The Seattle Seahawks are coming into Week 2 with a 1-0 record. While the team came off a narrow win against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pete Carroll is positive it can build a run by winning against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers did come off a horrible loss against the New England Patriots, but they also have one of the most exciting QBs in the NFL, Ben Roethlisberger. Moreover, they have dynamic wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who is on a mission to break records.
This Week 2 clash at Heinz Field could be an exciting one.
Here are four game-specific predictions for Seahawks-Steelers.
1. A masterclass in passing from both QBs
Big Ben isn't the only elite quarterback in this game.
Russell Wilson played a superb game to open the season. He got 196 passing yards for two TDs. The Bengals' secondary wasn't able to pick off Wilson. His leadership kept the Hawks' slim lead intact.
Roethlisberger also played decent football in Week 1 despite not throwing a TD pass. He managed to get 276 yards on 27 completed passes. The 33-3 final score is more of a testament to the New England Patriots' defense than his ability as a passer.
Big Ben was fuming after his team's lopsided defeat. He will try to pour out his anger against the Seahawks' defense. Wilson will keep up with him. I wouldn't be surprised if both QBs finish the game with 400 passing yards each.
2. D.K. Metcalf will steal the show
Besides the QB confrontation, there will also be a fascinating battle between two of the league's electrifying wideouts.
D.K. Metcalf impressed the Seahawks fans who came out to see him at CenturyLink Field. He finished his first NFL game with four receptions for 89 yards against Cincinnati. However, the second-round selection believes that he could have performed a lot better against the Bengals. This kind of thinking surely endeared him to plenty of Seahawks fans.
He will need that determination to stand toe-to-toe with Juju Smith-Schuster. The former USC standout is on course to break one of Randy Moss's NFL receiving records. The Heinz Field crowd will be rooting for the Pittsburgh receiver to make history.
Metcalf will definitely put up a good fight against Smith-Schuster.
3. The Seahawks will trail in the game
Seattle tried to get things going on the offense in Week 1 by mixing the passing game with the ground game. While the Bengals allowed Seattle a rushing TD from Chris Carson in the second quarter, the Seahawks could have gained a lot of yards if they stuck to the passing game.
The Steelers weren't that bad against New England last Sunday. They had a total of 308 yards against the Patriots, 75 more than the total yardage the Seahawks gained against Cincinnati.
The humiliation Pittsburgh endured at Tom Brady's hands should also motivate the Steelers to perform better. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Seahawks go down by a touchdown by the end of the first half.
4. The Seahawks will win
The Seahawks should be able to make the necessary adjustments in the second half and finish strong.
The Steelers are still recovering from the losses of Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell. The fact that they weren't able to score a touchdown in spite of the impressive game Ben Roethlisberger had is proof that they lack the finishing touch they had last year.
Meanwhile, there weren't a lot of key losses for the Seahawks over the offseason. In fact, they bolstered their defense by adding Jadeveon Clowney.
Seattle should have enough quality to squeak past the Steelers. If I have to give a final score, it'd be 30-27 for the visitors.
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