Naturally, the Sunday night matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers this week has one major storyline: quarterback Aaron Rodgers facing his former team for the first and likely only time.
But of course, every game is a much bigger chess match than its loudest headline. As head coach Matt LaFleur said, "It's about the Green Bay Packers versus the Pittsburgh Steelers."
And what a matchup that is between two historical franchises and four-win teams at or near the top of their respective conferences. Unfortunately for LaFleur and the Packers, history between the two is not held in Green Bay's favor when the contest is held in Pittsburgh.
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The Packers haven't beaten the Steelers in Pittsburgh since 1970, when Bart Starr was the quarterback of Green Bay and the Steelers had yet to cement themselves as the dynasty of the decade. Legendary head coach Chuck Noll was in just his second season with the franchise, and Terry Bradshaw was a rookie.
It proved to be Starr's last victory of his legendary career, as the Packers lost to Chicago and Detroit to close the 1970 season, and he failed to win any of his three starts in 1971.
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Overall, the all-time series does favor Green Bay, which holds a 20-17 record over Pittsburgh. However, nine of those wins came in the 1930s and early 40s when the Steelers were either known as the Pirates or another synonym for dreadful.
Since the 1970 win in Pittsburgh, the Packers are just 4-10 against the Steelers. Of course, that does include Super Bowl XLV, the only win in the all-time series that truly matters.
Still, the Packers have only played in Pittsburgh six times since that 1970 victory, and all but one of those losses were decided by seven points or less.
Of course, unlike most, if not all of those six matchups between the interconference foes, this game has a lot more going for it in the storyline department. In the eventual seeding of the 2025 NFL playoffs, it might not matter much.
But a win for the Packers over their former quarterback will bring about the finality of Rodgers' chapter with the team until he retires and returns to Lambeau for induction ceremonies. And, as a conciliation prize, it would ensure no one can write this article pointing out the losing streak in Pittsburgh again sometime in the next decade.