TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Todd Bowles will have to be quite creative to surprise Aaron Rodgers.
asserted
Bowles → have → Rodgers
Known for his complex defensive schemes and disguising his blitz packages, Bowles and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing an elite quarterback who has seen everything in a distinguished NFL career.
asserted
who → know → career
Rodgers just passed Peyton Manning to move into third place for most career passing touchdowns, including the postseason.
asserted
Rodgers → pass → postseason
It’ll be quite the chess match when Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) face off against the Buccaneers (1-4) on Sunday.
asserted
Rodgers → face → Sunday
“Obviously, Todd has a history of bringing a lot of pressures,” Rodgers said.
asserted
Rodgers → have → pressures
But he brings a lot of stuff you haven’t seen before, so, good disguise team, good pressure team.
asserted
you → bring → team
We’ll have to pick them up and get the ball out.”
asserted
We → have → ball
The 42-year-old Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP, has thrown three TD passes in three straight games.
asserted
Rodgers → throw → games
But he’s 1-2 against Bowles’ Tampa Bay defenses, including a loss in the 2020 NFC championship game.
asserted
he → ’ → game
Rodgers threw for 442 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores against Bowles and the Jets in a 44-38 overtime victory with Green Bay in 2018.
asserted
Rodgers → throw → 2018
“It’s a nightmare game-planning against him,” Bowles said.
asserted
Bowles → ’ → him
“He’s difficult because he’s extremely intelligent.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
He’s extremely accurate with the football, and he can dissect things before the play even happens.
asserted
play → ’ → things
He can see it when the huddle breaks.
asserted
huddle → see → it
He can see a tip here or there that a lot of people can’t see that lets him know what it is, and he knows where to go with the football and he’s very bright that way.
asserted
he → see → football
He can bait you into a lot of things.
asserted
He → bait → things
He has a lot of tricks to the trade he (has) learned over the years.
asserted
he → have → years
”
Those tricks haven’t always translated to great starts on the road in Tampa, where Rodgers is just 2-3 in his career and has two of his six career three-interception games at Raymond James Stadium.
asserted
Rodgers → translate → Stadium
Asked if he gets nostalgic visiting certain venues for the final time as he wraps up his 22nd and final season, Rodgers just shook his head.
asserted
Rodgers → ask → head
“I haven’t really thought a whole lot about it, but there’s a few places I’m glad I don’t have to go back to, for sure,” he said with a laugh.
asserted
he → think → laugh
Meanwhile, the Steelers will go against an undrafted rookie quarterback who has been impressive in two starts.
asserted
who → go → starts
Jalon Daniels led the Buccaneers to a victory at Dallas last week, playing an efficient, turnover-free game.
asserted
Daniels → lead → game
With Baker Mayfield still recovering from a dislocated thumb, Daniels will make his third straight start.
asserted
Daniels → recover → start
A dynamic run game took pressure off Daniels against the Cowboys.
asserted
game → take → Cowboys
Bucky Irving ran for 165 yards and the Bucs finished with 241 on the ground.
asserted
Bucs → run → ground
Overall, Daniels has come a long way since beating out veteran Jake Browning for the backup job in training camp.
asserted
Daniels → come → camp
“Trusting my eyes, trusting what the defense was giving me and taking No. 1 or No. 2 in the progression, and if you see a hole, and it’s a gaping, wide-open hole, probably take it because, at the end of the day, you’re trying to move the sticks,” Daniels said.
asserted
Daniels → trust → sticks
Last week: Steelers beat the Colts 34-22; Buccaneers beat the Cowboys 24-16.
asserted
Buccaneers → beat → Cowboys
Last meeting: Steelers beat the Buccaneers 20-18 on Oct. 12, 2022, in Pittsburgh.
asserted
Steelers → beat → Pittsburgh
Series record: Steelers lead 10-2
Matchup to watch
Buccaneers right tackle Luke Goedeke vs. Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt.
asserted
Steelers → lead → Watt
The four-time All-Pro Watt is an elite pass rusher who has 119 1/2 sacks.
asserted
who → have → sacks
It’ll be a tough challenge for Goedeke, who had multiple penalties last week.
asserted
who → have → penalties
Stats and stuff
— Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is 3-4 vs. the Buccaneers, including the playoffs.
asserted
Rodgers → include → playoffs
— Rodgers has thrown three TD passes in three straight games, the first Steelers QB to do that since Terry Bradshaw in 1982.
asserted
Rodgers → throw → 1982
— The Steelers are hurting at wide receiver.
asserted
Steelers → hurt → receiver
Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek are out with injuries, leaving just rapidly improving rookie Germie Bernard and a cast of largely unknowns behind DK Metcalf.
asserted
Jr. → leave → Metcalf
— Steelers RB Jaylen Warren had career-high 188 scrimmage yards last week and became the sixth player to have an 80-yard TD receiving and 50-yard TD rushing in the same game.
asserted
Warren → have → game
Warren has 490 combined yards over his past three games.
asserted
Warren → have → games
— Pittsburgh is 0-2 on the road this season, giving up an average of 349.5 yards in losses to New England and Cleveland.
asserted
Pittsburgh → give → England
— The Buccaneers ran for 241 yards against the Cowboys, including 165 by Bucky Irving.
asserted
Buccaneers → run → Irving
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
