The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be without their starting quarterback for a key Week 17 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Kenny Pickett is inactive for Sunday's game with Seattle, per NFL Network. Mitch Trubisky is expected to be the backup quarterback in the game, behind Mason Rudolph.

The Steelers are entering the game against Seattle with an 8-7 record, and are in a must-win situation. The Steelers' offense has struggled throughout the year and it has caused the team to lose some disappointing games in recent weeks, including defeats to the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals. Both of those teams have losing records.

Kenny Pickett has battled injuries this season, which have left him out for several games. The Steelers had thought Mitch Trubisky would be his replacement, but he wasn't able to lead the offense. Mason Rudolph had success in a Week 16 victory for the Steelers over the Bengals, putting up 290 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 34-11 win for Pittsburgh.

There's hope that the Steelers could still get Pickett at some point. He's currently nursing an injured ankle and had been listed as questionable earlier in the week. But getting Pickett back means nothing if the Steelers don't win on Sunday, as their slim playoff hopes would be absolutely demolished. The Steelers need to win out but also need help from other teams if they are going to get into the AFC playoffs this season.

The Seahawks enter the game at 8-7, also needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive. The Steelers and Seahawks kick off at 4:05 Eastern.