George Holani turned an unusual special-teams mistake into a touchdown as the Seattle Seahawks capitalized on Pittsburgh errors to beat the Steelers 31-17 on Sunday.
The pivotal moment came early in the fourth quarter after Jason Myers hit a 54-yard field goal to give Seattle a three-point lead. On the kickoff that followed, the ball slipped through the hands of Pittsburgh rookie Kaleb Johnson and bounced into the end zone.
While Johnson turned away and walked toward the sideline, Holani hustled to the ball and recovered it just before it rolled out of bounds. The quick play gave Seattle a 24-14 advantage, and the Steelers never recovered.
Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns, overcoming a pair of interceptions in the first half.
Running back Kenneth Walker III added 105 rushing yards, including a 19-yard touchdown run with just over three minutes left that sealed the victory.
The Seahawks’ move to 1-1 on the season.
Seattle outgained the Steelers 395-267, controlling the second half after early mistakes allowed Pittsburgh to stay close.
Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers, coming off a four-touchdown debut with the team, struggled to find rhythm against Seattle’s defense. He completed 18 of 33 passes for 203 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Rodgers’ lone scoring throw was a 2-yard pass to former Seahawk DK Metcalf late in the first half, giving Pittsburgh a short-lived 14-7 lead. Metcalf finished with just 20 yards receiving.
Seattle’s defense made key plays throughout, including an interception by Derion Kendrick on a tipped pass late in the third quarter.
The Seahawks also sacked Rodgers twice and pressured him several other times. Pittsburgh’s running game provided little help, with Jaylen Warren leading the team at 48 rushing yards.
The Steelers also saw injuries mount. Linebacker Alex Highsmith exited in the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk left in the first quarter with an ankle issue, and both were sidelined the rest of the game.
Seattle linebacker Derick Hall left late while chasing Rodgers, limping off in the final minutes.
The Seahawks return home to host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday. Pittsburgh fell to 1-1 with the loss in its home opener.
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