The Seattle Seahawks travel to Acrisure Stadium to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in their home opener on Sunday, setting up an early-season matchup filled with intrigue. Both teams are coming off dramatic games, with Pittsburgh escaping New York with a win and Seattle falling just short against San Francisco.
The Steelers may have left with a victory, but their defense allowed 32 points and 182 rushing yards, raising serious concerns for a unit that is the highest paid in the league. Improvement is needed quickly, especially against a Seahawks team that is hungry to bounce back after a crushing loss.
Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald adds another layer to the storyline. As the former defensive coordinator of the Ravens, he knows the Steelers well and will look to use that knowledge to his advantage. With both teams eager to prove themselves, Sunday’s game at Acrisure Stadium promises to deliver plenty of intensity
Key factors for how Pittsburgh Steelers vs Seattle Seahawks will play out
Seattle looks to exploit Pittsburgh’s ground game struggles
The Seahawks share a similar offensive identity with the Steelers, built around establishing the run. Last week, however, Seattle could not get its ground game going against the 49ers. With Pittsburgh’s defense giving up big plays on the ground to the Jets, the Seahawks have every reason to feel confident about leaning on their rushing attack.
Expect a steady mix of runs and play action with new quarterback Sam Darnold, designed to keep T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith from pinning their ears back against the tackles.
For Pittsburgh, the defensive front must win at the line of scrimmage, and the inside linebackers need to be more effective in shedding blocks and closing gaps. The Steelers did not ramp up the pressure until late against New York, but when they did, it resulted in two crucial stops. To slow down Seattle, they will need that same disruptive energy from the start. A combination of blitzes and their natural pass rush has the potential to create the kind of chaos that can overwhelm any quarterback.
Pittsburgh’s offensive line set for a serious test
Broderick Jones had a rough outing on Sunday, giving up multiple sacks as the Steelers’ offensive line struggled across the board in run blocking as well. Even with those issues, one thing stood out: Aaron Rodgers may still throw the ball well, but he no longer has the mobility to escape pressure.
That reality is going to shape how defenses approach Pittsburgh. Expect opponents to keep dialing up heavy blitz packages to collapse the pocket, speed up Rodgers’ clock, and test an offensive line that has yet to prove it can hold up. Until the Steelers show they can protect their quarterback and open lanes in the run game, defenses will have no reason to back off.
Heavy dose of Jaylen Warren
It was puzzling to see Kenneth Gainwell get so many snaps against the Jets, especially with Jaylen Warren fresh off a contract extension. Gainwell has value as a receiver, but he struggled to generate anything on the ground. While none of the backs had a standout performance, the Steelers’ most effective rushing plays came when Warren had the ball in his hands.
The usage was particularly baffling on third downs, where Warren should be the clear choice. He is one of the better third-down backs in the league thanks to his ability to catch passes and hold up in pass protection. If the Steelers want to spark life into their run game, Warren needs more than the 11 carries he had last week compared to Gainwell’s seven.
On Sunday, the offense will be all about setting the tone, and there is no better way to do that than letting Warren lead the charge.
I expect this matchup to unfold the way I thought last week’s would, with both defenses setting the tone. The Steelers defense should rebound from its shaky performance against the Jets, while the Seahawks bring a tough, disciplined unit of their own. With both offensive lines likely to continue battling inconsistency, points will be hard to come by.
In the end, I think the home crowd gives Pittsburgh the edge. Look for the Steelers to grind out another close win, 23–17.