Packers Total Access: 🏈 Packers vs Steelers Recap! Which Rookies Shined?

Packers Total Access: 🏈 Packers vs. Steelers Recap! Which Rookies Shined? The Green Bay Packers dropped their 2026 preseason opener 28-9 to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night — and while the scoreboard is the least important number in any preseason game, the individual storylines coming out of Mike McCarthy's debut as Steelers head coach are loaded with real championship-caliber implications heading into the high-stakes 2026 NFL season! The headline the national media is missing: Aaron Rodgers watched from the Steelers' sideline with a headset on after catching up with Jordan Love and Green Bay's players and staff pregame — the 42-year-old choosing not to play as he said all week he might — while the player who replaced him delivered exactly the kind of clean, efficient, no-mistakes first-series performance that Matt LaFleur's coaching staff needed to see. Jordan Love was 3 of 5 passing during one series of work while leading the Packers on an opening drive that ended with the first of rookie Trey Smack's three field goals — and Love wasn't hit during his cameo, a welcome development after he injured his left hand against the Jets during the preseason last year. The story of the night on the Pittsburgh side was jaw-dropping — rookie Drew Allar threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another during an impressive debut, going 10 of 13 for 154 yards to lead the Steelers to a dominant second-half performance — but the Green Bay rookie performances buried inside a 28-9 loss are the real story Packers Nation needs to hear right now. In this complete Packers vs. Steelers preseason recap and full rookie evaluation breakdown, we dive into: Trey Smack — Three Field Goals And A Statement: Smack connected on a 37-yard field goal during Thursday's preseason opener — and added two more field goals throughout the game including a conversion from 38 yards — delivering the most important individual performance of the entire preseason from any Packer on the field. After a rocky 61.5% field goal rate during the first week of training camp that had Matt LaFleur removing officials from practice in frustration, Smack's three-for-three night at Acrisure Stadium is the single most encouraging individual development of the entire preseason — and the kicker who was drafted specifically to fix the problem that cost Green Bay the Chicago playoff game is looking like the answer. Brenton Cox Jr. — The Starting Edge Spot Is His: Cox brought down Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph for a loss of nine yards during Thursday's preseason opener — delivering a violent, decisive pass-rush rep that is the most compelling single play any edge rusher on the Green Bay Packers roster has made in live game action this preseason. Combined with his dominant training camp performances, Cox's sack of Rudolph is the clearest possible signal that the starting role opposite Lukas Van Ness is his to lose heading into September 13th's opener at Minnesota. Zaire Franklin — The Veteran Presence Delivered: Zaire Franklin sacked Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph during Thursday's preseason opener — showcasing exactly the kind of veteran pass-rush contribution from the green-dot linebacker position that Jonathan Gannon's new 3-4 hybrid system was specifically designed to generate. Franklin's combination of coverage instincts, run-stop reliability, and now a live preseason sack makes him the most complete and immediately impactful defensive addition Brian Gutekunst made to the linebacker room all offseason. Kyle McCord & The Depth QB Battle: McCord converted third downs and led multiple drives — connecting with tight end Messiah Swinson for a 4-yard out and hitting J. Michael Sturdivant for an 8-yard catch to convert a first down — before getting sacked for an 11-yard loss in the third quarter in a performance that showed both the upside and the limitations of Green Bay's backup quarterback situation behind Jordan Love and Tyrod Taylor. The most alarming development of the backup performance was the third quarter sack that put McCord in a second-and-18 situation — but his third-down conversion ability gives the Packers genuine depth at the position behind Love. The Full Recap Verdict — What The 28-9 Loss Actually Means: Drew Allar's jaw-dropping debut — 10 of 13 for 154 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing score — was the story of the night in Pittsburgh — but the Green Bay Packers got exactly what they needed from Thursday's preseason opener. Love was clean and untouched. Smack went three-for-three. Cox registered a sack. Franklin registered a sack. And Aaron Rodgers watched from the sideline as his successor led the team Rodgers built into its most important season since Super Bowl XLV. The 28-9 scoreboard means absolutely nothing — the individual performances heading into August 21st at Denver mean everything. 📢 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: Packers Total Access is your #1 source for Green Bay Packers football on YouTube. We bring you daily Packers news, injury updates, trade rumors, and comprehensive NFL coverage. Our mission is simple: Total coverage of the Green and Gold 365 days a year. We cover the entire roster, from stars like Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs to the rising rookies making an impact. Whether you are looking for breakdown videos, Packers highlights analysis, or updates on the Bears, Vikings, and Lions rivalries, you'll find it here. Subscribe now for the best Green Bay Packers coverage on the web. #GoPackGo #GreenBayPackers #Packers #NFCNorth #LambeauField #packersnews #packers #nfl Packers Total Access is your go-to destination for everything Green Bay Packers and the NFL. 🧀🏈 Join our communityhttps://t.co/T1gGRGc8SD 💬 Twitter/Xhttps://t.co/4XQC8C1gyD 📢 Merch Storehttps://t.co/eBAtKWzMaJ #PackersNation #GreenBayPackers #GoPackGo #NFLDraft2026 #PackersDraft #DraftNews #NFLScouting #PackersRumors #LambeauField #Titletown #PackersDaily #NFLDraftGems #NFLOffseason #PackersNews #Cheesehead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices