The Pittsburgh Steelers came away with a big road win to kick off their 2024 season, taking down the Atlanta Falcons 18-10. As much as I believe in the idea of "a win is a win", this game felt all too familiar to last season's winning formula.
The defense forced multiple turnovers and quick punts, the offense ground out yards on the ground, and they got some timely big plays to score just enough points for a win.
Steelers fans were hoping for a little more explosiveness on offense to start the season after finally being free of Matt Canada, but the offense failed to find the end zone in Arthur Smith's debut as offensive coordinator.
They did move the ball more consistently than they often did last season, but it didn't lead to a jump in points. Overall, it was a solid but unspectacular debut for this new offense.
As much credit as the defense deserves, it's hard for anything but the lack of offense to be the biggest takeaway.
Steelers offensive woes continue, but with important caveats
While the offense did disappoint overall, a few factors must be considered before hitting the panic button. First and foremost, it's Week 1. It is always a hectic time in the NFL that can deceive even the smartest football analysts. The offense could look much different just from having more live game reps over the coming weeks.
Perhaps even more important to consider is that expected starting quarterback Russell Wilson was inactive thanks to a reaggravation of his calf injury. He was named the starter despite that calf keeping him out of a large chunk of training camp. Justin Fields played a clean game in his absence, but he relied on his legs often and threw the ball just 23 times.
Wilson isn't the rushing threat he once was (or that Fields is currently), but he is a more consistent passer than Fields at this point in their careers. Arthur Smith likely would have been more aggressive with his play calls if Wilson was the QB, which may have led to more points.
Lastly, the Falcons have a talented defense that is on the rise. Their secondary in particular is strong, with multiple Pro Bowl-level players in A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates, and Justin Simmons. All things considered, the passing attack could have been worse for the Steelers than it ultimately was.
Without fully excusing the lack of touchdowns, I think the offense at least looked more capable compared to last year despite the lack of points. If whoever ends up being the starter at QB can just do the easy stuff and not make back-breaking mistakes, the offense should be a full tier or so better than last season.