The Pittsburgh Steelers will conclude Week 1 atop the AFC North, courtesy of an 18-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. It wasn't pretty for the Steelers, managing just 270 yards of total offense, but in spite of the mistakes and adversity surrounding Pittsburgh all game, the team was able to rely on its defense to get a win. With the help of Steeler Nation, the black and gold were able to turn a tough road test into an easy home environment, and got the expected result on opening weekend.
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Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave their Terrible Towels aggressively as Styx famous song, Renegade plays during a home game at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA.
Similar to years prior, the offense took some time to establish themselves under first-year Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. Some of that could be chalked up to the last minute start of Justin Fields, as well as Week 1 rust, but as time went on, the offense began to see success and move the ball. The offense may have failed to score a touchdown or secure the yardage most fans expected, but it didn't make any major mistakes and ultimately put itself in a position to win.
The defense, meanwhile, looked like its old self, shutting the Falcons down entirely in the second half, and holding a revamped Atlanta offense to 226 yards and three turnovers. With the rest of the division having trouble in Week 1, it's easy to overlook some of the issues faced by the Steelers.
However, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the rest of the team are aware that there is plenty to improve upon if they hope to remain undefeated in 2024. After the game, Cameron Heyward discussed the confidence level of the team as a whole, and emphasized the improvement needed following the defensive masterclass.
"It gets us a chance to be 1-0 with a chance to get to 2-0. There's a lot we can build on, a lot we can learn from. It's better to learn while you're winning."
Knowing a team is never satisfied while achieving its primary objective isn't surprising, especially with several more weeks of football to play, but Heyward's comments echo what the Steelers' mantra has been all offseason in working to turn weaknesses into strengths. The players for the black and gold continue to put their heads down and work, shut out the outside noise, and put an emphasis on putting what they practice on the field.
It's refreshing to feel a new confidence radiating around the Steelers. The team has worked all offseason to improve every aspect of itself, and it showed in Week 1 through the adjustments made throughout the game. Self improvement is going to be crucial for the Steelers going forward, but so is building upon the success that they saw in the season opener.
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Veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward runs out of the tunnel before a game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers Got The Impact They Were Hoping For From New Faces
Though returning players like Larry Ogunjobi and Alex Highsmith made significant impacts on the field, the difference against Atlanta proved to be some of the newest Steelers. Both DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson were able to record interceptions in the contest while Patrick Queen notched two solo tackles. General Manager Omar Khan brought these players in to make a difference for a team that feels they are Super Bowl contenders, and they rewarded him with great debuts.
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Steelers newest safety DeShon Elliott intercepts a Kirk Cousins pass during the 2024 season opener in Atlanta.
The impact from these newest Steelers will need to continue as the season moves along. The black and gold fear they lost a key offseason addition in Cameron Johnston with what Tomlin described as a "serious injury", while Russell Wilson's status for Week 2 against the Denver Broncos remains up in the air.
Fields, Smith and the new-look offense will be leaned upon to learn from their performances if the Steelers hope to continue rising to the challenge. With the Broncos themselves coming off a loss, it'll be interesting to see what adjustments both teams make on Sunday against the Broncos.
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