Xtra Points

Steelers drop home opener, 28-26

Sep 15, 2019 at 05:10 PM

The Steelers fought back late, but weren't able to stop the Seahawks on their final drive, falling to them, 28-26 in the team's home opener at Heinz Field. The loss drops the Steelers to 0-2 on the season.

"We've got to make plays. We didn't make enough of them," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "We understand the position we are in. We understand the negativity that comes with it. We better absorb it. We better get singularly focused and get better for our next opporutnity and control the things we can control. That's what we intend to do. But today it's painful, as it should be."

The Steelers got back in the game late when Devin Bush picked up the loose ball at the 14-yard line on an aborted play, and returned it to the three-yard line, where he went out of bounced. Mason Rudolph hit Vance McDonald for a three-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 28-26 after Chris Boswell's extra point.

The Seahawks achieved some much-needed separation in a back-and-fourth affair on a 28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to wide receiver DK Metcalf with 7:15 left in the fourth quarter.

A successful challenge of a non-call for defensive pass interference on strong safety Terrell Edmunds turned an incompletion and an impending third-and-20 into a first-and-10 at the Steelers' 35-yard line.

Wilson found Metcalf three snaps later.

Kicker Jason Myers' extra point gave Seattle a 28-19 lead.

The Seahawks took the ball away early in the third quarter and then took the lead.

Wilson connected with tight end Will Dissly on first-and-10 from the Steelers' 12-yard line for a touchdown with 9:49 left in the third quarter. Dissly got behind inside linebacker Devin Bush and caught the ball in front of free safety Sean Davis. Myers' extra point made it 14-10 Seahawks.

The scoring drive began at the Steelers' 40 after a pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph bounced off wide receiver Donte Moncrief and was intercepted by Seahawks free safety Bradley McDougald.

Rudolph had replaced starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (right elbow) on the Steelers' first possession of the second half.

The Steelers countered the Seahawks' third-quarter touchdown with a 33-yard field goal by kicker Chris Boswell that cut the Seattle advantage to 14-13. The big play on their seven-play, 60-yard drive in 3:28 was a 45-yard flea flicker, a pitch from running back James Conner back to Rudolph, who then found wide receiver JuJu Smith Schuster for a gain to the Seattle 16-yard line.

Seattle countered back with a 37-yard burst for a touchdown by running back Rashaad Penny on third-and-2 with 3:04 left in the third quarter.

The Steelers' next possession ended on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Rudolph to tight end Vance McDonald that capped a 12-play, 75-yard march in 6:40. Rudolph's pass to Smith-Schuster for a two-point conversion was intercepted and the Seahawks retained the lead at 21-19 with 11:16 left in regulation.

A 41-yard field goal by Boswell had snapped a 7-7 tie with 2:28 remaining in the second quarter.

The Steelers had taken over following a punt at their 28 with 5:54 left prior to halftime. The Seahawks were guilty of defensive holding on the first snap of the drive. Roethlisberger then connected on three straight passes, one to Smith-Schuster, one to wide receiver James Washington and another to Smith-Schuster, for a combined 39 yards to the Seahawks' 28. The drive stalled thanks in part to an offensive pass interference penalty against McDonald on third-and-4 from the Seahawks' 22.

Seattle had tied the game at 7-7 on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to tight end Dissly, who caught the ball in the end zone behind Bush and in front of Davis. The Seahawks had kicked a field goal on fourth-and-3 from the Steelers' 28, but Steelers defensive tackle Dan McCullers was called for unnecessary roughness and that set Seattle up with a first down at the Steelers' 14.

A penalty had also negated the Steelers' first touchdown.

Inside linebacker Mark Barron recovered a fumble created by outside linebacker T.J. Watt late in the first quarter and returned the ball 34 yards for a score, but Davis was called for an illegal block behind Barron as Barron was running into the end zone.

The Steelers took over at the Seahawks' 22 and attained a first-and-goal at the Seattle 1 after outside linebacker Mychal Kendricks was called for pass interference on a fade to running back Jaylen Samuels at the end zone pylon. Running back James Conner followed with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Myers missed a 58-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the first half.

Davis was making his 2019 debut after missing the Steelers' regular-season opener at New England with an ankle injury.

He was lost in the second half due to a shoulder injury.

Inside linebacker Vince Williams started alongside Barron but only lasted two defensive series (hamstring).

Williams was wearing the green dot helmet and received defensive signals from the sidelines.

Watt had worn the green dot in New England.

Barron wore the green dot after Williams exited.

The Steelers sacked Wilson four times in the first half.

Rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson took over the punt returning duties from wide receiver Ryan Switzer in the second quarter.

Gamebook vs. Seattle (Sept. 15) ^[PDF]