PITTSBURGH (AP) \u2014 George Holani saw the ball bouncing toward the Pittsburgh end zone, wondered why Steelers kick returner Kaleb Johnson turned his back on a live football, and kept right on running.<\/p>\n
All the way to the first touchdown of the Seattle Seahawks special teamer and running back\u2019s NFL career, and maybe a bit of justice for his team.<\/p>\n
Holani\u2019s heads-up recovery<\/a> of a kickoff by Seattle teammate Jason Myers for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter gave the Seahawks a 10-point lead they never threatened to give away in a 31-17 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday that was as complete as it was surprising.<\/p>\n Seattle had just taken a three-point lead on a 54-yard field goal by Myers when his kickoff bounced in front of Johnson, a rookie running back now moonlighting as a kick returner. The ball hopped over Johnson\u2019s outstretched hands at about the Pittsburgh 5. <\/p>\n Johnson headed toward the sideline, thinking the play was over. It wasn\u2019t. Holani tracked the ball down just before it rolled across the end line for an unlikely score that put the Seahawks (1-1) up 24-14.<\/p>\n \u201cPoor judgment by a young player,\u201d Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.<\/p>\n And excellent judgement by another running back-turned-special teamer. The Seahawks reviewed that exact scenario on Friday night, in the unlikely event it might turn up in a game. The lesson stuck with Holani, who never broke stride as Johnson casually walked to the sideline.<\/p>\n \u201cThat guy thought it was going out of bounds and it didn\u2019t,\u201d said Holani, who scored 34 times during his college career at Boise State, all of them in more traditional ways. \u201cIt was a lucky roll and I made the best of it.\u201d<\/p>\n So did Seattle, which bounced back from a loss to San Francisco in its opener by outplaying the sloppy Steelers (1-1), who delivered a dud in Aaron Rodgers\u2019 home debut.<\/p>\n The four-time MVP completed 18 of 33 passes for 203 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions a week after a nearly flawless Steelers debut in a win over the New York Jets<\/a>. DK Metcalf caught three passes for 20 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown, but was largely a non-factor against his former team.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s week two,\u201d Rodgers said. \u201cIt mean like, it\u2019s good for us. Last week, probably there was some people feeling pretty good because everybody outside the building was talking about how great we were on offense. … That\u2019s the league. You can\u2019t ride the highs or the lows.\u201d<\/p>\n While Pittsburgh sputtered, the Seahawks surged.<\/p>\n Sam Darnold passed for 295 yards and two touchdowns, overcoming a pair of first-half interceptions that led to Pittsburgh scores.<\/p>\n