Seahawks at Steelers
THE STORY: If embarrassment is a huge motivator, the Pittsburgh Steelers should be plenty stoked when they host the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener on Sunday. The reigning AFC champions are coming off a humbling 35-7 defeat to bitter rival Baltimore on Kickoff Weekend – the worst season-opening loss since 1997. Being back on familiar turf at Heinz Field usually solves a lot of woes for Pittsburgh, which has won eight consecutive home openers. The Seahawks lost their opener at San Francisco 33-17, getting singed for a pair of late return touchdowns to blunt a second-half comeback.
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Steelers -14.5, O/U 40.5
ABOUT THE STEELERS (0-1): Anger and humiliation alone will not correct Pittsburgh’s mistakes from a week ago. Cutting down on the ghastly seven turnovers the Steelers committed and a better effort from a defense that led the league in fewest points allowed last season could do the trick. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked four times and threw three interceptions after tossing just five last season. Rashard Mendenhall was limited to 45 yards, so Pittsburgh likely will look to establish the ground game early. The Steelers held 11 opponents to 17 points or fewer last season and have a good matchup against a pedestrian Seattle offense.
ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (0-1): The good news was how Seattle clawed back from a 16-0 halftime deficit last week. The bad news was how the Seahawks fell into that hole and allowed both a kick and punt return for touchdowns. Tarvaris Jackson (21-for-37, 197 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) was ordinary in his Seattle debut, although his 55-yard scoring strike to rookie Doug Baldwin had his team within two points with under four minutes left. WR Sidney Rice could return from injury this week to boost an offense that received only 33 yards rushing from Marshawn Lynch. Seattle’s defense permitted only 12 first downs and 209 yards.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Pittsburgh and Seattle met in Super Bowl XL in 2006, with the Steelers prevailing 21-10. The Steelers have since been back to two Super Bowls while the Seahawks are 35-45 in that span, including three straight losing seasons.
2. The Steelers are seeking their sixth straight home win against an NFC opponent while the Seahawks are trying to avoid a ninth consecutive defeat to an AFC foe. Seattle’s drought against the AFC started in October 2007 with a 21-0 loss in Pittsburgh.
3. Last week’s beating by the Ravens was Pittsburgh’s worst season-opening loss since it was crushed by Dallas 37-7 in 1997. The Steelers wound up winning the division title and reaching the AFC title game that season.