The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off the season with a hard-fought 18-10 road victory over the Atlanta Falcons, starting the year 1-0. In a game marked by sloppy play and bad officiating, the Steelers leaned heavily on Chris Boswell's leg and a dominant defensive performance to secure the win.
Despite the early-season jitters, Pittsburgh managed to pull through against a strong Falcons team. Here’s a look at the player of the game and the key play that helped seal the Steelers' victory.
Player of the game: Chris Boswell
Chris Boswell emerged as the standout player of the game, going a perfect 6-for-6 on field goal attempts, including three from beyond 50 yards. With the Steelers' offense struggling to find the end zone all game, Boswell was the sole source of scoring, delivering all 18 of their points.
Boswell's clutch performance was crucial in securing the win, and without his consistency, the outcome might have been different. However, relying solely on field goals isn’t sustainable, and if the Steelers want to have a successful season and make a playoff push, the offense needs to start converting drives into touchdowns.
Play of the game: T.J. Watt's fumble recovery
The Falcons were up 10-9 and driving on the Steelers' 32-yard line, poised to extend their lead. However, a botched snap turned the game on its head. Despite three Falcons closing in, TJ Watt somehow beat them to the loose ball and recovered it.
That moment shifted all the momentum. The Steelers capitalized, driving into field goal range and taking the lead 12-10. From there, they never looked back.
Thoughts from Steelers vs. Falcons game
It was a sloppy game for both teams, a type Steelers fans have become all too familiar with in recent years. A struggling offense once again leaned heavily on the defense to make stops and force turnovers.
The Steelers need to find ways to be more aggressive and put more points on the board. Another season of relying on the defense to bail out the offense week after week won’t cut it. A win is a win, but this one wasn’t pretty.
Next week, the Steelers head to Denver to face the Broncos, and hopefully, we’ll finally see an improved offensive showing. Justin Fields had a decent performance, avoiding turnovers and using his legs in crucial moments—an underrated factor in the Week 1 win. As Russell Wilson is likely healthy for Week 2, the quarterback situation will likely become clearer by midweek.