Game Overview ::
By mike johnson >>
- Mason Rudolph came out of nowhere to spark the Steelers offense in last week’s dominant win over the Bengals.
- Pittsburgh will need to win on the road against two very good teams – Seattle and Baltimore – if they are going to have a shot at making the playoffs.
- A win for Seattle would put them in an extremely strong position to make the playoffs.
- Seattle has lost at home only twice this season, both times to current playoff teams and division rivals, the 49ers and the Rams
- George Pickens erupted last week against the Bengals man-heavy coverage scheme but this week faces a Seahawks secondary that plays primarily zone.
How pittsburgh Will Try To Win ::
The Steelers kept head coach Mike Tomlin’s quest to never have a losing season alive with a resounding victory over the Bengals in Week 16. The Steelers still have to win both of their remaining games against two current playoff teams, Seattle and Baltimore, if they are going to have a chance to sneak into the AFC playoffs. The Steelers saw enough of Mitchell Trubisky and decided to hand the reins to Mason Rudolph as their starting quarterback. The result was a game where they finally utilized George Pickens downfield and they scored 30 points in a game for the first time all season.
Pittsburgh plays at a methodical pace and only five teams in the NFL pass the ball at a lower rate relative to expected than the Steelers. This week they face a Seattle defense that plays zone coverage at a very high rate, rarely blitzes, and is built upon the idea that they will keep their opponents from making big plays and will swarm to the ball. Seattle’s run defense started the season very strongly but has been much more beatable lately. Despite the big plays from Pickens last week, we should expect the Steelers to be forced to the short and intermediate areas of the field in the passing game this week. This is a team that tries to win by out-executing their opponents and winning the turnover battle. Seattle’s defense is especially tough at home and should force the Steelers to march the field rather than giving up chunk plays. Pittsburgh will likely have a strong emphasis on their running game and heavily involve both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Pittsburgh will play methodically and have extended drives. They should be well equipped to move the ball against Seattle but with their big plays likely limited, they will be forced to show some ability to convert red zone opportunities into touchdowns, something that they rank 27th in the NFL at this season.
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