The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't make it easy, but were able to secure a Week 1 win on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. Thanks to another dominant defensive showing, and a heroic effort from Chris Boswell, the Steelers were able to move to 16-2-1 all time against the Falcons. Though the offense left plenty to be desired in the win, Pittsburgh can now look to adjust and prepare for another road match against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. With the win, the black and gold have now won four of their last five season openers, dating back to 2020.
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Chris Boswell kicks off during a home game at Acrisure Stadium for the Steelers.
The Steelers came into the week at a slight disadvantage. Not only was a player like Isaac Seumalo unavailable due to injury, but slightly before kickoff, Russell Wilson was ruled out with a lingering calf issue.
Justin Fields was thrust into action, and though things were sluggish at first, Fields was able to find his groove and move the ball with a bit more consistency. It wasn't a great day for the offense, but they didn't turn the ball over and were able to put themselves in a position to score points on a more regular basis than in years prior.
Atlanta, however, struggled to move the ball all game. The Steelers' defense held Kirk Cousins to 15-26 passing for 155 yards, and a single passing touchdown to Kyle Pitts. The veteran signal caller also threw 2 interceptions and fumbled the ball once on the stat sheet, but several other times throughout the game that were nullified by penalty. Players like DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson were able to contribute early on, but not without the secret weapon of the steel city.
With the help of Steeler Nation, the defense was able to do what they do best in creating havoc for opposing offenses even on their home field. Following the game, TJ Watt spoke with the media to let give credit to a fan base that is always supportive of their team.
"Steeler Nation is incredible man. It's extremely demoralizing for an offense to be on a silent count on their home field. Honestly a lot of those plays go to them."
As one of the most well travelled fan bases in the NFL, Steeler Nation is known for making any away game feel as if it's being played at Acrisure Stadium. This creates several problems for opposing offenses, including the inability to run the game at the tempo they hope to run. Watt would go onto mention that it's thanks to a ruckus crowd that impactful moments were created.
"The fumble that I was able to land on was because they had to be on a silent count in their own place. Anytime that happens when you have a lot of shifts and motions, snaps can go anywhere. Balls on the ground, you've got to recover them. Steeler Nation was absolutely incredible, but I'm not surprised."
Fans were certainly aided in the fact that Week 1 mistakes are bound to happen for any offense. For Atlanta, they had a new head coach, offensive coordinator, and a quarterback that was coming off an Achilles tear in 2023. With these factors in place, the Steelers were able to take full advantage in creating a defensive showcase, and provide hope early in the season.
Steelers.com
A plethora of Steelers fans wave the infamous Terrible Towel during a home football game in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Will Need The Same Energy To Continue Early In 2024
It's well known at this point that the Steelers are in for a tough 2024 season. The team will be forced to manage all the growing pains of new quarterback's and coach's with one of the NFL's toughest schedules. Being able to win in spite of slow starts is an acceptable practice early in the year, but towards the end of the season when the Steelers matchup against divisional opponents and perennial Super Bowl favorites, being as perfect as possible is imperative.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields looks to pass in Pittsburgh's Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in 2024.
For the Steelers to be successful, they will need the crowd to continue to be impactful throughout the season. Including the win against Atlanta, Pittsburgh will play five of their first nine games on the road in tough environments. Though having the ability to shift home field advantage will be something the Steelers know they have in their back pocket, it's likely for now they will simply enjoy a Week 1 victory.
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