Atlanta
Falcons
0-0
14
FINAL
37
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding season opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers topped the Atlanta Falcons with a decisive 37-14 victory. The win sets a strong tone for the Steelers as they aim to make a statement early in the 2026 season, showcasing their offensive firepower and defensive prowess.
Pittsburgh's offense was led by Rico Dowdle, who rushed for 84 yards, effectively setting the tempo on the ground. Germie Bernard emerged as a key target for quarterback Michael Penix Jr., logging 83 receiving yards, while Penix himself threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to lead the Falcons' passing attack despite the loss.
Defensively, the Steelers were relentless, with T.J. Watt recording two sacks and putting pressure on the Falcons' offense throughout the game. Robert Spears-Jennings added an interception, helping to shift the momentum in favor of Pittsburgh at critical moments. The turning point came in the second quarter when the Steelers capitalized on a turnover, extending their lead and keeping the Falcons at bay for the rest of the matchup.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 31 | 17 | 55% | 245 | 2 | 2 | 75.3 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 4 | 1 | 25% | 12 | 0 | 0 | 39.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 5 | 84 | 16.8 | 4 | 2 | 55 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 6 | 29 | 4.8 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 7 | 6 | 0.9 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Jahan Dotson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germie Bernard | WR | 7 | 83 | 11.9 | 47 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 5 | 71 | 14.2 | 61 | 1 | 46 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 4 | 57 | 14.3 | — | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 2 | 51 | 25.5 | 26 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Rashid Shaheed | WR | 1 | 43 | 43.0 | — | 1 | 43 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 18 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 3 | 39 | 13.0 | 7 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Jahan Dotson | WR | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 10 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 3 | 27 | 9.0 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sebastian Joseph-Day | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Dorlus | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nahshon Wright | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 3 | 3 | 4 | 60 |
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |

