Atlanta
Falcons
0-0
24
FINAL
38
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling season opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers topped the Atlanta Falcons 38-24, showcasing their offensive firepower and setting the tone for the 2026 campaign. With both teams eager to make an early statement, the Steelers emerged victorious, leaving the Falcons searching for answers in their defensive strategy.
Pittsburgh's offense was led by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who delivered an impressive performance with 369 passing yards and five touchdowns. Darnell Washington proved to be a reliable target, racking up 137 receiving yards and contributing significantly to the Steelers’ scoring efforts. Meanwhile, the Falcons' Bijan Robinson shone on the ground with 157 rushing yards, but it was Rodgers' precision that ultimately made the difference.
Defensively, the Steelers made pivotal plays that turned the tide in their favor. Cam Heyward's two sacks disrupted the Falcons' rhythm, while Payton Wilson's interception halted a crucial Atlanta drive, swinging momentum back to Pittsburgh. The combination of timely defensive stops and the explosive offense led to a decisive victory for the Steelers, positioning them strongly as they move forward in the season.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 21 | 17 | 81% | 369 | 5 | 1 | 138.4 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 18 | 11 | 61% | 139 | 1 | 2 | 64.1 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 8 | 157 | 19.6 | 17 | 1 | 65 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 11 | 107 | 9.7 | 16 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 4 | 20 | 5.0 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Tyreek Hill | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | HB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Kaden Wetjen | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darnell Washington | TE | 7 | 137 | 19.6 | 115 | 2 | 33 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 2 | 92 | 46.0 | 59 | 1 | 60 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 3 | 73 | 24.3 | 83 | 1 | 70 | 0 |
| Tyreek Hill | WR | 3 | 70 | 23.3 | 15 | 1 | 60 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 3 | 54 | 18.0 | 49 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | — | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Heyward | DT | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nick Herbig | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carson Bruener | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sydney Brown | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Perkins Jr. | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kendal Daniels | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Bowman Jr | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 63 |
| Nick Folk | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 51 |

