For the first time in the 2021 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play under the lights in primetime football. They will host the Seattle Seahawks, who made the cross country trip having recently placed Russell Wilson and Chris Carson on injured reserve. The Seahawks defense has been soft this season, mostly relying on outstanding offensive play. It will be tough for that to happen with Geno Smith at the helm against this Steelers defense. Both teams sit at 2-3 at the bottom of their respective divisions.
The Steelers are finally over their string of groin injuries, as the only players that were designated as “out” this week were Juju Smith-Schuster and Carlos Davis. Since, Juju was officially placed on IR and he expected to be out for the season after having surgery on his shoulder/collarbone injury. Zach Banner rejoined the team as the corresponding roster move.
It will be interesting to see if Zach Banner gets any playing time in this game, or if the team sticks with Chukwuma Okorafor after his best performance of the season. Whichever configuration of the offensive line gets rolled out will have an excellent chance at a good game. Look no further than the next two tweets:
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Steelers Inactive Players
DT Carlos Davis
QB Dwayne Haskins
ILB Buddy Johnson
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
T Zach Banner
Seahawks Inactive Players
CB John Reid
T Stone Forsythe
DE L.J. Collier
TE Tyler Mabry
G Dakoda Shepley
T Cedric Ogbuehi
The only surprise in the inactive list is Zach Banner. He was activated off IR, but is now a healthy scratch. It appears the team will wait until after the bye week to possibly work him in. Mike Tomlin has mentioned in the past the difficulty of hopping back on a moving train.
The Seahawks won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Steelers will start with the ball. A nice opening return for Ray-Ray McCloud to get the Steelers out to the 37.
The first two plays were unsuccessful runs to Najee Harris. Trai Turner with the false start on 3rd to set up 3rd and 9. Ben checked down to Najee on 3rd. Najee attempted to spin out of first contact, but was brought down short. A quick three-and-out for the team.
Geno Smith will take the field here after Pressley Harvin’s punt. Fair caught at the 10 yard line.
Isaiah Buggs with the tackle for loss on 1st down. Seahawks backed up against their own 9 yard line.
Alex Collins picked up six on 2nd down to set up 3rd and manageable. A fan ran onto the field and was taken down by security.
Tre Norwood with an excellent tackle to prevent the first down. The punt had plenty of hangtime, so there wasn’t much of a return. The Steelers get the ball at the 30.
Ben Roethlisberger complete to James Washington on 1st down for a gain of 8. Always good to win the early downs, and there should be plenty of that happening this game. The Seahawks defense has been abysmal this season.
Ben Roethlisberger bombed it deep to Diontae Johnson. It would have been the third week in a row with the homerun to Diontae. Ben with a nice toss, but the defender was in position to make the play.
On 3rd down, Ben hit Pat Freiermuth a few yards short of the sticks. He couldn’t quite get there as he had to leave his feet to catch the ball.
Harvin with another punt that landed in almost the exact same spot as the first one. Benny Snell hit the return man hard, but it looks like Snell may have snapped his lower arm/wrist. Did not look good. Snell had been awfully good on special teams, if nothing else. Also, a reminder that Anthony McFarland Jr is most likely coming back off IR after the bye week.
Chase Claypool off to the locker room as well with an unknown injury.
The Seahawks, starting at their own 11 yard line, get called for the false start. They are backed up once again. The Steelers winning the field position battle if nothing else.
Alex Collins rushed up the middle and broke into the second level. Would have went for a lot more if not for a great tackle by Minkah Fitzpatrick. 2nd and 8 now, and TJ Watt hit Geno’s arm as he was throwing to force the incompletion.
3rd and 8 now. Travis Homer with a 27 yard reception. Three or four missed tackles there on that 1st down pickup.
Geno Smith evading a lot of pressure on 1st down and delivering a strike to the right sideline for another fresh set of downs.
Hendry Mondeaux slowed Alex Collins just long enough for Alex Highsmith to make the TFL on 2nd down. 3rd and 5 in Steelers territory. Tre Norwood with his second big play of the night so far as he defensed the pass on the crosser.
Delay of game on the Seahawks on 4th. The punt was good, and the Seahawks played it well to pin the Steelers, but somehow the ball ended up back in the end zone for a called touchback. The touchback stands – a nice break for the Steelers.
The Steelers getting Freiermuth involved early here which is nice to see. A 9 yard reception for him on 1st.
Chase Claypool back out on the field, and he converted on 2nd down, but an illegal block downfield on Diontae Johnson brings it back to 2nd and 11. Najee Harris stopped on 2nd down for no gain, so a 2nd and 1 somehow turned into 3rd and 11. Ben dropped back, and completes to Diontae Johnson for the 1st down pickup!
Najee Harris shut down for no gain on 1st down. The Seahawks stacking the box well, and daring Ben to throw. Ben needs to start hitting Diontae more as he is beating DJ Reed soundly on basically every snap.
He went to Diontae on 2nd and he picked up about half the yardage to go. 3rd and 6, Ben went to Johnson again, but it was overthrown and Diontae couldn’t get past the defensive back. The DB was boxing him out a bit, but it was too far away to matter. The Steelers punt and the Seahawks will take over on the 21 yard line.
Ben is reverting a bit to early-season Ben, as he misread a couple wide open receivers and got rid of the ball a bit earlier than he needed to.
Arthur Maulet and Alex Highsmith brought down Alex Collins on the screen pass for a loss.
END OF QUARTER 1: 0-0.
DK Metcalf on 2nd down complete for 12 yards to set up 3rd and 1. TJ Watt batted down the pass at the line of scrimmage!
The Seahawks punted and the Steelers will take over on their own 46.
On 3rd down, Diontae Johnson on the jet sweep to pick up 25 yards. The next play, Pat Freiermuth with a 12 yard gain.
The Steelers in the redzone on the 5 yard line now, the pass was deflected right up in the air. Chase Claypool made a great play getting over there to not allow the interception.
Ben didn’t like what he saw on 2nd down and called the timeout. It was worth it because the next play was complete to Najee Harris. 7-0 Steelers.
Geno Smith complete to DK Metcalf for 14. It was questionable if it was a completed pass, but it was ultimately ruled as one.
Cameron Heyward with a big sack on 1st! And Collinsworth called him a “hall of famer”. I agree. The next two plays, the Seahawks managed -1 yards, so on 4th and 19 they punt.
The Steelers getting the ball on their own 16.
Ben checked down to Najee Harris on the play action. The linebackers turned around after the play action leaving the Najee check down wide open.
Seahawks are selling out to stop the run. It sure would be nice for Ben to get in rhythm to help him build confidence for the rest of the season. This is the defense to do it against.
Pat Freiermuth getting involved once again, great to see! Kalen Ballage around the right end for a minimal gain, but the Seahawks called for a facemask.
Going back to the run game two plays in a row and Najee picked up seven between the two. 3rd and short, Ben knew he had the free play so he put one up in the end zone for Diontae Johnson. It fell incomplete, but a first down from the penalty.
That was Diontae Johnson’s first drop of the season, but I am not sure if it will count due to the penalty. Najee Harris with a successful 4 yard run on 1st. He picked up three off the right end on 2nd. Two sets of down in a row that Najee gets 7 yards on the first two plays. The Steelers will take that.
Najee Harris was hit hard by Jamal Adams and got up smiling. A little Hines Ward-esque.
Chase Claypool for the first down on a quick hook to Chase Claypool from the slot.
1st and goal from the 6. Najee Harris nearly got tackled for a minimal gain, but Harris didn’t give up and he bounced around the pile for 5 yards.
Najee was stopped for no gain on 2nd. On 3rd, Eric Ebron with perhaps his first career rushing touchdown. An excellent play call for Matt Canada. 14-0 Steelers.
Per Teresa Varley, that was actually Ebron’s third career rushing touchdown.
Geno Smith taking over with 1:04 to go. Chris Wormley with the pass batted at the LOS on 1st down.
Incomplete to Tyler Lockett on 2nd. He was wide open, but Smith’s pass was far too low. On 3rd and 10, Alex Highsmith beat his man easily and came in for the sack, his first of the season. 4th and 18. The punt gets the Steelers the ball at their own 42. They have 00:36 and one timeout remaining.
Diontae Johnson got out of bounds on 1st for a pickup of two. Incomplete to Najee Harris on the check down the next play. Diontae Johnson got the ball on the shallow crosser there and he ran out of bounds. He probably should have tried to drive his legs for the first to end the half.
Pressley Harvin with a 60 yard punt. It went too far and into the end zone. Still, a nice boom.
The Seahawks take a knee to end the half. They will get the ball at the top of the 2nd.
END OF HALF 14-0 STEELERS.
Join us for the second half here.
