The Seahawks fended off the resilient Steelers, securing a 28-26 victory in Week 2 of NFL action.
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Final Score
Seattle Seahawks 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 26
Seattle Seahawks
Despite facing heavy pressure early on, Russell Wilson never looked rattled by his offensive line's inability to block and orchestrated just enough key drives to ensure a 2-0 start. There does seem a tendency to force the ball into D.K. Metcalf, but when it results in plays like his go-route touchdown, you can learn to live with it.
The Steelers' defense is never an easy matchup on paper, but you expected more from players like D.J. Fluker, who just couldn't handle Stephon Tuitt for most of the game. He settled somewhat as the game went on, but it remains a big issue for Seattle.
The Seahawks invested Jadveon Clowney to help ignite their pass-rush. Early signs are it will require more scheming than individual dominance to get that going. Clowney just doesn't win consistently enough for a guy with his explosive athleticism.
Many a team has succumbed to the Pittsburgh passing attack, but Seattle was able to largely keep things in check with their secondary playing tight coverage and making Pittsburgh work hard. Delano Hill was the standout, with his interception of a two-point play proving crucial.
Pittsburgh Steelers
You lose Ben Roethlisberger and your hopes and dreams fade away, right? Well, Mason Rudolph offered some consolation if the injury forces Big Ben to miss games; he shows a level of poise and accuracy you'd hope for but not necessarily expect from your backup quarterback. On the evidence of this cameo, the Steelers traded away the right backup signal-caller.
Alejandro Villanueva was excellent today. He is rarely beaten in a league where playing left tackle has never seemed harder. More difficult tasks will await him, but he would be a reassuring presence on any team.
The Seahawks had a plan early on, targeting D.K. Metcalf in coverage against Steven Nelson. They liked it so much they tried it again. And again. And again. Only after working early, it never worked again and instead showcased an excellent display of competing at the catch point from Nelson, who ended up winning this matchup.
There will be ups and downs for most rookies, and Devin Bush is no different. A couple of bad angles and missed tackles highlighted an inconsistent display in this one.
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