Our Seattle Seahawks kicked off the 2026 NFL season last Wednesday with a huge 13-10 win, handing the New England Patriots a disappointing loss right out of the gate. That 0-1 start has the Patriots scrambling to avoid an 0-2 hole as they head into Sunday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that actually managed to win their opener.
The Steelers’ Defense is a Brick Wall
The Steelers opened their 2026 season with a hard-fought victory against the Atlanta Falcons, and let me tell you, their defense was absolutely dialed in from the jump. This unit is playing tough, ranking an impressive 3rd in yards allowed per game with a stingy 238.0. They are tied for 6th in points allowed per game at 13.0, showing they can keep opponents off the scoreboard. But wait, there’s more: their EPA/play is second best in the entire league at -0.358, with a mind-blowing, league-leading -0.638 EPA/dropback. That means they are absolutely smothering passing plays! They even picked off the Falcons’ third-string quarterback in Week 1, with our guy T.J. Watt taking it 35 yards to the house in the fourth quarter for the decisive touchdown. Defensive playmakers like T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Keeanu Benton, Cameron Heyward, Patrick Queen, and Payton Wilson are all over this roster, making life miserable for opposing offenses. This is a formidable group that could give any team fits, even one that just lost to *our* Hawks.
Steelers Offense Still Finding Its Groove
While their defense is humming like a well-oiled machine, the Steelers’ offense is, shall we say, a different story. They are sitting at a concerning 25th in yards per game with a modest 264.0 and tied for 22nd in points per game at 20.0. These numbers are definitely not where you want to be. Their EPA/play is down at 30th overall with -0.251, and it is not much better in the run game or dropback game, both checking in at 27th. They only had one giveaway in Week 1, which is good, but the overall production is lacking. They did pull out a 20-13 win against the Falcons in their first game under head coach Mike McCarthy, but let us be real, that was against a third-string quarterback. It was not exactly a dominant display of power, even though it counts as a W. Even with Aaron Rodgers on the roster, alongside Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar, this offensive unit is clearly still figuring things out. Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, and Eli Heidenreich are in the backfield, and guys like DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., and Roman Wilson lead the receiving corps. This offense has some serious work to do if they want to truly contend in the competitive AFC North.
The Patriots are going to face a much tougher opponent in Pittsburgh than the one *our* Hawks faced, even with New England’s own issues from Week 1. Can their offense figure it out against that nasty Steelers defense, especially after a disappointing start? This Sunday’s game is massive for New England, as absolutely nobody wants to start the season 0-2, especially after getting handed a loss by the Emerald City’s own 12s. It is going to be a dogfight in Pittsburgh, and we will be watching closely to see if the Patriots can turn things around or sink further after getting bounced by Seattle.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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