The Steelers opened with a 20-13 win over the Falcons, and while it was far from clean, Pittsburgh left with the result it needed. Mike McCarthy’s first game handling play-calling didn’t look like a dramatic shift, but the defense picked up the slack and kept Atlanta from turning the afternoon into an upset.
There were clear bright spots in the win, starting with T.J. Watt.
He looked like himself again in a big way, even if the burst and speed may not be exactly what they once were. Watt finished with two sacks, and both came with quality attached.
Then he delivered the game’s biggest swing with a pick-six that ended up deciding it. It was a versatile, disruptive, and dominant performance.
Alex Highsmith was right there with him. He also posted two sacks and did it by mixing up his approach, repeatedly getting the better of Jake Matthews, who is no easy matchup. Watt got more of the spotlight, but Highsmith turned in one of the strongest outings on the field.
Payton Wilson also landed on the positive side. He needed a big year, and his first game suggested he may be taking a real step forward.
Wilson played with more aggression than before, got off blocks with explosiveness, and gave Pittsburgh a reason to feel good about what comes next. If that level holds, he could be in line for a new contract in 2027.
On offense, Pat Freiermuth offered one of the few encouraging signs. After a miserable 2025, he put together a solid game even without eye-popping numbers.
In fact, he may have been the Steelers’ best receiver in this one. With other names struggling, Freiermuth could be in position to carve out a bigger role if this becomes a pattern.
The other side of the ledger was less flattering for DK Metcalf. For a receiver being paid like one of the league’s best, Pittsburgh needed more. Instead, he had a rough outing filled with drops and penalties, and the Steelers never really got the top-end production they wanted from their supposed featured target.
The run game also came away looking like a problem. The offense never found much rhythm in Week 1, and the approach felt cautious to the point of being passive.
Atlanta loaded the box, and Pittsburgh didn’t show a convincing answer. The game ultimately took a defensive touchdown to finish the job, which only underscored how limited the offense looked.
It was a conservative plan that will need to be sharper against stronger competition.
In Other News...
Terry Bradshaw Just Said What Steelers Fans Are Thinking About This Era
Terry Bradshaw had the kind of blunt take Steelers fans could relate to on FOX NFL Sunday, saying the one thing he was most interested in this season was watching Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh. Bradshaw pointed to McCarthys track record with Aaron Rodgers and the simple reality of a new coach taking over after Mike Tomlin, making it clear this was the change he wanted to watch closest.
Bradshaw did not try to hide his lean toward the Steelers while the rest of the studio crew was previewing the NFL slate. For Pittsburgh fans, the interest is obvious: any coaching switch invites questions about style, quarterback play and whether a new voice can shift the direction of an era, and Bradshaws comments captured that curiosity without pretending the transition will be easy to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
T.J. Watt Just Answered The Steelers Question Fans Feared Most
T.J. Watt opened the season the way the Steelers needed him to, flashing the kind of disruptive play that can change a game in a hurry. Against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, he piled up two sacks, two quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and even took an interception back for a pick-six, giving Pittsburgh exactly the sort of defensive spark that has long been central to its identity.
For a defense built around pressure up front, Watts early showing mattered as much for reassurance as it did for the win itself. There had been questions after last season about whether he could still be the same dominant force, but this was a reminder that he remains the player opponents have to account for every snap, and that the Steelers ceiling on defense still runs through him. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Win Came With One Clear Reason For Concern
The Steelers opened the season with a win over Atlanta, but the victory was shaped as much by what happened on defense as anything on offense. Aaron Rodgers handled the passing game with a heavy workload, while Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle never got much room to establish the run, leaving Pittsburgh to lean on a unit that came out fast and kept the Falcons from taking control.
T.J. Watt was the headline act with two sacks and a touchdown interception, and Payton Wilson added a busy day with 13 tackles and two tackles for loss. The concern is harder to ignore on the other side of the ball, where the ground game never really found traction, and the Steelers may already be facing questions about whether that balance will hold up once the games get tighter. [Read more 🡒]