On Sunday, the Steelers won a close, defense-led game, 20-13, in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrates a sack during the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
The Steelers’ defense stood tall. They held Atlanta to just 238 total yards while forcing two turnovers.
A win is a win, even if the Steelers had to grind it out a bit Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium. The Falcons were knocking on the door until a familiar face kicked the door down.
T.J. Watt led the defense the same way fans have seen so many times before. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Watt got his hands up, snagged Cooper Rush‘s pass out of the air and even went to the ground briefly before popping right back up to polish off a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was his third career touchdown but his first career pick-six.
Watt joined a historic club to begin the 2026 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers OLB recorded his 10th career interception Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, joining legend Julius Peppers as the only two players in NFL history to notch 100 sacks and 10 interceptions in a career.
Will the Steelers Become a Zone-Heavy Team?
The Steelers signed veteran Jamel Dean, a man-coverage specialist, to play alongside Joey Porter Jr. and give the Steelers twin press-man cornerbacks. But Porter didn’t play in the opener, with Asante Samuel Jr. getting the start opposite Dean. So, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham called nothing but zone all game.
A large part of this was due to third-string quarterback Rush being the starter, but this is a trend certainly worth monitoring as the season moves forward.
As the offense struggled throughout the game and was sloppy in the third quarter, the defense led the way. That’s to be expected, considering the number of star players on that unit. For one week, at least, the defense played up to expectations, starting the Mike McCarthy era and Graham’s tenure as defensive coordinator on a high note.
When Less Is More
For years, the Steelers have talked about not needing Watt to play such a high percentage of the team’s defensive snaps and their potential ability to use all three edge rushers together as part of a successful defensive plan.
Watt played 38 of 60 defensive snaps on Sunday, coming in at just 66 percent. Watt blowing up an opponent’s offense is not new, but we didn’t see nearly as much of it in 2025. If he can get back to his destructive ways because of a reduced snap count, that’s a huge positive change for the team.
Steelers Miss Out on Explosive Plays
When Steelers’ wide receiver Roman Wilson got behind cornerback A.J. Terrell for a potential long touchdown pass, Terrell tackled him for a long defensive pass interference call instead. The Steelers settled for a field goal.
Another deep ball headed to Wilson in the end zone was incomplete after he coughed it up as he bounced off the turf. DK Metcalf had his hands on one in the end zone, but couldn’t complete that catch amid strong coverage. Another ball, Metcalf simply dropped on a post route when he had gotten between and behind both safeties.
Speaking of Metcalf, he was extremely inefficient. He was targeted 10 times, but caught just four for 40 yards. Michael Pittman Jr. was the team’s leading receiver with three catches for 58 yards. Pat Freiermuth had five catches for 46 yards.
The Steelers will take their 1-0 record on the road in Week 2, when they will visit the reigning AFC champions, the New England Patriots. That game will have a 1 p.m. EST kickoff from Foxborough, MA.
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