While they have a lot of talented players, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense had a bad game to open the 2025 season. They got dominated on the ground, letting the New York Jets rush for almost 200 yards. Justin Fields had a lot of success throwing the ball, too. With the Seattle Seahawks visiting Pittsburgh this weekend, the Steelers have an opportunity to prove that Week 1 was just a fluke. However, analyst Charles McDonald believes that the Seahawks’ offense will actually be the unit that bounces back after scoring just 13 points last Sunday.
“I think what was a little bit surprising for me with the Steelers’ defense against the Jets was how soft they were up front,” McDonald said recently on the Football 301 podcast. “They got mashed a lot of times. I thought Keeanu Benton did not have a good game. Cameron Hayward looked a little old.
“T.J. Watt was chasing on the cheese on everything and letting Justin Fields get out the pocket. If you’re that undisciplined, any offense can get you any week. I think this could be a big breakout game for Seahawks on offense just because I think the Steelers’ defense looks really slow.”
The Steelers weren’t the only team this offseason that made significant changes. The Seahawks also shook up their roster, particularly on offense. Steelers fans are aware that they traded DK Metcalf, but the Seahawks also sent quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. He had been their starter since 2022.
To replace him, they signed Sam Darnold, who experienced a career resurgence last season after spending his several few years in the NFL looking like a bust. Darnold was great for Minnesota Vikings, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
However, there are concerns that Darnold’s success was mostly a byproduct of the Vikings’ offense. His Seahawks debut didn’t do much to dissuade those worries, either. He only threw for 150 yards with zero touchdowns and a lost fumble.
Almost all of Darnold’s passing yards, 124 of them specifically, came from throwing to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks didn’t run the ball well, either. Their offensive struggles led to a close a loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
While the Steelers’ defense had an ugly first showing, players have talked extensively this week about how committed they are to not letting that happen again. They don’t need to let Week 1 define them. The same goes for the Seahawks’ offense, though. Both units have a lot to prove this week, and we’ll see which one emerges victorious.
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