2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 12: The Youth Movement
The Pittsburg Steelers were in a similar position as the Seattle Seahawks, both had had rough stretches of the season, but had seen a recent uptick in play, and both were battling to obtain a wildcard spot. A victory on this Sunday would put either the Steelers or Seahawks in the driver’s seat. The challenge for the Seahawks was an awesome one. The once elite Legion of Boom had been surgically splintered by quarterbacks who could make pre-snap reads and deliver accurate throws. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was just that, and he was in the midst of an elite season thanks to his chemistry with receiver Antonio Brown. Since returning from injury, Roethlisberger had led the Steelers to a pair of commanding victories, scoring 38 and 30. The Steelers were going to score on the Seahawks, this much seemed certain. A sub-20 point performance from the offense would result in a costly loss. The offense couldn’t just be good—they had to be great. Or more specifically, Russell Wilson had to be great.
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The Seahawks were the top rushing team in the league and had a history of being a top rushing team. With the emergence of Thomas Rawls, and his break-out game against the 49ers, the Steelers decided to send a clear message. Thomas Rawls would not do to them what he had done to others. If the Steelers lost, it would be due to Russell Wilson’s arm. It was a familiar theory. Many teams had had success by selling out to the run and putting the Seahawks in difficult third downs, where the team felt forced to pass. Initially, the Steelers were happy with the plan. While the Hawks had managed to move the ball, the first quarter was a shut-out. A low-scoring game was what the Steelers wanted, but wait…