5 things we learned: Mason Rudolph bringing deep passing game back to Steelers' offense

Five things we learned from Steelers 30, Seahawks 23:

1. Big-play Mason

Further evidence of the offense flourishing under Mason Rudolph’s guidance came in the form of the veteran backup throwing five completions that gained at least 24 yards. To no surprise, three of those passes were thrown to George Pickens.

A week after teaming up with Pickens on completions spanning 86, 66 and 44 yards, Rudolph found him for gains of 37, 34 and 24 yards. The most aesthetic pass was an arcing 34-yard gain in the fourth quarter that Pickens ran under and corralled as he dived to the turf.

Rudolph also had a game-high 42-yard completion to Diontae Johnson and a 25-yarder to tight end Pat Freiermuth. The pass to Freiermuth set up Najee Harris’ 9-yard touchdown run that gave the Steelers a 17-14 halftime lead.

In two starts with Rudolph at quarterback, the Steelers have averaged 6.6 yards (Seattle) and 6.8 (Cincinnati) per play. Those are the Steelers’ highest numbers of the season. Likewise, the Steelers averaged 10.6 yards per pass play against Seattle after averaging 10.1 yards against Cincinnati.

In no other game this season started by Kenny Pickett or Mitch Trubisky did the Steelers average as high as 8.0 yards per pass play.

2. Where’s Pressley?

Another beneficiary of the Steelers possessing the ball for a season-high 37 minutes, 33 seconds was punter Pressley Harvin.

His services were needed just once in the game, and that lone attempt didn’t come until late in the third quarter.

Harvin hit that punt 46 yards for a fair catch at the Seattle 14. The oft-maligned punter was more active in his secondary role as a holder when Chris Boswell made three field goals.

The last time the Steelers had to punt just once in a game was November 2021 at the Los Angeles Chargers.

3. Display of discipline

Befitting the most fined team in the NFL, the Steelers have shown a knack for letting their emotions work against them. Such wasn’t the case against the Seahawks.

The Steelers were penalized a season-low two times for 10 yards. In the first quarter, Freiermuth was flagged for illegal motion. In the third, the Steelers were set back 5 yards on a false start by tight end Connor Heyward.

The Steelers overcame both flags. Jaylen Warren scored on an 18-yard run to negate the Freiermuth penalty, and Harris scored on a 4-yard run after Heyward’s infraction.

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4. Bushwhacked

Making his second start since joining the Seahawks in free agency, linebacker Devin Bush said his former team didn’t do anything that he didn’t expect or hadn’t seen before.

That certainly was the case for fans and television viewers as well. Although he had a game-high 17 tackles, Bush made many of his stops far down the field and didn’t have a positive impact in the game while filling in for an injured Jordyn Brooks.

Of those 17 tackles, Bush had just five solo stops. He often was caught trying to bring down one of the Steelers running backs while the Seahawks were in the process of giving up 202 rushing yards.

On just two of the 17 tackles involving Bush, the Steelers had a negative rushing play. He also made the stop downfield on a trio of pass completions that totaled 34 yards.

5. Middle men

Blake Martinez was in uniform for the second time this season because of the groin injury that kept inside linebacker Elandon Roberts sidelined. Turns out, his services weren’t needed. Martinez was one of three players to dress but not play in the game. The others were Trubisky and tackle Chuks Okorafor.

In Martinez’s absence, the Steelers almost exclusively relied on Myles Jack, whose eight tackles were second on the team. Jack played all 49 defensive snaps.

Mark Robinson started at the other linebacker spot, with Mykal Walker rotating as the third inside linebacker. Robinson and Walker combined for three stops. They played 16 snaps apiece, which meant that Jack was the lone inside linebacker on the field for 17 plays. He showed his durability while playing in just his second game since coming out of retirement to sign with the Steelers practice squad.