Atlanta
Falcons
0-0
13
FINAL
21
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 1 matchup of the 2026 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Atlanta Falcons with a final score of 21-13. Both teams entered the game eager to set the tone for the season, but it was the Steelers who came out on top, showcasing their offensive firepower and defensive prowess.
Pittsburgh's offense was led by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, demonstrating his continued elite play. He found a reliable target in DK Metcalf, who racked up a staggering 133 receiving yards, making key catches throughout the game. Rico Dowdle added a solid ground game, contributing 75 rushing yards to help maintain offensive balance.
Defensively, the Steelers were formidable, with Joey Porter leading the way with nine total tackles, ensuring the Falcons struggled to establish their rhythm. T.J. Watt's two sacks were crucial, applying constant pressure on the Atlanta quarterback and disrupting their offensive flow. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Pittsburgh's defense forced a pivotal turnover, allowing the Steelers to extend their lead and ultimately secure the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 34 | 25 | 74% | 264 | 2 | 0 | 115.3 |
| Michael Vick | QB | 39 | 28 | 72% | 230 | 1 | 0 | 95.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Jones | SS | 20 | 75 | 3.8 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| Curtis Sheldon | WR | 16 | 73 | 4.6 | 28 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Brandon Molden | FS | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Ish Davis | WILL | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | — | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Quincy Derby | TE | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Michael Vick | QB | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cary Griffey | CB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Molden | FS | 11 | 133 | 12.1 | 28 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Shane Howell | SAM | 6 | 71 | 11.8 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 0 |
| Cary Griffey | CB | 8 | 53 | 6.6 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Drake London | WR | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Joey Pearman | C | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 5 | 40 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Johnny Wilson | WR | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | — | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Rob Weeks | RT | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 11 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Antonio Brown AB | WR | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Owen Byron | TE | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Ish Davis | WILL | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Trevor McCord | FS | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | — | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Curtis Sheldon | WR | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Quincy Derby | TE | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Will Jones | SS | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Cummings | LT | 9 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 8 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deion Osgood | FS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | REDG | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | LEDG | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leo Staley | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fernando Delgado | LEDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor Polk | WR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eddie Holley | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Albright | WR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buster Skrine | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peter Wooten | TE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kendal Daniels | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrell Traylor | REDG | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Kirkpatrick | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miguel Chavez | TE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cesar Vasquez | LG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sal Feliciano | RT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Courtney Eason | HB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dante Fowler | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brent Gannon | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dominique Barrett | K | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Amaro | P | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Ryan Harof | MIKE | 2 | 2 | 1 | 34 |

