Week 1 can be a liar in the NFL. Some teams can look great and fizzle out quickly, while teams that really struggle can find their footing and go on a run.
The Pittsburgh Steelers looked good offensively and poor defensively in Week 1 against the New York Jets. The Seattle Seahawks looked rough all around in a 17-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
So, something’s got to give.
Fortunately for the Steelers, they return to the North Shore for their home opener against the Seahawks Sunday at 1 PM/ET. Wide receiver DK Metcalf goes against his former team, while Aaron Rodgers in his first action at Acrisure Stadium as a Steelers will be a big storyline, especially after a four-touchdown game in New York.
Following what we did last year here at Steelers Depot, myself, Joe Clark, Ross McCorkle, Scott Brown, Troy Montgomery, Jake Brockhoff and Dr. Melanie Friedlander will answer four key questions weekly, previewing the games.
Let’s talk about the Steelers’ Week 2 game against the Seahawks.
QUESTION 1: WHO IS THE STEELERS’ X FACTOR AGAINST THE SEAHAWKS?
Josh Carney: LT Broderick Jones. He was poor in Week 1, allowing three sacks and four pressures. He says he can’t put that on tape and needs to improve everything. Talk is cheap. It’s time to start showing it. If not, the bench could be calling this season.
Joe Clark: DL Cam Heyward. The run defense stunk in Week 1, and it wasn’t Heyward’s best game. He needs to show he can help right this ship and get the run defense back on track.
Ross McCorkle: DT Yahya Black. He was my answer last week, and that remains the case in Week 2. DC Teryl Austin said he will have a larger role, which might be the spark the defensive line needs to get better results.
Scott Brown: NT Keeanu Benton. No one is expecting him to be Casey Hampton, but Benton can’t be a liability in the middle of the Steelers’ defense either. This should be a get-right game for Benton against a team that managed just 3.2 yards per carry last Sunday.
Troy Montgomery: WR Calvin Austin III. In Week 1, Austin had a nice showing, taking advantage of the attention DK Metcalf commanded. This week could be a similar story. The Seahawks’ secondary is beat-up after a physical game against the San Francisco 49ers. Aaron Rodgers said he has to give Austin more opportunities, and he should have a chance to do that Sunday.
Jake Brockhoff: QB Aaron Rodgers. He played well in the season opener, tossing four touchdown passes and throwing for nearly 250 yards. However, he’s got a tougher test ahead of him with the Seahawks’ secondary looking deeper than the one he just saw in New York. The Steelers have yet to run the ball successfully through camp, the preseason and Week 1. The game could come down to Rodgers once again.
Dr. Melanie Friedlander: DT Cam Heyward. After signing a new-ish deal last Saturday night, Heyward turned in an underwhelming performance by his standards against the Jets. The run defense as a whole was lifeless, the Steelers giving up 182 yards rushing and three rushing touchdowns. Rookie Derrick Harmon will miss another game as he works his way back from an MCL sprain and Keeanu Benton is still struggling. Heyward needs to show he can be the star player he was all last season and be a dominant force on the defensive line.
QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE MATCHUP TO WATCH IN STEELERS-SEAHAWKS?
Josh Carney: Steelers OLB T.J. Watt vs. Seahawks RT Abe Lucas. Last week against the Jets, Watt was a great run defender but really didn’t do much as a pass rusher. He didn’t generate a pressure in the Steelers’ win. This week, he’ll go against Abe Lucas, who has a new contract in hand but allowed the game-sealing strip-sack to Nick Bosa in Week 1.
Watt needs to get going as a pass rusher and create some splash. Good week to do it.
Joe Clark: Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey vs. Seahawks WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba. Assuming Ramsey is the player the Steelers put on JSN, he’ll see plenty of action. Seattle’s top receiving threat accounted for 124 of its 150 passing yards last week, and if the Steelers can take Smith-Njigba out of the game, then they can effectively shut down Seattle’s passing attack.
Ross McCorkle: Steelers slot receivers vs. Seahawks slot corner. The Seahawks know what DK Metcalf can do on offense, and I expect them to roll safeties his way and pay extra attention to him. With Devon Witherspoon doubtful, S Ty Okada should play in the slot a fair amount. Recently signed CB Shaquill Griffin might also be forced into action. That is a ripe matchup for Arthur Smith and Aaron Rodgers to exploit. They should seek to keep as many Seahawks DBs on the field as possible with their personnel packages.
Scott Brown: Steelers WR DK Metcalf. vs. Seahawks CB Riq Woolen. The 6-4, 210-pound Woolen is one of the few NFL cornerbacks who matches up physically with Metcalf. At least on paper. The two know each other well from the three years they went against each other in practice. Woolen needs a get-right game after struggling in Week 1 while Metcalf would love nothing more than to pull an Aaron Rodgers against his former team.
Troy Montgomery: Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith vs. Seahawks LT Charles Cross. Drafted by the Seahawks in the first round in 2022, Cross has become a dependable left tackle. The Seahawks are sure to devote a lot of attention to T.J. Watt. That should leave Highsmith one-on-one more with Cross.
It’s a tough matchup, but he should be able to record some wins. Highsmith recorded the Steelers’ only sack in Week 1, and Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has struggled against pressure in the past. If Highsmith can make Cross’ job difficult, then the Steelers’ defense should be able to rattle the Seahawks’ offense.
Jake Brockhoff: Steelers LT Broderick Jones vs. Seahawks DE Leonard Williams. The Seahawks move their defensive lineman around a lot, so Williams and Jones won’t see each other on every rep. However, they will face each other often on Sunday. And Jones must be better than he was in Week 1. He allowed Aaron Rodgers to be sacked three times, and that can’t happen again this week. The Seahawks will be looking to get after the passer after sacking Brock Purdy just once in Week 1.
Dr. Melanie Friedlander: Steelers WR DK Metcalf vs. the Seahawks’ secondary. With Devon Witherspoon listed as doubtful and all but ruled out with a knee injury, it isn’t clear who Metcalf will face. The Seahawks’ secondary could be missing several starters, starting with Witherspoon and S Nick Emmanwori. While Metcalf – like QB Aaron Rodgers last week – has said this isn’t a revenge game against his former team, we all know it means just a little bit more. Metcalf could have a big day in his first home game at Acrisure Stadium against a depleted Seahawks secondary.
QUESTION 3: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST KEY TO THE GAME FOR THE STEELERS?
Josh Carney: Establish the run game. The last time the Steelers faced Seattle in 2023, they ran for 202 yards and three touchdowns. It’s a new coaching staff for Seattle, but a lot of familiar names defensively remain. Run the football, control the game. Start to find a true, hard-nosed identity offensively, especially in the trenches.
Joe Clark: Keep building momentum in the passing game. The run defense and run game need to be better, but both were as bad as we’ll see in Week 1, and the Steelers still won. Keep Aaron Rodgers hot and prove the passing attack can be consistently good.
Ross McCorkle: Win the turnover battle. The Seahawks would have gotten blown out in Week 1 if not for intercepting Brock Purdy twice. The Steelers win this if they stay positive or even neutral in the turnover column. Jaxson Smith-Njigba touched the ball nine times in Week 1 and fumbled twice. That might be an easy target for Pittsburgh to generate splash plays.
Scott Brown: Win the time-of-possession battle. The Steelers fell woefully short here in Week 1. Rectifying that means they will need a combination of running the ball and stopping the run that is considerably north of competent. That needs to be the goal not only against the Seahawks but the rest of the season.
Troy Montgomery: Pressure Sam Darnold. When he was with the New York Jets, Darnold once infamously said he was “seeing ghosts” when facing pressure. The Steelers should try to make him relive that experience. They’ve got a healthy stable of pass rushers, but they only recorded one sack in Week 1. That number should rise against the Seahawks.
Jake Brockhoff: For the second time in as many weeks: Stop. The. Run. It was my key last week, and the Steelers did not follow through. Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton need to bounce back in a big way. Perhaps some extra playing time for Yahya Black can make a difference as well.
Dr. Melanie Friedlander: STOP THE RUN. We said it last week, and the Jets ran all over the Steelers, allowing them to use their full offensive playbook. This week, the Steelers need to be more physical along the line of scrimmage and show that they have corrected the issue that plagued them during their five-game losing streak at the end of last season. The Seahawks’ rushing attack was limited against the 49ers last week. This would be a good “get right” opportunity for the Steelers’ front seven.
QUESTION 4: WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION FOR STEELERS VS. SEAHAWKS
Josh Carney: After a really poor showing defensively in Week 1, the Steelers bounce back in a big way. Sam Darnold starts to see ghosts again, the defense sacks him multiple times and generates three turnovers, and the offense rolls, led by a strong run game. Steelers 27, Seahawks 16
Joe Clark: I have a feeling the Steelers will be much better defensively this week. Seattle struggled to run the ball Week 1, and I’m not too concerned about its passing attack. The Seahawks have a solid defense but an Acrisure Stadium crowd and fired-up Steelers team will lead to a win. Steelers 30, Seahawks 17
Ross McCorkle: I will stick with my prediction from before the season began. After shaking off the rust in Week 1, the Steelers will cruise to a much more comfortable victory in their home opener with the defense bouncing back amid a barrage of Sam Darnold sacks. Steelers 28, Seahawks 18
Scott Brown: Captain Cam has predicted “Redemption Sunday” is coming. OK, I’ll buy. It’s not like the Seahawks are the Ravens when it comes to running the ball, and I think the Sam Darnold we saw last season in Minnesota was a mirage. Steelers 24, Seahawks 20
Troy Montgomery: I expect the Steelers’ defense to come out with a big chip on its shoulder. The Seahawks are also talented defensively, but they’re coming off a physical game against a division rival. I think Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense keeps rolling this week, while the defense proves it’s not as bad as it was in Week 1. Steelers 28, Seahawks 17
Jake Brockhoff: A stoppable object meets a moveable force when Pittsburgh’s run defense faces Seattle’s rushing attack. The Steelers rebounds defensively, and while their offense may have a tougher time than in Week 1, they do enough to pull out a home victory. Steelers 20, Seahawks 17
Dr. Melanie Friedlander: The Steelers defense won’t be able to completely limit Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 124 receiving yards last week, especially without S DeShon Elliot and potentially missing CB Joey Porter Jr, so Seattle will likely put up at least a couple of touchdowns. But Aaron Rodgers showed he can find multiple receivers in the end zone last week, and the Steelers should be successful on the offensive side of the ball in their home opener. Steelers 30, Seahawks 20
