Steelers Stumble in Week 2 as Seahawks Dominate Both Sides of the Ball

To say the season opener didn’t go as planned for the Pittsburgh Steelers would be an understatement.

In front of a capacity crowd at Acrisure Stadium, the team dropped to 1–1 following a 31–17 loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks.

As in Week 1 against the New York Jets, the Steelers' defense struggled early, surrendering several explosive plays on the opening defensive series. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold orchestrated an 8-play, 65-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown pass to receiver Tory Holton to give Seattle an early 7–0 lead.

Although the Steelers failed to reach the end zone in the first quarter, kicker Chris Boswell converted two field goals to narrow the deficit to one point. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey added momentum with a key interception, marking the team's first major defensive play of the game.

In the second quarter, the Steelers broke through with a 6-play, 21-yard scoring drive, capped by a touchdown reception from wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers then connected with tight end Darnell Washington for a successful two-point conversion, giving Pittsburgh a 14–7 advantage heading into halftime.

The third quarter saw the Seahawks dominate possession, eventually tying the game with an 80-yard touchdown drive finished by tight end AJ Barner. In the fourth quarter, Seattle regained the lead with a 54-yard field goal, bringing the score to 17–14.

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Turning Point of the Game

Arguably the pivotal moment came when the Seahawks capitalized on a costly error by rookie Kaleb Johnson. Under the new kickoff rules, Johnson failed to down a ball that had landed in the designated zone and subsequently rolled into the end zone. The miscue resulted in an automatic touchdown, extending Seattle’s lead to 10 points.

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From that point forward, the Steelers had little to offer offensively, managing only a Chris Boswell field goal to narrow the deficit to seven. The Seahawks responded decisively, marching down the field on a 7-play, 73-yard drive that extended their lead to 31–17.

For Pittsburgh, this marked one of their most disappointing outings in recent memory. Seattle outperformed them in all phases of the game, exposing vulnerabilities on both offense and defense. As the Steelers prepare for Week 3, this loss raises more questions than answers—questions that may prove difficult to resolve.