1 week Ago
The Pittsburgh Steelers have kicked off their season 1-0. They managed to escape Mercedes-Benz Stadium with an 18-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons despite never having found the endzone. With starting quarterback Russell Wilson looking on as he continues to nurse a calf injury, Justin Fields that led the new-look Steelers' offense.
However, the offense should not receive the credit for Sunday's win. Rather, a lot can be owed to the defense and special teams. The line of scrimmage and turnover battle are two of the most often mentioned keys to winning a football game.
The Steelers' season-opening win over the Falcons is a recent example of what happens if you win both. The Steelers not only seemingly won the battle upfront at the line of scrimmage, as evidenced by their 137 yards rushing compared to the Falcons' 89, but they also won the turnover battle. First, it was seventh-year safety DeShon Elliott jumping an in-breaking route run by Drake London, which saw him intercept Kirk Cousins' pass.
Then, star pass-rusher J.J. Watt recovered a Falcons fumble before Donte Jackson made it two interceptions thrown by Cousins, setting up the Steelers' sixth and final field goal.
Anytime a team can finish positive in the turnover differential, it will always give itself a chance to win. That happened Sunday, as the Steelers defense gave their offense every opportunity to put points on the board. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Yes, the Steelers found a way to win, and veteran kicker Chris Boswell won't complain about being asked to connect on all six of his field goal attempts.
But being shut out of the endzone is not good enough for a Steelers offense that was supposed to be much improved from a season ago. Sure, there is the ready-made excuse of not having their starting quarterback, Russell Wilson, available. However, it is still a disappointment after a preseason in which Justin Fields got snaps with the first-team offense.
The Steelers will likely be the first to admit that they can't rely on field goals to continue winning their football games, leaving much room for future improvement. Related: Steelers Beat Falcons 18-10 Behind 6 Field Goals You never want to lose anyone to injury, especially in a position like a punter, where teams usually only carry one. The Steelers felt the pain of not having more than one on their roster, as starting punter Cam Johnston was helped off the field in the fourth quarter after a Falcons defender ran into his leg.
There is no update now on the potential severity of the injury, but the Steelers were forced to have their veteran kicker, Boswell, handle the punt ahead of Jackson's interception..
