Atlanta
Falcons
0-0
10
FINAL
27
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2026 season with a commanding 27-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. With both teams eager to make a statement, the Steelers established their dominance early, setting the tone for the matchup. This win not only boosts Pittsburgh's confidence but also sends a message to the rest of the league.
Aaron Rodgers led the charge for the Steelers, throwing for 277 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his veteran poise. His favorite target, DK Metcalf, was instrumental in the passing game, racking up 83 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Bijan Robinson carried the load for Atlanta, finishing with 71 rushing yards but struggled to find the end zone.
Defensively, the Steelers put forth a relentless effort, highlighted by Jaquan Brisker’s four total tackles and T.J. Watt's sack that disrupted Atlanta's momentum. The turning point came when Asante Samuel Jr. intercepted a pass, shifting the momentum firmly in Pittsburgh's favor and sealing the win. The Steelers’ defensive prowess proved crucial in limiting the Falcons’ scoring opportunities throughout the game.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 20 | 15 | 277 | 3 | 0 | 156.2 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 22 | 13 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 74.0 |
| Tua Tagovailoa | QB | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 22.9 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Odell Beckham Jr | WR | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Sterling Shepard | WR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 10 | 71 | 7.1 | 1 | 49 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 10 | 40 | 4.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Tua Tagovailoa | QB | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Odell Beckham Jr | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Metcalf | WR | 2 | 83 | 41.5 | 2 | 60 | 0 |
| Odell Beckham Jr | WR | 8 | 81 | 10.1 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 3 | 77 | 25.7 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 0 | 46 | 1 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 1 | 29 | 29.0 | 1 | 29 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Sterling Shepard | WR | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Riley Nowakowski | FB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asante Samuel Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Harris | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Milano | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandin Echols | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Holcomb | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Zach Harrison | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Hughes | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 1 | 1 | 1 | 51 |

