If the Steelers are to make a run for the AFC North championship, it's a matter of details, said Aaron Rodgers. And he says the time is now.
"You're playing at home, and you're playing in the 4:25 (p.m.) slot, which means it's going to be a semi-night game because of the time of the year that we're in," Rodgers said of the Steelers' game Sunday against the visiting Buffalo Bills.
"These are great games. We're on the number one CBS group this week. We got the fans all day to get ready for the game, so we need a loud crowd out there and a great effort. These are the kind of games that you win and take a lot of momentum from as you move forward."
Rodgers said the Steelers are off to a good start this week as they prepare for the Bills.
"We had a good start to the week," he said. "We had a good meeting on Monday. We had a good time (Tuesday) watching some tape together. So, we'll see what the film looks like today, and we'll see how it feels tomorrow as well."
Rodgers didn't practice Wednesday because of the fractured bone in his left wrist. But he plans on "casting up" Thursday and practicing. A decision on whether he will play Sunday – like last week when he didn't play – will be made accordingly.
Right now, Rodgers said the only difference this week is: "Time. Time for healing."
Mason Rudolph, who started last week and took the Steelers to within a formation penalty of a potential tying field goal, practiced Wednesday. But he wouldn't fathom a guess as to whether he'll play against the Bills.
That kind of flexibility has been Rudolph's hallmark as a backup quarterback.
"This is part of the job, and I'm used to it," said Rudolph. "I got experience stepping up, taking all the reps, taking none of the reps, so I'm just gonna do what I can and control."
Rudolph did regret not using the middle of the field more last Sunday in Chicago. He also regrets not seeing and fixing the illegal formation that left the right tackle uncovered just before Rudolph's 22-yard run moved the ball to midfield with 2:05 left in a three-point game.
"That would have set us up," Rudolph said. "But it's my job as a quarterback to keep that straight. We're moving on to a new week. Great opponent, great team, well-coached team that's coming in here Sunday."
Both the Steelers and Bills have lost four of their last seven games. Each team, no doubt, is spending the week combing through details.
"The preparation is there," said Rodgers. "It's the execution. And I wouldn't say it's been up and down, just the last six weeks. This has been the entire season, just a little bit off on some of the details. So, we can tighten that thing up, all 11 of us, and I expect us to play really well."
