LBs T.J. Watt, Patrick Queen and Alex Highsmith. This may be one of the best linebacking groups in the NFL. The Steelers signed Queen to a three-year, $41 million deal, the largest deal they have ever offered in free agency. It’s easy to see why. He is the sort of wrecking ball the Steelers have lacked in the middle of their defense since Ryan Shazier’s career-ending injury in 2017. Queen is flanked by Watt and Highsmith, an elite tandem on the outside. Adding to the depth, Nick Herbig had up 3 1/2 sacks while playing just 32 snaps in the preseason. His development could allow Pittsburgh to give Watt and Highsmith a little more rest during the early and middle portions of games.
Falcons player to watch
QB Kirk Cousins. The Falcons doled out a $180 million, four-year contract, including $100 million in guaranteed money, to sign Cousins in free agency. He is the key to snapping a six-year run of losing seasons and turning around a franchise that has been plagued by poor quarterback play since the Matt Ryan era. Atlanta flip-flopped a year ago between Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, but neither came close to providing what was needed from the most important position on the field. Enter Cousins, who is coming off an Achilles tendon injury that kept him out during the preseason but appears to be a huge upgrade over his predecessors. He has thrown 171 touchdown passes going back to the 2018 season, the third most in the NFL over than span. While the Falcons raised plenty of eyebrows by using their first-round pick to draft another quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., it’s clear the Falcons are counting on Cousins to lead an immediate turnaround.
Key matchup
Steelers QBs Russell Wilson or Justin Fields vs. Falcons defense. The 35-year-old Wilson is trying to get his once-stellar career back on track after a miserable run in Denver. He went 11-19 as the Broncos starting quarterback and was a shell of the signal-caller who made the Pro Bowl in nine of 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson’s status is uncertain after he tweaked a calf injury in practice on Thursday. If Wilson can’t go, the Steelers will turn to the more mobile Fields, acquired from Chicago in March. Whichever QB is back there will be playing behind a new-look offensive line that will have to deal with Falcons OLB Matthew Judon and SS Justin Simmons.
Key injuries
Wilson, who missed a chunk of training camp with a calf injury, aggravated it on Thursday, putting his status in jeopardy. ... G Isaac Seumalo (pectoral muscle) won’t play in Week 1. ... The Steelers are hopeful that first-round pick RT Troy Fautanu (knee), CB Cory Trice (groin) and WR Roman Wilson (ankle) will be able to suit up against the Falcons. ... RB Jaylen Warren (hamstring) was able to practice this week. ... For the Falcons, TE Kyle Pitts (hamstring) and LB Nate Landman (quad) have been limited in practice. ... Atlanta sustained a pair of season-ending knee injuries during the preseason, losing rookie edge rusher Bralen Trice (a third-round pick) and WR Rondale Moore.
Series notes
The Steelers have won their past four matchups with the Falcons. ... Atlanta’s most recent victory in the series was a 41-38 triumph in 2006. ... The Falcons’ only other win over Pittsburgh was a 27-16 decision in 1970. ... The Steelers are 8-2 in games played in Atlanta.
Stats and stuff
Arthur Smith is returning to Atlanta as the Steelers offensive coordinator after serving as head coach of the Falcons for the past three seasons. He was fired after going 7-10 for the third year in a row. ... Falcons DT Grady Jarrett is one quarterback hit away from tying John Abraham’s franchise record of 115. ... Watt has 89 1/2 sacks in 89 games since the start of the 2018 season, the most in the NFL during that period. Judon has 54 1/2 sacks in 84 games over that same span, ranking 10th in the league. ... RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson is in his first season with the Steelers after spending the past three years as a multi-purpose playmaker in Atlanta’s offense. ... Pittsburgh has not had a losing record in Mike Tomlin’s 17 seasons as coach, but the Steelers’ most recent playoff win came during the 2016 season. They have lost five straight playoff games since then, including a 31-17 setback at Buffalo in the wild-card round a season ago. ... While Tomlin is bullish on Wilson and Fields, quarterbacks have not fared well in their Steelers debut through the years. Since 1952, Pittsburgh is 10-31-1 in a quarterback’s first start with the club, including a 2-6 mark under Tomlin. ... The Steelers are 10-6-1 in openers under Tomlin, who is the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL after Bill Belichick’s exit in New England. ... Expect Pittsburgh’s pass rush to test Cousins as he recovers from an Achilles tendon injury. Watt has led the league in sacks in three of the past four seasons and he’s the only player since the sack became an official statistic in 1982 to win the sack title three times. ... Atlanta’s run of six straight losing seasons is its longest since a stretch of eight in a row from 1983-90.
Fantasy tip
Steelers WR George Pickens is a dynamic playmaker, but he doesn’t have a whole lot of help on the outside. Of the next four players on the depth chart — Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, Calvin Austin III and rookie Roman Wilson — none has ever caught more than 50 passes in a season. Smith will try to find ways to put the 6-foot-4 Pickens in favorable matchups that provide Wilson or Fields with an inviting target. Pittsburgh desperately needs to open up an offense that has relied heavily on the running game, and a big year from Pickens is essential to making that happen. Plus, he’s heading into a contract year, which should give him even more incentive to step up his game.
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