‘We were on the field for too long’

PITTSBURGH — The sweat gleaned off defensive tackle Rocky Bernard’s face even after he’d spent a few minutes in the Seattle Seahawks’ locker room. A few feet away, teammate Craig Terrill chugged a bottle of Gatorade while trying to replenish his lost fluids.

Make no mistake: Seattle’s defensive players were exhausted Sunday afternoon. And with good reason.

For more than two-thirds of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle’s defense was on the field. In the second half alone, the Seahawks hopelessly struggled while Pittsburgh’s offense held the ball for more than 24 of the 30 minutes in the half.

“We definitely felt like we should have played a lot better,” safety Brian Russell said afterward, “and we should have figured out a way to get off the field on third down.”

By converting 8 of 15 third-down conversions and moving the chains at a workmanlike rate, the Steelers wore down Seattle’s defense and powered their way to a 21-0 win on Sunday afternoon. Pittsburgh went through one stretch of three series and 38 plays during which the only time the offensive players came off the field was after touchdowns.

“It’s tough,” Seattle’s Bernard said of being on the field for such long stretches. “No matter who you’re playing, anytime you’re on the field that long, it’s tough. That’s our job, and we didn’t get it done (Sunday).”

After going most of the first half without much offensive flow, the Steelers pulled out of their funk with an eight-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that took up 4:49 late in the second quarter.

Pittsburgh came out of halftime and put together its most impressive drive of the game, marching 80 yards in 17 plays while converting three third downs along the way. Ben Roethlisberger delivered a 15-yard pass to Cedrick Wilson under heavy pressure on third-and-13. He hit tight end Heath Miller for a 13-yard gain on third-and-7. And then Roethlisberger scrambled again before hitting Wilson for a 17-yard play on third-and-17.

By the end of that drive, the Steelers had eaten up 10:17 on the way to another touchdown.

The Seahawks held the ball for just three plays, and 1:31 of play clock, before sending the defense back out onto the field. The Steelers ate up another 8:06 while going 85 yards in 13 plays to score again.

Over a span of 26:39 in the second, third and fourth quarters, Pittsburgh held the ball for 23:12. Along the way, the Steelers scored 21 points and converted six consecutive third downs. Roethlisberger completed 12 of 13 passes for 145 yards during that stretch.

“Our defense had to be on the field too long,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. “When we had a couple chances to get off the field, it did not happen. Time of possession had to be ridiculous.”

In the second half, the Steelers held the ball for 24:53, as compared to just 5:07 for the Seahawks. Pittsburgh’s 40:45 time of possession for the game was a season-high.

While the Seahawks’ defenders spent far too much time on the field, they brushed off talk of them wearing out down the stretch.

“We’ve practiced a lot, and in (training) camp we did a lot of work,” Terrill said, “so we’re in shape for it. We just have to make the play.”

Added Russell: “I think as a defense, we fought for four quarters. But we were on the field for too long.”

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