PITTSBURGH - The Steelers head into Week 1 with a clear picture of who they’ll be facing, and that matters. Atlanta is set to start Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, while third-year QB Michael Penix Jr. has just come off the injured list and is still working his way back into the lineup.
For Pittsburgh, that removes the uncertainty and turns the focus squarely onto a familiar matchup. The defense will see Tagovailoa again nearly nine months after holding him and the Miami Dolphins to 15 points in a Monday Night Football meeting.
If there’s one Steeler who should be licking his chops, it’s outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.
Pittsburgh wants its pass-rushing trio to look different - and better - in this opener, and Highsmith has a chance to set the tone fast. He’s been around Tagovailoa before, and the results haven’t been there for him individually, even though the Steelers split those two meetings with Miami.
The first came in 2022, when Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to a 16-10 win. Highsmith managed just one tackle in that game, a rare quiet night for a player who was coming off his best statistical season, one that included 14.5 sacks in 17 games.
The rematch didn’t go much better for him. Highsmith finished with two tackles and one pass defended, while the Steelers again did enough defensively to keep Miami in check. Even then, his production didn’t match the standard he’s set for himself, especially compared with the 9.5 sacks he had in 13 games.
That’s what makes this opener such an intriguing spot for him. He’s been stifled twice against Tagovailoa, and Pittsburgh will be asking him to help avoid a third straight quiet outing. Atlanta does have Jake Matthews on the edge, but Highsmith’s track record suggests he can still make life uncomfortable.
He’s also had success against the Falcons before. In a season opener a few years ago between these teams, Highsmith was the tone-setter for a Steelers defense that played at a high level, finishing with six tackles and one pass defended.
Now he gets a fresh scheme and a new defensive coordinator, with a system built to feature Pittsburgh’s most gifted defenders. With all three expected to move around the line of scrimmage, Highsmith’s athleticism should have room to show.
Whether Tagovailoa is dropping back, trying to escape pressure, or Highsmith is crashing down against Bijan Robinson in the run game, the setup points toward a busy opener for Pittsburgh’s outside linebacker.
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For Pittsburgh fans, the choice is easy to understand and hard to settle. That season was undone in part by injuries to Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, and it ended with a loss to the Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round, leaving the old what-if questions hanging in the air all over again. Tomlins take does not close the case so much as remind everyone why it has lingered for so long. [Read more 🡒]