5 keys to victory the Steelers can't compromise on in Week 1

The Steelers are ready to attack week one with a very new roster, and every fan has to be at least intrigued to see what this team can offer up. After two seasons of dismal offenses headlined by mediocre quarterbacks, Pittsburgh is set to trot out a completely new room this season. The results are far from a certain thing, but you have to at least be excited that football is back for the year.

The week one opponent is no slouch either. The Falcons decided to part ways with their inefficiencies on offense, casting out new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and remaking their own quarterback room. Atlanta now boasts Kirk Cousins at the helm, and they have gone from one of the worst rosters in the league to early NFC South favorites.

It is extremely hard to get a good read on this game, as both teams are such coin-flips this year. It wouldn’t be shocking to see both teams playing in January, but it also wouldn’t be surprising if both sides miss the postseason. That said, the Steelers need to come in prepared, as the early stretch of games is going to be vital this year. Here are five keys to victory for the Steelers in Week 1.

Key #1: Steelers need to get the ground game going

The pinnacle of the Smith offense is a good ground game for the offense to move through. We saw this in Tennessee and Atlanta, and the Steelers have shown a desire to have a potent run game. Najee Harris will likely take the majority of early carries with a healthy mix of Jaylen Warren assuming he is healthy.

The issue is that the Steelers run game has struggled to get going early in the season. The line takes a while to gel and Harris has been a notably inefficient runner. With so much new in the offense though and going against a Falcons defense susceptible to the run, being consistent on the ground is a must this week.

Key #2: Steelers can’t let Drake London kill them

While the better room overall, the Falcons also boast one really strong receiving option with a mixed bag behind him. Drake London is a freak player given his size and athleticism but hasn’t had a dominant year due to the quarterback struggles with the team. That said, he seems poised for a big season.

With the rest of the receiver room being lackluster and Kyle Pitts struggling with an injury right now, you need to do what you can to stop London. Just like how teams will key in on George Pickens, Pittsburgh needs to focus on limiting London. He can’t be the difference-maker this week.

Key #3: Unleash Keeanu Benton

A player we should all be excited to watch, Keeanu Benton seems to be poised for a big second season. He looked great as a rookie in a somewhat limited role. Now, he is a starter on this line and should see a healthy increase in snaps. His breakout season starts in Atlanta, and he could become a headache for the Falcons.

The weakest area of the Falcons offensive line is along the interior. While Chris Lindstrom is one of the best guards in the league, Drew Dalman is very average and Matthew Bergeron was lackluster as a rookie. Benton can take advantage, and in turn, apply interior pressure and force runs to the outside. He needs to have a coming-out party this week.

Key #4: Steelers need to pressure Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins has never been a mobile quarterback, but given his age and the injury he is coming off of, one has to think that he will be moving around even less than he normally would. The Steelers need to take advantage of that and keep constant pressure on the veteran to force some mistakes in this game.

This won’t be easy. As stated, the interior poises a route to get to Cousins, but Atlanta has a great pair of tackles. The edge rushers will need to bring it in order to win and get to Cousins. That said, with his mobility likely even worse than usual, Pittsburgh could see some healthy sack numbers and maybe even a forced turnover or two with healthy pressure.

Key #5: Steelers need to get Russell Wilson cooking

It came as a shock to no one that Russell Wilson was announced as the Steelers starting quarterback for week one. The team brought him in to provide themselves with a veteran option given the poor quarterback play previously from other options. With Wilson being the guy for at least the start of the year, he needs to get into a good rhythm.

He doesn’t have to do a lot right now either. Assuming the defense plays its part and the run game can provide some consistency, a first game of just going through the motions is fine with me. What we need to see is a comfortable Wilson who doesn’t make mistakes. Add in a few well-placed passes and week one will be a success for the veteran.