2015 Steelers Schedule: An early look at the Seattle Seahawks

A look at all of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2015 opponents, one team a day, leading up to free agency and the 2015 NFL Draft.

2014 saw Pittsburgh Steelers fans always wondering how good their favorite team truly was. They had one of the easiest rows to hoe in the NFL and often stumbled against losing teams. In 2015, that certainly won't be the case with the Steelers sporting the toughest schedule in the league, and if any fans want to know just how good the 2015 Steelers will be, a trip to CenturyLink Field where the Seattle Seahawks play will certainly be a measuring stick for Pittsburgh.

Seattle Seahawks

2014: 12-4 (1st Place NFC West), 5-1 within the NFC West, 10-2 within the NFC

2014 vs. the Steelers: Did not play

Potential Free Agents: G James Carpenter, DT Landon Cohen, DE Demarcus Dobbs, LB Heath Farwell, LS James Gresham, QB Tarvaris Jackson, C Lemuel Jeanpierre, S Jeron Johnson, CB Byron Maxwell, TE Anthony McCoy, TE Tony Moeaki, LB O'Brien Schofield, DT D'Anthony Smith, LB Malcolm Smith, FB Will Tukuafu, DT Kevin Williams, WR Jermaine Kearse (RFA), LB Michael Morgan (RFA), G Stephen Schilling (RFA), DT Greg Scruggs (RFA), WR Bryan Walters (RFA).

2015 NFL Draft: 31st selection

The Seattle Seahawks aren't simply coming off one of the more exciting Super Bowl finishes in recent memory, but one of the more heart breaking defeats in Super Bowl history. The team, and their fans, now have to turn their attention to the 2015 season and what could be an interesting offseason for the team who is coming off back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.

The Seahawks are strong on both sides of the football as they were the top rushing team in the NFL (172 yards per game on the ground) as well as the top defense against the pass (185 yards per game) and 3rd best defense against the run (81 yards per game). The only statistical weakness on this Seattle team would be it's passing game, which ranked 27th in the NFL (203 yards per game), but with a quarterback like Russell Wilson, those numbers are hardly alarming.

The Seahawks possess tremendous balance on both sides of the football and a defense which plays with a physicality that hasn't been seen among the ranks of the NFL in years. Add their unbelievable home field advantage at CenturyLink Field and you have one extremely difficult team to beat, especially at home.

CenturyLink Field is exactly where the Steelers will be headed in 2015 as they make the long cross-country trip from East coast to West coast to face the 2015 NFC Champions. Teams from the East don't fare well in the Northwest, and the Steelers are no different as they are 1-6 all time against the Seahawks in Seattle.

Surprisingly, the Steelers and Seahawks fan bases have their share of malice towards one another, all stemming from Super Bowl 40 when the Seahawks felt they were cheated out of a victory while they watched Jerome Bettis and the Steelers celebrate the ever elusive 'one for the thumb' in Detroit.

Bad feelings aside, this matchup in 2015 could be one extremely entertaining game with the Steelers potent offense going against the Seahawks' stout defense, and the Steelers defense trying to keep Russell Wilson and company under wraps. A tall task indeed, and likely one of the few games the Steelers won't be favored on the road. The Steelers typically play up to their opponents, and Pittsburgh fans will hope that trend continues as this will be the toughest road opponent the Steelers face in 2015.