The Week 17 game was a must-win for the Pittsburgh Steelers to confirm a spot in the playoffs. But sadly, that did not happen, and a veteran is pointing fingers at the Steelers’ quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, for the loss.

In Week 17, the Steelers had a disappointing game against the Cleveland Browns, suffering a 13-6 loss. Now, while speaking on Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, the Steelers’ veteran provided his analysis on the loss. While a former QB, Ben Roethlisberger, pointed fingers at Mike Tomlin’s playcalling, Heyward was convinced that the reason behind the loss was their star QB, Aaron Rodgers.

“We just didn’t make enough plays,” said Cam Heyward. “We got to the two-yard line. There was a chance to tie the ball game. I think we got to do a little bit of a better job taking care of the ball. I think penalties played a factor. We have to do a good job overcoming that. You’re not going to get every call. You’re not gonna get everything going to run your way. We got to make those plays coming into with Baltimore.”

Cam Heyward is accurate in pointing fingers towards the offense.

Late in the fourth quarter, at 4th-and-10, the Steelers chose to pass the football. But Rodgers’ pass was deflected, failing to convert the play into a first down, and as a result, the ball was turned over. At the very end of the game, the Steelers were 3rd-and-goal, with the scoreboard reading 13-6 in favor of the Browns. Rodgers threw the ball to Marquez Valdez-Scantling. Unfortunately, it was a poor throw. In the very next play, Rodgers repeated the same play, and this time, Marquez failed to catch the football and as the final whistle blew, the Browns were up by one touchdown.

The Steelers’ QB had a mere 168 passing yards with a completion rate of 53.9%. He was also sacked twice in the game.

It was not just the offense, the special teams also played a part in the loss. Chris Boswell missed a 54-yard field goal attempt when the score was 10-6. With Cam Heyward blaming the offense for the loss in Week 17, he also warned the Steelers defense to stay sharp ahead of Week 18.

Derrick Henry will pose the greatest threat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense needs to be extra careful against the Baltimore Ravens since their running game is the best in the league. And Cam Heyward has pointed out the key figure behind the Ravens being the leader in rushing offense.

“We know them [Baltimore Ravens], they know us, they love to run the ball,” Heyward said on the same podcast. “It’s a formula we have to be ready to stop. Starts with Derrick Henry and others. They’re going to try to run the ball with their quarterback, as well, whether it’s Lamar or Snoop [Tyler Huntley]. But yeah, we got to make plays on defense. We got to provide short field, we got to get turnovers, and we got to stop this run.”

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Running back Derrick Henry has been a menace to the entire league. In Week 17, the Ravens played the Green Bay Packers. Henry made 36 carries for 216 and 4 rushing TDs, helping his team win by 41-24. It marked his 32nd game with multiple touchdowns. His speed is a cheat code for Baltimore, and if they want easy money, they just bet on him.

To make things challenging for the Steelers, the RB has been in top form throughout the season. In 16 games, he made 287 carries, covering 1,469 yards for 16 touchdowns. People will be amazed to know that Henry scored 69.5% of the Ravens’ 23 rushing touchdowns. In the 2025 season, he is fourth in carries, third in rushing yards, and second in rushing touchdowns.

On top of Derrick Henry, there is also the star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Although Jackson is questionable to play in Week 18, he is one of the best dual-threat QBs in the league. With a 63.7% pass completion rate, he has thrown the ball for 2,311 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. As a rusher, he made 63 carries for 340 yards and two touchdowns.

Overall, it is a pretty tight situation for the Steelers. They need to up their game in both offense and defense. Offensively, they need to make more productive plays, while defensively, they need to be careful with the opponent’s running game. Can the Steelers bounce back in Week 18 and win against the Ravens, clinch the AFC North championship, and secure a playoff spot?