Takeaways From the Steelers Triumph Over the Falcons
The Steelers and the Falcons were commonly discussed teams this offseason as both squads made a number of franchise-altering acquisitions through both free agency and the draft. Both of these teams acquired new starting quarterbacks to lead their franchises, so there was bound to be a lot of talk following this game. It would be the Steelers that would emerge victorious in the Week One matchup between the two teams. With the first week now coming to a close, what are the takeaways for both the Steelers and Falcons moving forward?
This Steelers’ Defense is Special
The relentless pass rush by the Steelers defined this game. T.J. Watt should have ended with three sacks and a forced fumble, but penalties on some of those plays kept him to only one recorded sack on the day. However, the pressure generated by this defensive line forced a lot of throws for Kirk Cousins to go awry, with two of them being picked off. I still have big expectations for this Falcons’ offense, but the Steelers flexed their defensive might against this group in this matchup big time.
Justin Fields Should be the Quarterback Moving Forward
Justin Fields had a solid showing this week. He didn’t do anything particularly special, but he was able to move the ball and create a few dynamic plays by using his legs. He would finish the day with just over 200 total yards and did enough to show that he deserves the starting job in Pittsburgh. When we last saw Russell Wilson he was turnover-prone. Plus, whoever is going to be the primary quarterback for the Steelers this season cannot do that because this offense is simply not explosive enough to overcome playing from behind.
Bijan and Najee are Going to be Featured Backs
Last season, both of these teams’ backfields were splitting carries. However, it became apparent in this game that these offensive coordinators are going to feature one primary back in both of these offenses. Jaylen Warren and Tyler Allgeier got a decent amount of carries in games last season but this prevented both Najee Harris and Bijan Robinson from getting into a flow offensively. With Warren and Allgeier only getting a combined five carries all game, it is clear that Najee and Bijan are going to be featured backs in their respective offenses this season.
