The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense carried them to a Week 1 win. While their defense started slowly, Aaron Rodgers and company were able to pick up the slack. That came against a talented New York Jets defense, too. However, former NFL defensive lineman Chris Long believes that their Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks will be a greater challenge for the Steelers’ offense.
“I’m not saying what happened Week 1 was fake, I just think it’s gonna be an interesting matchup,” Long said Friday on his Green Light podcast. “I think this is gonna be a lot more of a serious test for that offense. Broderick Jones is a little bit of a liability out there, and I mean that respectfully.
“[DeMarcus] Lawrence, [Boye] Mafe, you’re talking about one of the better groups, top to bottom, on the defensive line. It’s gonna be a big test for them. Bigger test than last week. I would argue that. Quinnen Williams is a stud, but top to bottom, it’s a pretty good group.”
Strictly looking at their defensive fronts, it’s tough to say whether the Seahawks or Jets have the better unit. The Jets’ pass rushers are no joke. Williams and Will McDonald IV are both former first-round picks, and they were impactful against the Steelers, totalling three sacks between them.
The Seahawks’ front shouldn’t be underestimated, though. Lawrence is a 12-year veteran, and he used to be one of the better pass rushers in the league. While he’s 33 and coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season, he could be in for a bounce-back year.
Mafe is a younger player, only going into his fourth NFL season, but he’s an impressive athlete. That’s helped him succeed in the league, Mafe posting six sacks last year and nine sacks in 2023.
Perhaps the best part of the Seahawks’ defensive front is their interior. Leonard Williams has been in the league since 2015, but he doesn’t appear to be slowing down. He put up 11 sacks last year and also recorded a pick-six off Rodgers.
Byron Murphy II was the Seahawks’ first-round pick last year, and he’s extremely talented. While he only had half a sack last year, he could be primed for a breakout season.
Also, the rest of the Seahawks’ defense is full of talent. In Week 1, they beat up the San Francisco 49ers. While they lost that game, they made the 49ers work hard. San Francisco’s offense is a star-studded group, too.
However, the 49ers weren’t the only ones to come out of that matchup with bumps and bruises. The Seahawks’ defense is dealing with a number of injuries to key players as well. That could seriously impact their performance against the Steelers.
Long could still be correct in his assessment, though. The Steelers’ offensive line struggled to protect Rodgers in Week 1, and they could have similar issues this week. While they put up a lot of points, they were far from perfect. This game seems primed to be another physical, hard-fought battle.
Recommended for you