Seahawks Get Back To .500 Just In Time To Face Steelers
By Christina Rivers
The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) head to Seattle on Sunday to face a Seahawks team that has had little resemblance to their Super Bowl teams this season. The Seahawks evened out their season at .500 after a 29-13 win over the San Francisco 49ers and are currently seated at second in the NFC West behind the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers saw the AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals fall two weeks in a row, giving them a better shot at the division and playoff hopes.
Seattle on offense
The Seahawks got a boost from running back Thomas Rawls who earned a start due to an abdominal injury to veteran rusher Marshawn Lynch. The undrafted Central Michigan rookie recorded his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, crossing the 200-yard mark on the season just before the two-minute warning in the final quarter of the game on Sunday. His 31-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson gave the Seahawks a 29-13 lead Seattle was able to hang on to for the win.
Wilson gave his best performance of the season by running an efficient offensive combination of quick throws, necessary scrambles and a few deep strikes to humble a struggling San Francisco team. Passing for 260 yards, his highest total in five games (second-highest in 2015), Wilson completed 83 percent of his throws. Wilson also three three touchdown passes with no turnovers. This came in the wake of perhaps one of his worst games in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Seahawks are ranked first in the league in rushing yards per game with 148.6 and tenth in total offense. If the Steelers can contain Wilson and cover Seattle's top receivers in Doug Baldwin and tight end Jimmy Graham, they can force the Seahawks to turn to the run for offensive production. The Steelers are currently ranked sixth against the run through Week 10, allowing only 93.0 yards rushing per game.
Defensive production by Seattle
The Seahawks have struggled all season in defending tight ends. Coach Pete Carroll's team plays a contain defense that forces action inside, but that has allowed tight ends like Heath Miller open in the center of the field. Against the 49ers, the Seahawks allowed two tight ends to combine for six catches, 100 yards and a touchdown. Against Tyler Eifert of the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle's defense allowed 90 yards and two touchdowns. Panthers and Rams tight ends Greg Olsen and Jared Cook had 131 yards (one touchdown) and 85 yards respectively. This is an area that Pittsburgh could capitalize on.
Seattle's strength on defense is still in preventing the pass. They are ranked second in the league in passing yards allowed per game with 207.2. This is due, in large part, to the play of their defensive front who has a combined sack total of 25 and a stingy defensive backfield. For the first time in his career, cornerback Richard Sherman has yet to intercept a pass. It took until Week 5 for the Seahawks to get their first interception when free safety Earl Thomas jumped an Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals) route at the goal line.
Seahawks player to watch
Defensive end Cliff Avril is the player to watch in this matchup. Avril has recorded 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in addition to 38 tackles. With Ben Roethlisberger still ginger after a knee and foot injury, the Steelers offensive line will need to offer better protection. Avril will get plenty of help from Cam Chancelor and team tackles leader K.J. Wright.
Outlook
The Steelers have gotten back on track despite injuries this season to key players on both sides of the ball. After entering the game for an injured Landry Jones, Roethlisberger came in and secured himself as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 10. He will have a full compliment of weapons in running back DeAngelo Williams and receivers Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton. On defense, the Steelers will benefit from the hard-nosed play of Cam Heyward and quick pursuit on the outside of the line from Bud Dupree and Stephon Tuitt. The Steelers are favored to win, but the Seahawks have played spoiler in the past and aren't ready to roll over on the season just yet.
Christina Rivers has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers and National Football League professionally as a journalist and photographer for over a decade. Rivers studied Exercise Physiology and Sports Psychology at Brigham Young University as a student-athlete. Christina is a freelance writer covering all things NFL as well as a published author. Her work can be found on
Examiner.com.
