The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback has kept them in the playoff fight, even after harsh criticism. Their 28-15 win over the Miami Dolphins pushed them to the top of the AFC North, where Aaron Rodgers led the charge, throwing for two touchdowns in 224 yards. After the game, Cam Heyward offered his views on the criticism A-Rod faces for being a hard taskmaster when it comes to accountability on the field. His remarks suggest that he might have the QBs back.

“I think there’s a level of accountability he brings to the group. The way he challenges guys, the way he communicates.” Heyward said after the game in an interview with SportsCenter. “There’s a lot of stuff that you see during practice, but then off the field, he is working with guys, making sure that it’s not just the offensive line, it’s the wide receivers, the tight ends… They all play a big role in what he wants to do, and he just keeps talking about it.”

It might be Aaron Rodgers’ first season for the Steelers, but the 42-year-old has instilled belief inside the locker room. In the win against the Miami Dolphins, the quarterback completed 23 of 27 passes, recording his highest pass completion percentage this season. On the field, Rodgers looked like he was his old self after a long time.

During the post-game interview, he encouraged the team to maintain the momentum after breaking the Dolphins’ four-game winning streak and bringing them closer to securing a playoff berth.

“After tonight, they (Dolphins) won four straight games, hopefully the belief has started to pick up because it’s tough to play in the cold weather, and if we can take care of business, we are hosting the game right here,” Aaron Rodgers said. “This is a great organisation, we’re playing meaningful football games, we’re up by a game in the division, a lot left to play for.”

While Rodgers is focused on leading the offense, the team’s defense delivered a phenomenal performance of its own, stepping up in the absence of a key superstar. Jack Sawyer and Nick Herbig replaced linebacker T.J. Watt, who was out due to a lung injury. While no one expected Herbig and Sawyer to live up to Watt, they played a key role in taking down the Dolphins, with a combined total of four tackles. Head coach Mike Tomlin hailed them with praise, but also shed light on how it felt to not have the perennial Pro Bowler on their side in such a crucial stage.

Mike Tomlin reveals pre-game text to T.J. Watt

Jack Sawyer and Nick Herbig showed promise in the Dolphins’ game. Mike Tomlin, relieved in the post-game press conference, spoke highly of them but also talked about bringing back Watt, highlighting he said to him before the game:

“We got a lot of confidence in our edge group as a collective. So we’re not surprised when they play well. We view Herbig as a starter-like. I’m excited about the bright side and the future of Jack Sawyer, and so not surprised that they’re able to step in and hold the standard,” Tomlin said.

He continued, “Also would be excited to get TJ back, and I texted him pregame just to let him know that he was missed, and I’m sure he’s excited about getting back around his teammates sooner rather than later.”

The Steelers’ final three games will be against the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore Ravens. NFL Next Gen Stats have given the Steelers a 61% chance of qualifying for the playoffs, which ranks sixth among those still in playoff races.