out the season that includes two matchups with the Ravens, in addition to games against the Bills, Dolphins, Lions and Browns. Those two games against the Ravens will go a long way towards determining who wins the division.