Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers Score: Why That Game Was a Massive Passing of the Torch

The air in Pittsburgh was thick with irony on that Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium. You had Aaron Rodgers, a legend who spent nearly two decades in green and gold, now wearing the black and gold of the Steelers. Across from him stood Jordan Love, the man the Packers drafted to eventually replace him. Most folks expected a nostalgic slugfest, but the Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers score ended up telling a much different story than the halftime vibes suggested.

By the time the clock hit zero on October 26, 2025, the scoreboard read Green Bay 35, Pittsburgh 25. It wasn't just a loss for Mike Tomlin's squad; it felt like a shift in the tectonic plates of the NFL.

A Tale of Two Halves at Acrisure Stadium

If you checked the score at halftime, you probably thought the Steelers were well on their way to a routine home win. Rodgers looked comfortable. He was dealing, carving up the Packers' secondary with the kind of surgical precision that made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The Steelers held a 16-7 lead, and the Green Bay offense looked totally disjointed.

Jordan Love was struggling. He missed open receivers and the Packers' kicker, Brandon McManus, had already shanked two field goals. It felt like the student wasn't quite ready to beat the master. Honestly, the first half was a mess for Green Bay. They suffered through three-and-outs and looked every bit like a team that couldn't handle the primetime pressure of Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense.

Then the third quarter started.

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Something clicked for Love. He didn't just get better; he became untouchable. At one point, Love completed 20 consecutive passes, tying the franchise record set by Brett Favre back in 2007. That kind of rhythm is rare, especially against a defense that features guys like T.J. Watt. While the Steelers could only manage a single field goal and a garbage-time touchdown in the second half, Green Bay went on a tear.

Breaking Down the Numbers: How the Packers Rallied

The second-half turnaround was fueled by a dominant 28-3 scoring run. If you're a sports fan, those numbers probably trigger some PTSD for Atlanta fans, but for the Packers, it was pure catharsis.

• Jordan Love's Night: 29-of-37 for 360 yards, three touchdowns, and a 134.2 passer rating.
• The Tucker Kraft Show: The tight end was a monster, hauling in seven catches for 143 yards. The wild part? 131 of those yards came after the catch. He was basically a tractor with the speed of a gazelle.
• Rodgers' Final Stand: Aaron Rodgers finished 24-of-36 for 219 yards and two scores. Not bad, but not enough to keep up with a younger, faster Green Bay squad that suddenly found its gear.

The game effectively ended when the Steelers tried for a two-point conversion late in the fourth to cut the lead to eight. Ty’Ron Hopper broke up the pass intended for Jonnu Smith, and that was that.

The Historic Weight of the 35-25 Finish

It's funny how history repeats itself. The all-time series between these two iconic franchises is surprisingly close, but this specific game broke a massive curse for the Packers. Before this win, Green Bay hadn't won a game in Pittsburgh since 1970. Think about that for a second. Phil Bengston was the coach back then, and Terry Bradshaw was a struggling rookie.

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For 55 years, the Packers couldn't find a way to win in the Steel City. They had some close calls—who could forget the 2009 shootout where Ben Roethlisberger won it on the final play?—but the streak held firm until Jordan Love finally broke it.

Of course, the most significant Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers score in history remains Super Bowl XLV. That 31-25 victory for the Packers gave Rodgers his only ring. Seeing him on the other sideline in 2025 while the Packers walked away with a nearly identical 35-25 victory felt like a cosmic circle closing.

Why the Steelers Couldn't Keep Up

Pittsburgh had their chances. Jaylen Warren was running efficiently, and for a while, it looked like the Steelers were playing their preferred brand of "grimy" football. But the defense, which has often been the backbone of this team, simply couldn't get off the field in the fourth quarter.

The Packers' defensive front, led by Rashan Gary and Micah Parsons (who the Packers acquired to bolster their pass rush), sacked Rodgers three times. It's tough for a 41-year-old quarterback to move the chains when he’s being harassed by elite edge rushers on every third down. Plus, DK Metcalf—the Steelers' big-ticket wideout—had a few uncharacteristic drops that killed promising drives.

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Key Factors in the Game:

1. Passing the Torch: Love outplayed Rodgers in the second half, looking like the veteran while Rodgers looked like he was searching for answers.
2. Yards After Catch: The Steelers' tackling in the secondary was uncharacteristically poor, allowing Tucker Kraft to turn short gains into massive chunks of yardage.
3. The Streak: Breaking the 55-year drought in Pittsburgh gave the Packers a psychological boost they've lacked in previous cross-conference matchups.

What This Means for Your Roster and Future Bets

If you're looking at this matchup from a betting or fantasy perspective, there are a few things to keep in mind for the next time these teams meet—though as cross-conference rivals, that won't be every year.

First, never count out the Packers in the second half. Under Matt LaFleur, they've consistently been one of the highest-scoring second-half teams in the league. Second, the Steelers' offensive line remains a work in progress. Even with a legend like Rodgers under center, if they can't protect him, the offense will eventually stall.

The 35-25 result wasn't just a win for Green Bay; it was a statement. The Packers are officially in the Jordan Love era, and the Steelers are left wondering how many more years they can squeeze out of the "old guard."

Keep an eye on the injury reports the next time a "Rodgers vs. Old Team" narrative pops up. The emotional weight of these games often leads to a fast start for the veteran, but the depth of the younger roster usually wins out by the fourth quarter. If you're looking to analyze the next big matchup, start by looking at the pressure rates—whoever wins the battle in the trenches between the Steelers' O-line and the Packers' front seven usually dictates the final score.

Check the current NFL standings and updated injury reports to see how these two teams have fared since their 2025 showdown.