3 Takeaways from Steelers' Week 17 Win vs. Seahawks
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't done yet. With a 30-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Pittsburgh secured yet another winning season and kept itself alive in the postseason race.
For the second straight week, the Steelers offense surged under quarterback Mason Rudolph, and the defense did just enough to secure a critical road win.
A couple of weeks ago, the Steelers had lost three straight and appeared to be out of it. Thanks to back-to-back victories, they won't have their fate decided until the season finale.
Here's what we learned during the Steelers' Week 17 win over the Seahawks.
Mike Tomlin Isn't Going Anywhere
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During Pittsburgh's three-game skid, some may have wondered if the Steelers should consider moving on from head coach Mike Tomlin. Those questions, though, weren't coming from within the organization.
"A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the Steelers intend to extend Tomlin's contract before the 2024 season begins,"
ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio wrote on December 23.
The past two weeks have precisely why the Steelers still believe in Tomlin. Last week's emphatic win over the Cincinnati Bengals put Pittsburgh back into the playoff picture, and Sunday's win kept them there.
Making the trip to Seattle is never easy for East Coast teams, and yet, Tomlin had his team well-prepared The Steelers truck first, rarely trailed, and clamped down defensively in the second half. Seattle managed only three field goals after intermission.
The playoffs aren't guaranteed for Pittsburgh, but they're still in the hunt. Given the uncertainty at quarterback, the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada and the high level of competition in the AFC North, that's a testament to Tomlin's ability to keep his team successful.
Starting Rudolph Was the Right Call
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Tomlin also made the call to start Rudolph, even though quarterback Kenny Pickett (ankle) was healthy enough to back him up. That proved to be the right call, and it serves as further proof that Tomlin is in tune with his team.
Far too often this season, Pickett has struggled to generate big plays or push the football down the field. Following Pickett's ankle surgery, the offense was arguably even worse with Mitch Trubisky under center.
The Steelers were often able to win with conservative quarterback play because of their defense, but that defense has looked suspect in recent weeks.
The Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts bullied the Steelers on the ground, while the New England Patriots gashed them through the air during that three-game losing streak.
Rudolph has helped add a downfield element to Pittsburgh's passing attack. He threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns against the Bengals last week. Against Seattle, he finished 18-of-24 for 274 yards—and he got No. 1 receiver George Pickens heavily involved in both contests.
Pickens finished Sunday with seven catches for 131 yards.
No one should be surprised if Rudolph starts again next week or in the postseason, should the Steelers get there.
The Steelers Probably Waited Too Long to Make Offensive Changes
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Here's the one knock against Tomlin that's fair. Pittsburgh probably should have made offensive changes weeks earlier than it did.
The Steelers offense has looked, legitimately, threatening over the past two weeks. The Seahawks are stacked with playmakers like DK Metcalf and Kenneth Walker III, but they couldn't keep pace.
Even a slightly better offense might have made a difference in close losses to the Patriots and Cleveland Browns. With just one more win, Pittsburgh would be in a far more enviable postseason position.
The playoffs are still possible, but the Steelers need help. They have to beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, to start—though Baltimore has secured the No. 1 seed and may rest starters. They also need either the Jacksonville Jaguars or Buffalo Bills (or both) to lose.
Of course, Tomlin's decision to stick with Pickett when healthy was logical. The Steelers used a 2022 first-round pick on him, and they need to know if he can develop into a true franchise quarterback. Keeping Canada also made sense because it gave Pickett continuity.
We now know, though, that ditching Canada, bypassing Trubisky and turning to Rudolph has unlocked the Steelers as a potential playoff threat.
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