Atlanta
Falcons
0-0
13
FINAL
8
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a tightly contested matchup, the Atlanta Falcons narrowly defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-8 in Week 1 of the 2026 season. Both teams entered the game looking to establish an early foothold in the season, but it was the Falcons who made the crucial plays to secure the victory.
Michael Penix Jr. led the Falcons’ offense with two touchdown passes, showcasing his ability to connect under pressure. Joe Mixon was also a standout performer, rushing for 75 yards and helping to maintain offensive momentum. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers of the Steelers racked up 207 passing yards, but struggled to convert those yards into points, ultimately falling short in the end zone.
Defensively, Nnamdi Madubuike was a force for Atlanta, recording five total tackles and an impressive three sacks, which disrupted Pittsburgh's offensive rhythm. Divine Deablo's interception proved to be a pivotal moment, halting a Steelers drive and allowing the Falcons to maintain their lead. The combination of timely defensive plays and efficient offense propelled Atlanta to victory as they begin their season on a high note.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 35 | 21 | 60% | 207 | 1 | 3 | 50.5 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 22 | 9 | 41% | 165 | 2 | 1 | 78.7 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Mixon | HB | 12 | 75 | 6.3 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 5 | 16 | 3.2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Roman Wilson | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Metcalf | WR | 7 | 72 | 10.3 | 33 | 1 | 23 | 1 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 1 | 52 | 52.0 | — | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| Joe Mixon | HB | 2 | 45 | 22.5 | 30 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 11 | 2 | 35 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 4 | 33 | 8.3 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 4 | 20 | 5.0 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Roman Wilson | WR | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nnamdi Madubuike | DT | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Divine Deablo | WILL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kendal Daniels | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaquan Brisker | FS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter Jr | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Bowman Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

