Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the tops runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season.

The 2019 NFL season did not unfold the way the Steelers had envisioned it. Following a brutal loss at New England, the team was about to receive some other bad news during their Week 2 encounter at Heinz Field against the Seattle Seahawks.

Ben Roethlisberger would be relegated to the sidelines due to an elbow injury, while Mason Rudolph entered the second half of the game. Rudolph, who earned the backup spot during the preseason, came in on his second offensive series and was given the perfect play to keep Seattle honest.

After a pass from the shotgun short to Xavier Grimble fell incomplete and a 14-yard scamper by James Conner, Rudolph took the next snap with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter. With Conner to his right and Vance McDonald lined up just off of the offensive line in a blocking position, Rudolph handed the ball off as both the running back and tight end burst to the left. Conner, hidden by the pile, pitched the ball back to Rudolph who unloaded deep.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had sold the play initially as a run, broke into a run and beat Seattle’s Lano Hill to go up for an over-the-shoulder catch that was beautiful.

Officially, the play would be marked as a 45-yard gain for the Steelers offense.

The Steelers would attempt two run plays with Conner (who left the game due to injury) in the series before Rudolph found Smith-Schuster again for a five-yard toss-and-catch that set up a 33-yard field goal by Chris Boswell and edge Pittsburgh closer, at 13-14 on the scoreboard.

The play was definitely one of the best in the Week 2 matchup from either team. A lot of credit for its success should be given to exceptional up-front blocking from the offensive line, McDonald and Conner after he tossed the ball back to Rudolph.

However, the Steelers would end up falling to 0-2 on the season, by a final score of 28-26.