Even with Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers generating his 28th career four-touchdown, no-pick game, Pittsburgh's ability to avoid an 0-1 start came down to kicker Chris Boswell's ability to nail a 60-yard field goal to win the game by two points.

It looked like it would have made it through the uprights from 70. After the game, I asked Boswell how far he thinks the kick would have been good from.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Boswell said by phone from the team plane. "I hit it pretty square, and so I knew there was no distance lacking. I saw it down the middle and then I just turned away from it. I didn't watch it."

He didn't need to. He knew that he'd nailed another long kick, when his team needed it.

It was the second straight season opener in which Boswell hit multiple field goals from 56 yards or longer in a Pittsburgh win.

Given Boswell's range and Rodgers's ability to get the offense there, Boswell could end up being the difference more than a few times for Pittsburgh in 2025.