Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 1 game
By Jon Hoefling, USA TODAY,
2024-09-04
The Atlanta Falcons are one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL entering the 2024 season. After a tumultuous 2023 season full of abysmal coaching, refusal to use their best players, and poor quarterback play, the team opted to fix all of that by bringing in a new head coach in Raheem Morris and a new quarterback in Kirk Cousins . Of course, the latter of those two is a huge question mark. Cousins is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury and is entering his age-36 season. As great as the weapons are around him, there isn't any guarantee he will be the Mr. Consistent at quarterback we've become so used to seeing.
We know what to expect with the Pittsburgh Steelers : stellar defense, poor quarterback play, a record above .500, and maybe a first-round playoff exit. Although the team made an effort to improve their quarterback play from a season ago, the additions of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields haven't paid off just yet. According to reports, neither quarterback has set themselves apart as a bona fide starter in Pittsburgh. With Diontae Johnson skipping town for Carolina as well, this team doesn't have the same quality of weapons either.
Week 1 will be a great measuring stick for these teams. Not only is it a revenge game for Arthur Smith, going up against the team that fired him last season, but it should also give fans a glimpse of what to expect from each of these squads.
Aug 23, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) on the sideline against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Brett Davis, Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
There are a lot of new faces on both these teams, so a bit of a learning curve is to be expected. The game within the game is Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith making his return to Atlanta, one season after he was fired as the team’s head coach. Atlanta’s offensive weapons should be unlocked, however, with Zac Robinson coming over from the Rams.
Tyler Dragon: Falcons 21, Steelers 17
Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins are both making their debuts with new teams. Pittsburgh’s defense should be stout, but the offense is bound to endure a transition period with Wilson under center. Cousins inherited a Falcons offense that has the potential to take off. Look for Atlanta’s defense to be better under Raheem Morris and the dynamic safety tandem of Jessie Bates and Justin Simmons.
Safid Deen: Steelers 23, Falcons 20
This looks like a Falcons win on paper, but something tells me Mike Tomlin has something up his sleeve. I’ll take the Steelers on the road in this one.
Richard Morin: Falcons 23, Steelers 16
I can see this one being an ugly battle. I'm predicting a tie game heading into the final seconds that ends with a Falcons touchdown as time expires. This might be one to stay away from on your weekly parlay.
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