The Pittsburgh Steelers won their first game of the 2026 season as the group beat the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 20-13. The defense carried the Steelers to the win as the unit forced multiple turnovers and scored a touchdown, while the offense and special teams both struggled to be consistent. Special teams struggled to cover kicks and two field goals were botched while the offense couldn't really get anything going all day. That has to do with the lack of production on the ground, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers facing a decent amount of pressure.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers embraces Cooper Rush after a win over the Falcons to open the 2026 season.
The offensive line was a concern for Pittsburgh throughout training camp and the preseason, and the unit seemed to struggle in the season opener. A lot of change has taken place along the starting five as both Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu have moved to the left side. The only consistency from the 2025 season has been Zach Frazier starting at center. On the right side, Spencer Anderson and Dylan Cook started at right guard and right tackle, respectively.
Members of the media convened on an episode of Steelers Collective on Tuesday, and they were speaking about first-round pick Max Iheanachor potentially replacing Cook in the starting lineup. Beat writer Mark Kaboly spoke up and mentioned another move that should be made.
"Are we looking at the wrong position here?" Kaboly asked. "Should we be looking at why Brock Hoffman's not playing right guard? Maybe that could be the first move. Maybe not this week, but that might be the first move coming down the road rather than Iheanachor. Why not?"
Kaboly clearly was not pleased with the way that Anderson performed at right guard in Sunday's win over the Falcons. His performance likely played into the run game struggling to get going. Pro Football Focus is a controversial organization, but Anderson recorded an overall grade of 55.2 in Week 1, which places him 42nd out of 62 guards in the NFL -- not exactly great.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson (74) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Anderson has never truly had a chance to be a starter in Pittsburgh until this year. He has been the swing tackle in years past, and he has filled in multiple spots along the offensive line. He is a versatile depth piece, but maybe Sunday's performance showed that's all he is. The Steelers signed Brock Hoffman in free agency to compete with Anderson for the starting job, and it will be interesting to see how long it might take for him to be inserted into the lineup.
Hoffman has experience under Head Coach Mike McCarthy as the two were together with the Dallas Cowboys. The experienced head coach is likely going to give Anderson some more time to prove himself, but if the struggles continue, he may act quickly when it comes to inserting Hoffman into the fold. For now, the depth chart remains unchanged for the Week 2 matchup with the New England Patriots.
Steelers Fans Want To See Max Iheanachor
Iheanachor took the field for one snap on Sunday as Cook was a bit banged up, but fans want to see more. Cook played fine, but the right side of the offensive line was definitely a liability. There is no doubt that Iheanachor will replace Cook at some point, but it is a mystery when that may be. Kaboly believes that the change first needs to come at right guard with Anderson being benched for Hoffman, and then it might be time for Iheanachor.
The Steelers have another rookie offensive lineman waiting in the wings as well. Gennings Dunker can play right guard, but he is currently third on the depth chart and he was ruled inactive in Week 1. That will likely continue as he is viewed as a raw prospect, but if Anderson gets benched there could be some opportunity down the line for Dunker.
What do you think about the changes suggested by Kaboly? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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