The Seattle Seahawks are expected to run the ball better in their 2025 debut. Unfortunately, they only managed to average 3.2 yards per carry with just 84 yards on the ground against San Francisco.
Luckily, there’s always Week 2, and a chance to right the wrongs of last week. Heading out to Pittsburgh for a date with the Steelers, there’s a greater chance of improving the ground game for Seattle than previously expected.
The Steelers gave up 182 yards rushing to the New York Jets last week, including a 100-yard performance from their Breece Hall, whose situation isn’t too dissimilar from Kenneth Walker III. But how Hall got to the century mark is the exact blueprint Seattle will be focusing on this week.
Jets provided the blueprint, Seattle Seahawks have the personnel
Circumstances dictate more than we realise in football. In this example, the Jets lost their starting right guard days before the season opener. They also have a rookie right tackle, who would be facing off against T.J. Watt more often than not. Their offensive line strength skews heavily to the left side, which is where the Jets found nearly all of their success with Hall.
Wow, a LOT of running to the left side of the OL for #Jets RB Breece Hall Sunday.
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) September 7, 2025
That means right at Alex Highsmith and Cam Heyward, among others. Running away from T.J. Watt (smart). pic.twitter.com/jEad8csElJ
Whether it’s because that’s the Jets’ ultimate strength, or because that’s where Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness is, is what Seattle will need to find out this week.
Thankfully, for Seattle, the left side of their line is the strength of the unit, too. Charles Cross may be known more for his pass blocking prowess, but rookie first-rounder Grey Zabel is already the best guard Pittsburgh will face in this young season.
Based on the Jets' formula for success against the Steelers’ defense, it wouldn’t be overly surprising if the Seahawks can replicate it, or even improve on it, running behind Cross and Zabel.
The strange thing is that Alex Highsmith and Cam Heyward, two great run defenders, are usually on that side of the Steelers’ defense. Highsmith did have a hamstring injury through a chunk of training camp, and Heyward is getting older and was at least marginally distracted by his contract dispute leading up to the season opener.
How much of that played a role in their lackluster performance last week, we’ll find out in real time on Sunday.
Still, Seahawks fans saw the rushing attack Klint Kubiak’s offense displayed in the preseason, and they want similar results in Week 2 instead of whatever happened in the season opener. If the fault truly lies with Pittsburgh’s defense, the highest-paid unit in the NFL, then Seattle should be able to, at the very least, give them the same headaches the Jets did last week.