The 2026 NFL regular season kicks off this week, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will open the season at home against the Atlanta Falcons. It’s a brand-new era in Pittsburgh, with a completely new coaching staff and a Steelers team that could look vastly different from anything we’ve seen during the Mike Tomlin era.
From the way practices and training camp have been run to the schemes being implemented and how the preseason was handled, almost everything has been done differently than it has been for nearly two decades.
One of the biggest factors that will determine how successful this season can be is the offensive line. This young group has the talent to become one of the better offensive lines in the NFL, and the Steelers have invested significant draft capital into the unit over the past few years. Now, it’s time for those investments to pay off and for this group to take that next step.
However, there have been some concerns throughout the preseason. When the projected starters have played together, the unit has at times looked rusty, inconsistent, and, frankly, questionable. That’s not exactly what you want to see heading into Week 1, especially with the oldest quarterback in the NFL behind them.
If the Steelers want this offense to have any chance of reaching its potential, the offensive line has to be reliable. It needs to protect the quarterback, create running lanes, and allow the offense to stay on schedule. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, the Falcons coming to town presents the perfect opportunity for this young offensive line to put those preseason concerns behind them, take the criticism head-on, and make a statement right out of the gate.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to take advantage of the depleted Falcons defensive front
The Atlanta Falcons did finish second in the NFL in team sacks last season, and the interior defensive line for the Falcons is underrated, but where issues arise for them is at edge rusher. Atlanta lost their two top edge rushers, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., to injury and suspension, respectively. Now their starting pass rushers are Za’Darius Smith and Samson Ebukam.
For the Steelers, with Troy Fautanu moving to left tackle and Dylan Cook starting at right tackle, the Steelers won’t necessarily have to worry too much about their tackles being able to hold up. Fautanu, already an ascending player, isn’t too much of a worry.
Cook, who only started a couple of games last season, is more of a question mark as a former undrafted player who is also newer to playing tackle after being a quarterback at one point in college. In pass protection, if the interior offensive line holds up, Aaron Rodgers should have enough time in the passing game.
Now, Mike McCarthy’s run game likes to use a lot of outside zone and stretch runs. In the stretch run game, those Falcons edge rushers will get tested, especially when it comes to setting the edge. Comparing talent to talent from the Steelers offensive line to the Falcons defensive line, the Steelers have the advantage.
For a Falcons team that will have to get creative generating pressure with a lack of pass rushers, the Steelers' offensive line has a great opportunity to take advantage and start the season off on a good note by making a statement that the preseason was just an anomaly.
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