The Steelers have plenty of questions unanswered after losing their home opener 28-26 to the Seahawks. Their offense had plenty of struggles, and their defense gave up four touchdowns after giving up three to Tom Brady and the Patriots last week.
Last week Brady was able to figure out Keith Butler's defensive scheme and worked to naturally get receivers open. This week the problems came when the Steelers were in position to make plays, but didn't, either because of failed fundamentals or being flat out beaten in the moment:
The Steelers' defense had a lid on things early when they forced three punts, a fumble, allowed a touchdown, and pressured a missed field goal in the Seahawks' first six possessions. But in the second half, Russell Wilson and his offense took over with three consecutive touchdown drives.
What you saw in those drives were individual situations where Wilson and his weapons beat Steelers defenders in straight-up situations — not being out of place or fooled, just losing man to man. Like the second of Will Dissly's touchdowns when he beat Devin Bush over the top.
Notice how Bush cuts underneath Dissly's route to take away any underneath options. This has been part of why he's succeeded in coverage so far this season against running backs and receivers on crossing routes, but a vertical route to a 6-foot-4 tight end only exposes more of the end zone:
Sean Davis got there several steps too late if he was going to support Bush, and that can be expected to happen with a free safety working with a rookie for the first time. But this is an example when Wilson is at his best, recognizing an area he can attack and making the perfect throw, even with the Steelers having the right coverage in place to challenge it.
Being in position is critical, but it still requires a defender to make the play once in position. That's where you expect talent to impact the game. During a third down attempt in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks went to Rashaad Penny to win in short yardage.
But once again the Steelers have a defender in place to stop the Seahawks' plan. This time it's Anthony Chickillo who got an $8-million contract over two seasons before free agency this offseason. Chickillo misplays the situation. As the edge man, Chickillo's job is to force Penny inside or make the tackle if he comes out wide.
Instead, Penny fakes going inside to draw a poor tackle attempt from Chickillo and bounces it outside for the score:
That's just being flat out beat by a player who's craftier and quicker. Whether Chickillo should've been out there in the first place is a coaching question, but as a veteran, when it comes to Xs and Os, he still has to make that play.
That's a major disappointment, considering the investment Kevin Colbert made to keep Chickillo around.
The Seahawks' offense had a few more plays, too, when the Steelers did almost everything right and it didn't matter because of how well Wilson played. Here's Wilson's 28-yard touchdown pass to D.K. Metcalf over Terrell Edmunds.
Edmunds is by himself in man coverage against the Seahawks' No. 2 receiver, but that's nothing new to him — he's done that before. Watch how he plays Metcalf's deep route by maintaining inside leverage to force the ball to go over him and between him the sideline. His positioning is exactly what you're coached as a defensive back and he manages to get his hands up while looking back for the ball.
But Wilson has the perfect touch and negates all of that:
Wilson came through at all the big moments when his team needed a tough play in the second half. It's part of why he's highly respected across the NFL.
Watch his 15-yard scamper that set up the final fourth down conversion that sealed the game for the Seahawks. Wilson has to step up in the pocket, but then he notices he has two gaps to choose from as Bud Dupree is looping around on a twist. Dupree said after the game he recognized he could either stick to his original gap, or jump in the newer one that opened up.
That allowed Wilson the ability to cut to his left and make the play:
"I went to my gap and he bounced back to the other gap," Dupree said after the game. "I should've stayed and bumped him a little bit before going to my gap right away. He was looking to run as soon as he dropped back because he was looking straight down the middle."
Dupree knew what Wilson was doing, guessed the gap wrong and didn't make the tackle in space. That showed his recognition of the play was fine, but Wilson made the play instead of him.
That was the theme for the Steelers' defense in the second half.
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MORE CLASSROOM
September 14: Own the Seahawks' trenches
September 13: How to set the Seattle tone
September 12: Ben blind to Belichick’s disguises
September 11: Brady’s defensive dissection
