Aaron Rodgers Rallies the Steelers Past the Buccaneers 26-19 in OT as Baker Mayfield's Week 7 Status Hangs

The Pittsburgh Steelers erased a 16-3 fourth-quarter deficit and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-19 in overtime on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Aaron Rodgers finished 33 of 49 for 253 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and he won it on the first possession of overtime with a 6-yard touchdown pass to rookie Germie Bernard to cap a 12-play, 70-yard drive. Tampa Bay's answer ended when Jalen Ramsey sacked Jalon Daniels on fourth-and-8.

Pittsburgh improved to 4-2 and picked up its first road win of the season. Tampa Bay fell to 1-5 after another late collapse, and the loss puts even more weight on whether Baker Mayfield can return from his dislocated right thumb for next Sunday's trip to Carolina.

How Pittsburgh Pulled It Off

For three quarters, the Buccaneers' defense had the Steelers stuck. Then the fourth quarter flipped. Rodgers led an eight-play, 68-yard drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown to tight end Darnell Washington, and Chris Boswell took over from there with three fourth-quarter field goals, including a 58-yarder that tied the game at 16.

The decisive swing came from a familiar face. Former Buccaneer Jamel Dean intercepted Daniels and returned it 40 yards to the Tampa Bay 3, setting up Boswell's 20-yard go-ahead kick with 1:21 left. Daniels threw both of his interceptions in the fourth quarter, and both led to Pittsburgh points. Chase McLaughlin, who went 4 for 4 on field goals, forced overtime with a 53-yarder with eight seconds left, but Pittsburgh scored first in the extra period and the defense closed it out.

Ramsey finished with two sacks and four tackles for loss, Nick Herbig added two sacks, and Daniels went down five times overall.

The Fantasy Box Score

One outlet citing the in-game box score reported slightly lower receiving totals for Metcalf and Bernard, but the team recaps and most game reports support the lines above.

Steelers Fantasy Fallout

DK Metcalf answered any questions about his health after being cleared before the game. Eleven catches for 93 yards is a volume line, not a splash line, but it is exactly what fantasy managers want from a receiver whose quarterback threw 49 times. Metcalf remains a locked-in WR2 with WR1 weeks when Rodgers is forced to throw.

Germie Bernard is the waiver-wire story of the week. The rookie set career highs with 11 catches and 87 yards, did most of his damage in the second half and scored the game-winner. A second-target role next to Metcalf in a pass-heavy game script is valuable, and Bernard deserves a priority claim in 12-team leagues. The caveat: some of that volume came from a comeback script that will not repeat every week.

Aaron Rodgers delivered two touchdowns and steady volume after a sluggish start. He is a matchup-based QB2 in one-quarterback leagues, but 33 completions shows the floor is real in superflex.

The backfield split is the frustration. Jaylen Warren led with 14 carries for 50 yards, while Rico Dowdle added 40 yards on seven carries in his return from injury. Warren keeps the lead role, but Dowdle's return trims his ceiling, and neither back scored. Warren is a flex, not a must-start, as long as this split holds. Darnell Washington scored, but tight end touchdowns on low volume are hard to chase.

Buccaneers Fantasy Fallout

Jalon Daniels made his third straight start in place of Mayfield, and the numbers reveal the problem: 3.8 yards per attempt, two interceptions and five sacks. He is not a fantasy option in any format.

Emeka Egbuka led Tampa Bay with seven catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown saved his day, but the yardage shows how little the offense moved without Mayfield. Egbuka stays in lineups as a WR2 because his target share is secure, and his outlook improves dramatically if Mayfield returns. Chris Godwin had a costly late drop, per Tampa Bay coverage, and remains a volatile flex while Daniels starts.

Baker Mayfield's Week 7 Status

Mayfield dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand in Week 3, and head coach Todd Bowles set a minimum three-week absence while keeping him on the 53-man roster rather than injured reserve. That window has now passed. Before Sunday's game, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported optimism that Mayfield could return in Week 7 against Carolina.

Bowles has been more cautious, calling a Week 7 return too early to tell. Mayfield reportedly tried throwing earlier in the week and was pushing to play before the thumb swelled afterward. Per reports after the loss, Tampa Bay expects to know more by Wednesday, which makes the first injury report of the week the key checkpoint. Until then, treat Mayfield as uncertain, not as out.

The Betting Lens and Verdexed Angle

Tampa Bay's quarterback question is the single biggest input for its Week 7 game at Carolina. Verdexed's model weighs a starting quarterback change heavily, along with pass-protection and turnover trends, and the Bucs have been a different team with Daniels than with Mayfield. If Mayfield practices fully, expect the market to move toward Tampa Bay; if Daniels starts again, the Panthers, coming off a 25-14 road win over Philadelphia, hold the advantage in the inputs that matter. For the model's view as the week develops, see Verdexed's NFL predictions page at /nfl/predictions and the weekly slate at /blog/nfl-week-7-picks-2026. Anyone wagering should be of legal betting age in your jurisdiction.

Pittsburgh's case is about travel. The Steelers head overseas for an early kickoff, and the model accounts for rest, travel and schedule spots alongside the health of Rodgers' top targets.

What's Next in Week 7

The Steelers face the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France in the NFL's first regular-season game in Paris, with a 9:30 a.m. Eastern kickoff on NFL Network. Tampa Bay visits Carolina for a 1 p.m. divisional game on FOX that could decide whether the Bucs still have a realistic path in the NFC South.

The takeaway: Start DK Metcalf in Paris, put a priority waiver claim on Germie Bernard, downgrade Jaylen Warren to flex status while Rico Dowdle is active, and hold Emeka Egbuka through the week. Monitor Wednesday's Buccaneers injury report: if Mayfield practices fully, upgrade every Tampa Bay pass catcher; if Daniels starts again, fade the Bucs' offense.