For the second straight week, the Pittsburgh Steelers scored at the least 30 factors with Mason Rudolph main the offense and got here by with a win in an enormous spot, holding their playoff hopes alive within the powerful AFC playoff image.
After throttling the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16, the Steelers hit the highway in Week 17 to tackle the Seattle Seahawks and got here away with a hard-fought 30-23 win, enhancing to 9-7 on the season. The win clinched Mike Tomlin’s seventeenth straight non-losing season and it additionally clinched the Steelers ending third within the AFC North, that means Pittsburgh’s streak of not ending final within the division is now as much as 35 years in a row.
That’s outstanding.
Within the win over the Seahawks, the Steelers’ run recreation was dominant with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren having area days. Mixed, the Steelers rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns, whereas Rudolph hit a handful of explosive performs by the air once more and George Pickens had his second straight 100-yard recreation.
Defensively, the Steelers did simply sufficient and bought a key strip-sack and fumble restoration from rookie exterior linebacker Nick Herbig within the fourth quarter, serving to result in the win.
Let’s try some grades.
QB — A-
Simply an superior job as soon as once more from Rudolph. The man seems to be so snug and assured within the pocket. He stood in there a number of instances in opposition to Seattle and delivered strikes downfield to Pickens and Diontae Johnson.
On the day, Rudolph was 18-for-24 for 274 yards. He was sacked simply as soon as and didn’t have a turnover-worthy play on the day. The Steelers additionally confirmed nice belief in him late after they recovered an onside kick try. Tomlin referred to as for the Steelers to throw it to place the sport away and Rudolph responded with a big-time throw to Pickens on a slant, icing the sport.
Rudolph’s accuracy was on show once more, particularly down the sector. The poise could be very noticeable, too. He simply doesn’t panic, scans the sector and when he sees throws, he rips them. He’s enjoying at a really excessive stage proper now and has the Steelers firmly again within the playoff image.
RB — A+
An unbelievable efficiency by each Harris and Warren. Actually.
No different approach to summarize it.
The dynamic duo dominated from begin to end in opposition to Seattle’s weak run protection. Harris rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries, whereas Warren added 75 yards and a landing on 13 carries. The 2 bodily took it to the Seahawks, operating laborious on each single contact, dispensing punishment at each alternative, whether or not it was reducing a shoulder right into a defender, throwing a well-timed, highly effective stiff-arm, or dragging defenders with them.
It was a dominant show, the perfect the duo has seemed collectively in a very long time, possibly ever. It was essentially the most constant run recreation the Steelers have had, too. Chunk yards after chunk yards.
WR — B
For the second straight week, Pickens got here up large for the Steelers.
Pickens had seven receptions for 131 yards, together with catches of 37, 34 and 24 yards, the final of which helped seal the sport for the Steelers after they recovered the onside kick. In an enormous matchup in opposition to a powerful Seattle secondary, Pickens got here by in an enormous, large manner. He gained downfield, created separation on his routes and made one absurd, diving catch to spark the Steelers.
He’s actually coming into his personal.
Johnson had a powerful recreation, too. He completed with 4 receptions for 76 yards, together with a 42-yarder that arrange Harris’ second landing of the sport. He was capable of keep away from catastrophe early, stepping out of bounds earlier than fumbling the ball after a 16-yard reception that almost gave the Seahawks the ball again after they’d taken a 7-3 lead.
TE — B-
Pat Freiermuth had recreation as a receiver, hauling in three receptions for 44 yards, together with a key 25-yard catch-and-run that arrange Harris’ first landing of the sport. He was extra concerned within the passing recreation this week after the Bengals centered on him final week, and he rewarded the Steelers.
As a blocker, Freiermuth was spectacular, too. He had nice effort on Harris’ second landing, serving to drive the pile to get Harris into the top zone. So, too, did Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward. The trio of tight ends had a ton of success as blockers on Sunday. The Steelers ran numerous 13 personnel and actually took it to Seattle.
That’s a testomony to the tight ends stepping up as blockers.
OL — A+
Greatest recreation the offensive line has had in a protracted, very long time.
The group was challenged earlier within the week by Mike Tomlin and the offensive teaching workers to come back out and management the setting in Seattle by the run recreation. They answered the problem in a serious manner. The offensive line paved the way in which for 202 dashing yards and three touchdowns on the bottom.
From begin to end the Steelers constantly ran the soccer, punching the Seahawks within the mouth time and again. There was a chippiness to the sport, too, from the Steelers’ offensive line, particularly Broderick Jones. The group solutions the problem, little doubt about it.
The road additionally protected fairly effectively for Mason Rudolph, permitting only one sack within the win, which occurred when James Daniels and Mason Cole bought blown up.
The one actual draw back for the sport was Cole having snapping points once more. He has the yips.
DL — C+
Not an excellent day right here. Previous to Kenneth Walker III’s shoulder harm, the Steelers’ line of defense was getting bullied on the level of assault within the run recreation. Walker was gashing the Steelers. His harm modified the sport.
Larry Ogunjobi flashed at instances and made some performs, recording three tackles, however it was too far and few between. Cameron Heyward was largely invisible with only one deal with, although he did tip a cross on the line of scrimmage. Isaiahh Loudermilk had one deal with within the recreation, too, as did Armon Watts. He was pushed round fairly a bit within the run recreation.
Keeanu Benton flashed early on with a strain on the primary rep after which blew up a run on the second rep, however he was quiet after that.
LB — B-
It felt like Myles Jack was in all places on Sunday. He had eight tackles, performed fairly bodily coming downhill and helped get the Steelers lined up and enjoying quick defensively in a hostile setting. Heck of a exhibiting from him.
That was about it from the within linebackers although. Mark Robinson had two tackles and Mykal Walker had only one deal with.
Outdoors, Nick Herbig’s strip-sack of Geno Smith within the fourth quarter was monumental. What an excellent cross rush it was, the rookie beating left deal with Charles Cross and slipping previous the chip from Walker, bending the sting to knock the ball out. He was then capable of get better the ball, too. Spectacular rep.
Alex Highsmith was quiet on Sunday, although he had one quarterback hit. T.J. Watt had two tackles and a quarterback hit. Seattle tackles have been getting away with fairly a little bit of holding in opposition to the dynamic pairing off the sting. Markus Golden gave the Steelers some nice reps in aid, recording three quarterback hits within the win.
DB — C-
Eric Rowe performed fairly effectively for the second straight week. He led the Steelers in tackles with 10 and was everywhere. His day might have been even higher if he hauled in an interception early within the recreation that went proper by his fingers on an ill-advised throw from Geno Smith.
Patrick Peterson bought caught flat-footed on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s landing within the first half when he was in zone protection, permitting Smith to throw proper over him. James Pierre bought misplaced on the play, too, as he was in for the injured Joey Porter Jr.
Talking of Porter, the Seahawks went after him usually with DK Metcalf. Metcalf had an enormous recreation, hauling in three passes for 40 yards in opposition to Porter in man protection, including 5 receptions for 106 yards on the day general.
Chandon Sullivan had a strong recreation for the second straight week. He introduced some physicality within the slot and actually stepped up for the Steelers at a good time.
Simply too many large performs although within the passing recreation that the secondary allowed.
Particular Groups — B
Chris Boswell was an ideal 3-for-3 on the day, which isn’t sudden in any respect. He’s as regular as they arrive. Punter Pressley Harvin III had a pleasant 46-yard punt that he downed contained in the 10-yard line within the win, bouncing again from an terrible exhibiting in opposition to the Bengals final week.
Within the return recreation Godwin Igwebuike had a pleasant 31-yard kickoff return in opposition to his former crew, giving the Steelers good area place. The kick protection crew was a priority for the Steelers as DeeJay Dallas had a 32-yard kickoff return, giving Seattle good area place after a brief Boswell kick.
