Major playoff implications for pair of 8-7 teams as Seahawks play host to Steelers

PITTSBURGH (8-7) at SEATTLE (8-7)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST, FOX

BETTING LINE: Seahawks by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Pittsburgh 8-7; Seattle 8-6-1

SERIES RECORD: Tied 10-10.

LAST MEETING: Steelers beat Seahawks 23-20, Oct. 17, 2021, in Pittsburgh.

LAST WEEK: Steelers beat Bengals 34-11, Seahawks beat Titans 20-17.

STEELERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (26), RUSH (16), PASS (27), SCORING (28)

STEELERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (20), PASS (21), SCORING (7)

SEAHAWKS OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (29), PASS (15), SCORING (19)

SEAHAWKS DEFENSE: OVERALL (26), RUSH (27), PASS (19), SCORING (23)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Steelers plus-10; Seahawks plus-3

STEELERS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Mason Rudolph. The Steelers are likely giving the longtime backup a second straight start after he threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns in a season-saving (for now) win over Cincinnati. Rudolph hasn't won consecutive starts since leading the Steelers to three straight wins in 2019.

SEAHAWKS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba has become a bigger part of Seattle’s offense in recent weeks. After catching his second game-winning touchdown of the season in the win over Philadelphia, the rookie followed up with six receptions in the win over Tennessee. He’s caught 21 passes in the past four games.

KEY MATCHUP: Can Mason Rudolph and the Steelers offense continue the spark it had last week against Seattle’s defense? The Steelers awoke from their offensive slumber with a season-high 34 points sparked by two long touchdowns from Rudolph to George Pickens. Seattle’s been stout the past two weeks against the pass, but remains susceptible to the run. The Seahawks are allowing 153 yards per game rushing over the past 10 games.

KEY INJURIES: Steelers QB Kenny Pickett practiced this week and could be active for the first time since injuring his right ankle against Arizona on Dec. 3 but he will likely sit. LB Elandon Roberts (pectoral) and S Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) are both out. ... Seattle is hopeful rookie CB Devon Witherspoon (hip) will play after missing the past two games. S Jamal Adams (knee) returned to limited practice this week, but LB Jordyn Brooks (ankle) may miss the game after aggravating an injury.

SERIES NOTES: It will be the first meeting since 2021 between the teams but the first game in Seattle since a wild 39-30 Seahawks victory in 2015. Seattle has won two of the past three regular-season meetings. The most famous matchup was Super Bowl 40 in Detroit, won by the Steelers 21-10.

STATS AND STUFF: Seattle coach Pete Carroll and Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin rank 13th and 14th respectfully on the league’s all-time wins list — regular and postseason combined. Carroll has 180 wins; Tomlin has 179. ... The Steelers need wins in their final two games and a little help to return to the playoffs after missing out last season. It won't be easy. Pittsburgh has beaten the Seahawks in Seattle just once in eight tries, though the Steelers are 3-1 on New Year's Eve all time. Pittsburgh is also 21-38 all time in the Pacific time zone during the regular season. ... Steelers OLB T.J. Watt leads the NFL with 17 sacks and is making a run at a second AP Defensive Player of the Year award to go with the one he captured in 2021. Watt has at least a half a sack in 12 of Pittsburgh's 15 games. ... The Steelers improved to 15-3 under Tomlin following games they've lost by at least 17 points after drilling the Bengals last week one game after getting drilled in Indianapolis. ... Pittsburgh WR George Pickens is coming off a career-best 195 yards receiving against Cincinnati and became the first player in franchise history to have multiple touchdown receptions of 66 yards or more. Pickens' 86-yard catch-and-run for a score is the longest play from scrimmage in the NFL this season. ... The Steelers will likely start Mychal Walker and Myles Jack at inside linebacker after injuries have wreaked havoc on the position. Walker joined the Steelers in October and Pittsburgh lured Jack out of retirement the week before Thanksgiving. ... The Seahawks can clinch a playoff spot with wins in their final two games or a win on Sunday and the Green Bay-Minnesota game finishing in a tie. … The Seahawks have reached the playoffs in 10 of the previous 13 seasons under Carroll. … Seattle is the third team since 1970 with four game-winning touchdowns in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime in a single season. The 2004 Jaguars and 2012 Seahawks also did it. … The Seahawks are the second team in NFL history to have two different QBs throw a game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute of regulation in back-to-back games, joining the 1999 Dolphins. Drew Lock threw the winning touchdown in Week 15 against Philadelphia and Geno Smith did it last week vs. Tennessee. … WR DK Metcalf needs just 2 yards receiving to reach 1,000 yards for the third time in his career and in back-to-back seasons. … WR Tyler Lockett needs 87 yards receiving to reach 8,000. … The Seahawks have allowed five straight opponents and eight of the past 10 to rush for at least 125 yards. … Edge rusher Boye Mafe needs one sack to become the first Seahawks player to reach double figures in sacks since 2018. Mafe had seven straight games with a sack earlier this season, went through a five-game drought, and had two sacks last week against Tennessee. … The Seahawks had six sacks against Tennessee and have 45 for the season, tied for the most of any NFC team. … LB Bobby Wagner needs 17 tackles over the final two games to set a career high. … P Michael Dickson is averaging a career-high 49.8 yards per kick this season. That ranks sixth in the league.

FANTASY TIP: Pickens had a huge game last week against Cincinnati. Can he do it two weeks in a row, especially in what’s a championship week for most leagues? Seattle’s secondary has been pretty good the past two games at not giving up big plays in the pass game. The longest pass allowed by Seattle in the past two weeks is 18 yards.

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