Creaking, smug … and a contender? Aaron Rodgers may yet get his Super Bowl farewell

Key Points:

• Aaron Rodgers has shown flashes of his prime form in his second season with the Steelers, notably leading them to a 16-10 win over the Saints in Paris, but remains inconsistent and is not in MVP talks this year.
• The Steelers’ defense has been dominant recently, allowing only three touchdowns in the last 15 quarters and significantly improving their run defense, which bolsters their Super Bowl hopes despite Rodgers' age and uneven play.
• Joe Burrow was named MVP of the week after an outstanding second-half performance against the Ravens, throwing four touchdowns with an 89% completion rate to lead the Bengals to a comeback victory.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 43-13 against the Panthers despite Baker Mayfield throwing for only 64 yards, thanks to a strong rushing attack and defensive plays including a strip-sack touchdown.
• Other notable NFL news includes the undefeated Vikings narrowly beating the Colts, the Giants upsetting the Texans in overtime with JJ McCarthy's strong debut start, and the Dolphins securing their first win against the Jets amid internal team frustrations.