The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a winning performance in Week 16, a 34-11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and with it being the team’s eighth loss many fans’ hopes were resurrected as the team is pressing towards a hopeful AFC Playoff berth. The hope is there is a better performance on the horizon on Sunday in Week 17 when the team travels to play the Seattle Seahawks.

What exactly do the Steelers need to do to claim their eighth victory of 2023? Let’s break it down by offense and defense…

Offense

Run the rock

The Seahawks run defense is not what it used to be, a far cry from the Legion of Boom. To make matters worse for Seattle, and potentially better for Pittsburgh, is the fact Devin Bush will be getting the start at inside linebacker. This season the Steelers have seen former players, James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster, get the better of them in their rematches. Will the same happen with Bush? If the Steelers want to win this game, controlling the clock and running the ball will be paramount. Seattle is giving up 129.6 rushing yards per game…seems like a good spot for the Steelers’ offense.

Keep it clean

Winning the turnover battle is huge for the Steelers. When they win the turnover battle, they typically win the game. They’ve only lost one game where they were on the right side of the turnover differential. So, yeah, not turning the ball over is a huge key to victory in this game.

Chunk it up

What was the biggest difference in the Mason Rudolph offense compared to that of Kenny Pickett? Big plays. Who cares how the big plays happened, they happened. The offense needs to continue to get chunk plays, mainly via play-action passes off the run game, to not just keep the Seattle defense honest, but to help flip the field and continue to add to their point total.

Defense

Stop the run

The Seahawks’ running game remains in the bottom third of the league, averaging only 90.3 yards per game. If there was a game where the Steelers defense should be able to make their opponent one-dimensional, it would be this game. Forcing Geno Smith into obvious passing situations will be the best course of action for the Steelers to win in Seattle for the first time in over 40 yards.

Hit Geno early and often

Seattle has surrendered 37 sacks this season, and that mark is just slightly higher than Pittsburgh’s sack total; however, you saw last week vs. the Bengals just how important it is for the pass rush to get home. Most teams like to move to the quick-hitting passing attack against the Steelers defense to neutralize T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, but the Seahawks and Smith are still a team that likes the deep drop back and to chuck it downfield. Time to get home and wreak some havoc in the backfield.

Take it away

The Steelers are tied for first in the NFL with a +10 turnover differential, but the team’s success this season has been taking the ball away. When they don’t, they typically lose. When they come out on top in the differential, they typically win. Can it be that simple? History shows it might just be that simple. Take it away, and have a meaningful game again in Week 18.

I talk about this, and MUCH more on the latest episode of “Let’s Ride”, and you can hear that podcast in the player below this article. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they gear up for game time!