Pacific Northwest Sports is here for Seattle Seahawks fans. We have all the facts and tidbits 12s need to know for Sunday night’s game. This week the Seahawks head to Steel Town for a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Who: Seattle Seahawks (2-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3).
Where: Heinz Field – Pittsburgh, PA.
When: Sunday, October 17, 2021, 5:20 p.m. PDT.
Weather: Fall is in the air at Heinz Field. Expect clear skies temperatures in the low-50s with light winds around 10-15 mph (weather.com).
TV: NBC. Announcers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth & Michele Tafoya.
Line: Seahawks +5. Over/Under: 42.5 (Oddshark).
Seattle is 2-4 in their last six games and 2-5 against the spread. The Seahawks have specialized in the under recently. The total has gone under 4 of the previous 5 and 6 of 7 on the road.
Of late, the Pittsburgh Steelers are struggling.
Los Angeles won 5 of their last 7 games and covered 4 of 5. More importantly, they are 6-2 over the previous eight meetings against the Seahawks.
It’s a good thing the Seahawks rise to the occasion against NFC West opponents as they are 4-1 in their last five in the division.
Out (IR) – QB Russell Wilson (finger), RB Chris Carson (neck), LB Ben Burr-Kirven (knee), RB Rashaad Penny (calf), DE Marcus Webb (undisclosed). WR Dee Eskridge (concussion). Out – Cedric Ogbuehi (bicep). Probable – WR D.K. Metcalf (toe), TE Gerald Everett (COVID-19), MLB Bobby Wagner (knee).
Out (IR) – DE Tyson Alualu, DL Stephon Tuitt, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, QB Josh Dobbs, RB Anthony McFarland. Out – DT Carlos Davis. Probable – QB Ben Roethlisberger (pectoral), CB Cam Sutton (groin), WR Chase Claypool (hamstring), WR James Washington (groin).
Pittsburgh can’t score this year; they rank 24th in the NFL with an average of 18.8 points per game. Future Hall-of-Famer Ben Roethlisberger is a shell of the quarterback he once was. It gets even worse because the Steelers’ biggest weapon, WR Juju Smith-Schuster, went on IR this week. Additionally, WR Chase Claypool is hampered by a hamstring injury but will play.
After facing star receivers every week of the season, the Seattle Seahawks’ beleaguered secondary gets a break. Since he won’t be needed as much in coverage, Jamal Adams will make life difficult for Big Ben and rookie running back Najee Harris.
The Seahawks not only put quarterback Russell Wilson on injured reserve; they also did the same with starting running back Chris Carson. Those injuries make it harder for Seattle to take advantage of the Steelers’ beat-up defensive front.
Now it’s Geno Smith‘s team. He looked confident and in command last week when he replaced Wilson. The Seahawks still have wide receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for Smith to throw to, not to mention tight end Gerald Everett, who is back after a few weeks on the COVID-19 list.
Seahawks S Jamal Adams vs. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Seahawks WRs D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett vs. Pittsburgh cornerbacks.
Pittsburgh EDGE TJ Watt vs. Seahawks LT Duane Brown.
Heinz Field is a tough place for visiting teams to play. Seattle should be able to do a decent job of playing keep-away and wear down Pittsburgh’s defense. The Seahawks win 24-17.