Steelers, Packers fit in primetime

Once upon a time (last April when the NFL released the 2017 schedule, to be exact), NBC was salivating over the Packers-Steelers game to cap Thanksgiving weekend.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Ben Roethlisberger, Sunday night — the numbers were going to be phenomenal. In a season where NFL viewership and interest have declined, a rare showdown between two historic franchises was going to be an antidote.

But on Oct. 15, the Packers’ season imploded when Rodgers broke his collarbone against the Vikings. They lost that game and four of the next five to fall to 5-5, alive in the wild-card race but fading.

Roethlisberger vs. Brett Hundley? Not so enticing on paper, but the Packers backup held up his end of the bargain, going toe-to-toe with the Steelers’ 14-season starter.

As time expired, the Steelers won 31-28 on Chris Boswell’s 53-yard field goal.

LOCAL TIES

The Mahoning Valley was well represented at Heinz Field. Sunday’s game was Packers center Corey Linsley’s first regular-season game at Heinz Field. The Boardman High School graduate has been with Green Bay for four seasons.

Mike Trgovac is in his 10th season with the Pack as defensive line coach. (Full disclosure: Trgovac’s father Ed was The Vindicator’s personnel director when I was hired almost four decades ago).

The Steelers activated Liberty graduate Fitzgerald Toussaint for the game. Chaney graduate Jerry Olsavsky is the Steelers inside linebackers coach.

BEHIND CENTER

How valuable are the NFL star quarterbacks? Browns fans know. This fall, Packers fans, who have been blessed watching either Rodgers or Brett Favre behind center since 1992, do as well.

It was a bit surprising that the game remained in prime time.

Past the halfway point of the season, NBC has the option of flexing to another game if a dud looms on the horizon.

“Shocked,” said Green Bay Press-Gazette Packers writer Ryan Wood of his reaction when the game wasn’t swapped.

In fairness to NBC, Sunday’s NFL menu was limited. CBS obviously was happy holding on to the Rams’ 26-20 victory over the Saints.

NBC was rewarded with a very entertaining game. The first half that saw the Packers open up an eight-point lead before Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hit Martavis Bryant in the corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score, then found Brown for the conversion point.

After Rodgers was lost for the season, there was speculation that the Packers might sign Colin Kaepernick, the pariah who started the anthem-kneeling protest when he was the 49ers quarterback in 2016.

Wood said signing Kaepernick would not have gone over well in a community as conservative as Green Bay. And the Packers thought Brett Hundley was ready. His 1-4 record as a starter suggests he’s a work in progress who blossomed in prime time.

Hundley threw three touchdown passes against the Steelers’ shaky secondary.

HOLIDAY SEASON

The Packers are clinging to hope for a Christmas miracle.

“I thought the Packers would be 9-1 [until Rodgers was hurt],” Wood said.

Now, they are 5-6.

For the Steelers, it’s once again the most wonderful time of the year. At 9-2, they are tied with the Patriots at the top of the AFC standings. The Steelers can clinch the AFC North with wins over the Bengals (Dec. 4 in Cincinnati) and Ravens (Dec. 10 here).

Tom Williams is a sportswriter at The Vindicator. Write him at williams@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @Williams_Vindy.