NFL: Steelers squeak by Seahawks in clash between two of the league's toughest teams
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Week Six of the 2021 NFL season showcased the Pittsburgh Steelers locked up with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, with defense being the name of the game.
The Steelers needed extra time for a 23-20 win over the Seahawks as they came out on top for the second game in a row.
Seattle came into this game missing Russell Wilson (32), who is out with a broken finger on his throwing hand, currently led by backup Geno Smith, a former first-round draft pick of the NY Jets.
After Pittsburgh made things tough for Seattle’s backup, the Steelers finally got on the board first with two touchdowns in the second quarter, holding that 14-0 lead into halftime.
The Seahawks also got their offense clicking in the second half with two touchdowns of their own in the third quarter, overpowering Pittsburgh’s defense for a 17-3 run to tie things up heading into the final minutes of the fourth.
Both teams traded field goals to send things into overtime, where a costly fumble by Smith set up a game-winning Steelers field goal for the win.
The player spotlight
Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who has begun his stretch as the cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s defense this season, made a big impact in his team’s Sunday night win.
If not for him, the Seahawks might’ve fared better in overtime, as they were driving down the field with a potential game-winning touchdown in their sights.
Watt’s forced fumble on Seattle’s Smith gave the ball back to the Steelers, setting up his team’s offense for their game-winning field goal.
He finished the game with seven tackles and two sacks.
The big picture
The Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003 and while it’s still too early enough to draw up any big conclusions, they are sitting pretty at third place in their division behind the Bengals and their hated rivals, the Ravens.
At 3-3 so far, they can still get back in the mix going forward, as their next three games are against teams who don’t have winning records.
In two weeks, the Steelers (3-3) are in Cleveland to face the Browns (3-3) while the Seahawks (2-4) host the Saints (3-2) next Monday night.
Cover photo: imago/Icon SMI