Despite everything going their way prior to kickoff, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed to turn what many expected to be a comfortable Week 1 home victory over the Atlanta Falcons into an ugly, 20-13 slugfest.
A win is a win in the NFL, especially in Week 1, where things tend to be unpredictable. Just a year ago, the Steelers nearly lost to a Jets team that ended up picking second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, for example. Still, there are plenty of positives to go along with some of the concerns that popped up against Atlanta.
Here are the biggest immediate takeaways from Pittsburgh's ugly victory over the Falcons.
Six important takeaways from the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 1 victory over the Falcons
It's the Aaron Rodgers show in 2026, for better or for worse
The Steelers finished 2025 with the 17th-most pass attempts in the NFL. If Week 1 of 2026 is any indication, they may finish closer to the top five this season. Rodgers aired it out 26 times in the first half against Atlanta, but for just 131 yards and a single touchdown. Part of the problem was that he completed just 14 of those passes, but he also continued to show that he wants to either launch the deep ball or check it down underneath on the majority of his attempts.
Rodgers ultimately finished with 40 pass attempts, and we will have to wait and see if Mike McCarthy continues to lean on Rodgers and the passing game after a lackluster offensive showing.
Steelers barely used their new running back duo on the ground
Thanks to Rodgers throwing the ball all over the yard, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle didn't get many opportunities on the ground. They combined for just 18 carries for just 61 yards. That can't continue if the offense wants to improve from last year.
They were both involved in the passing game, at least, but they weren't very efficient. The best version of this offense is one that can lean on these two backs to stay ahead of the chains and give Rodgers more favorable passing situations. They failed to do so in Week 1, and it felt like they never even really tried to do it to begin with.
DK Metcalf failed to quiet doubts about his ability to be this team's No. 1 target
DK Metcalf had a day he will mostly want to forget. He earned 10 targets to lead the team, but managed just four receptions for 40 yards. He dropped a few passes, committed two offensive pass interference penalties, and was generally unreliable, just as he was often last season.
He continues to look like a No. 2 receiver being asked to be an alpha, do-it-all player, and he just isn't up to the task. Hopefully the rest of the receiving corps can start stealing targets away from him as the season moves along.
T.J. Watt shut down regression talks with a monster perfromance
Watt wasn't the dominant Defensive Player of the Year-level player fans have become accustomed to in 2025, and many (including myself) worried that he was firmly on the decline. Against Atlanta, he fought back against that narrative with a classic performance.
Two sacks, three tackles for loss, and a ridiculous interception that he managed to return for a touchdown that became the deciding score in the 20-13 victory. It's only one game against a bad offense, but Watt deserves his flowers.
Steelers run defense (mostly) held strong against Bijan Robinson
The Steelers may have given up 120 yards on the ground, but they allowed just 3.9 yards per attempt. Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson racked up 173 total yards, but just 83 of them came on the ground on 21 attempts.
They gave up a few long runs, but Patrick Graham should feel good about how his run defense showed up against one of the NFL's best.
Payton Wilson looks ready to put last year behind him
It was a rough second season for Payton Wilson a year ago, with issues in coverage and inconsistent run defense causing him to be essentially benched at times. Against the Falcons, however, he stuffed the stat sheet with 13 total tackles and two tackles for loss, flying all over the field and showing improved physicality.
His coverage still needs to be refined, but he is too explosive as a mover not to improve as he gains more confidence.
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