Steelers' Defense Exposed By Seahawks' Kenneth Walker After Embarrassing Week 2 Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense entered into Week 2's contest with the Seattle Seahawks at home at Acrisure Stadium as a chance to get right with this defense. In Week 1 against the New York Jets, the Steelers' defense did not look great, and the hope was they would redeem themselves in front of their home crowd in Week 2 against the Sam Darnold led Seahawks. Though they managed to force two interceptions off Darnold, the bigger picture told a much different story. The defense was once again exposed, allowing Seattle to rack up 395 yards of total offense while moving the ball with ease in critical moments.

A costly special teams blunder by Kaleb Johnson made life harder on Pittsburgh, but the defense still had opportunities to make a stand and keep the Steelers in the game. Instead, when the pressure was at its highest, they folded. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker delivered the dagger with a 19-yard touchdown run that sealed the outcome and left Steelers fans shaking their heads as another winnable game slipped away. It was not just about one play. It was the same lack of discipline and breakdowns that haunted this unit the week before.

After the game, Walker’s postgame comments struck a nerve with an already frustrated fan base. He made it clear that Seattle felt confident running right at Pittsburgh, suggesting that the Steelers' defense was not nearly as physical as their reputation would suggest. For a franchise built on toughness and defensive dominance, those words cut deep. Steeler Nation was left disappointed, frustrated, and increasingly concerned that what was once the team’s backbone has quickly turned into a glaring weakness only two weeks into the season.

"Every time I touch the ball, I’m trying to score, and the o-line opened a hole up to the left side," Walker said. "I barely had to make anybody miss so you know, they made my job even easier and we scored."

Walker was not being cruel or trying to rile up the Steelers fan base. That is actually what makes his comments sting even more. He was simply telling the truth, that it was easy to run on the Steelers. In a one-score game, on third and goal, with a chance to regain some type of momentum, Pittsburgh’s defense folded. They let Walker slice through them for 19 yards and a dagger touchdown.

That is not what anyone expects from such a highly paid and talented defense. And as Walker himself pointed out, he did not even have to try that hard on the run in what was arguably the biggest moment of the game. That is a serious concern for a Steelers defense that has built its reputation on toughness and standing strong in critical situations. 

Steelers Let Seahawks' Kenneth Walker Destroy Them

Even if the Steelers were not going to win the game. Even if they were not going to keep Seattle off the board and ended up losing by a score or two. The Steelers' fan base just wanted to see this defense rise up in a big moment. Instead, they watched as the unit had no answers for Walker and the Seahawks offense, and it was flat-out brutal to watch.

Walker had averaged only two yards per carry in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. Against the Steelers’ so-called “talented and great” defense, he exploded for 8.1 yards per carry. That contrast tells the story of a defense that was exposed when it mattered most. Walker finished with 105 yards and one touchdown.

What do you make of the Steelers allowing 395 yards of total offense in Week 2 to the Seattle Seahawks? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.

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