Germie Bernard — Week 2: Eight Targets, Thirty-Five Yards
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 21
After no targets in Week 1, Bernard drew eight and caught four for 35 yards, the most receiving yards on the Steelers, with three catches on three straight snaps including 19 yards on third and eight. The late interception at the New England 21 was thrown his way. Michael Pittman was inactive, in a 20–3 loss to the Patriots.
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10 to nothing, Patriots, 10 46 left in the second quarter, third and eight at the Pittsburgh 43. Aaron Rodgers threw short middle to Germie Bernard, 14 yards in the air, 19 gained, to the New England 38. +2.4 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — the most valuable play Pittsburgh ran all day by that measure, and one of two third downs the Steelers converted on 12 third-down plays. It was the second catch of his career, and Rodgers went back to him on each of the next two snaps: three yards, then 10 on second and seven to the New England 25. Three straight throws, three catches, 32 yards. The drive ended three snaps later with a third-down sack and a punt.
The line: eight targets, four catches, 35 yards, two first downs, −3.7 expected points on the eight — and the interception is more than all of that by itself, at −4.8. His targets carried 70 air yards, the most on the team. All four catches came on that one second-quarter drive: three, 19, three and 10. The other four: deep left, 23 yards in the air, on first and 10 with 40 seconds left in the half, incomplete; deep middle on third and six with nine 16 left in the third quarter, incomplete, and Pittsburgh punted; short left in the fourth quarter, incomplete; and second and 17 at the New England 17 with five 16 left, short right, intercepted by Gabe Jacas at the 21 — the snap after a 13-yard sack had moved Pittsburgh back from first and goal at the four. Five targets before halftime, three after.
Eight targets were second on the team to DK Metcalf's nine and ahead of Roman Wilson's six. His 35 yards led the Steelers, one more than Jaylen Warren's 34 three more than Pat Freiermuth's 32, on a day Rodgers's 39 throws produced a hundred 87. Michael Pittman was inactive with a foot injury, per Dave Bryan at Steelers Depot. In Week 1, with Pittman active, Bernard dressed and was not thrown to.
Back in June the preview's record on Bernard was the price — Pittsburgh traded three picks to move up to 47 for him — and its read was that rookie third receivers are lineup noise until targets say otherwise. Week 1 the targets said nothing. Sunday they said eight, with the receiver ahead of him out. Both of those are facts about this game, and the second one is the reason to wait before calling the first a role. What can be said is that when the ball went to him on the one drive where it kept going to him, he caught all four. Pittsburgh is home to the Bengals on Sunday the 20-seventh, and Pittman's status is the first thing to check.
_Data via nflverse._
When Germie Bernard's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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