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The Pittsburgh Steelers are only a couple of days away from kicking off against the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams have questions heading into the matchup, but the Falcons received a curveball during the week. Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury that has put his status in question. For now, Atlanta has not ruled him out.
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Regardless of who lines up at quarterback, the Falcons present a challenge to the Steelers in several ways. Atlanta not only boasts a strong group of skill-position players on offense, but it also has a talented secondary on defense. Pittsburgh will need to execute with precision to win its season opener. Here are three things the Steelers must do to secure a victory on Sunday.
Stop Bijan Robinson
This offense will begin and flow through Bijan Robinson. He is an elite running back who can break down a defense in several ways. Robinson possesses exceptional vision, acceleration, and agility, making him particularly dangerous in the wide-zone scheme. That allows him to read a linebacker’s gap responsibility and use it against him. In the blink of an eye, Robinson can cut back or bounce outside. Before a defender knows what happened, No. 7 is already at the second level.
Robinson isn’t just a great runner. He is also an excellent receiving back. His ability to line up anywhere as an eligible receiver creates problems for opposing defenses. Robinson can create a mismatch against any linebacker or safety in coverage, while his power makes him difficult for cornerbacks to bring down in the open field. Pittsburgh must minimize Robinson’s impact on the game.
Protect Aaron Rodgers
If the Steelers’ offense under Mike McCarthy is going to undergo significant changes, protecting Aaron Rodgers must come first. The Falcons are without their top EDGE defenders, giving Pittsburgh’s offensive tackles a potential advantage. However, Troy Fautanu and Dylan Cook must still execute their assignments and win on the edge.
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McCarthy’s offensive tackles have historically spent plenty of time on an island, and Fautanu and Cook can’t afford to get off to a sluggish start. If Rodgers is going to elevate this offense, he must trust his offensive line to keep him upright.
Get Pat Freiermuth Involved
The Falcons’ secondary is for real and can match up well enough to limit the Steelers’ receivers. If Pittsburgh wants to force Atlanta’s defensive backs to adjust, getting Pat Freiermuth involved early will be critical. He can put pressure on opposing linebackers and win those one-on-one matchups. Freiermuth should also have opportunities over the middle, where McCarthy likes to get his tight ends involved.
Darnell Washington won’t get forgotten. He is too valuable as a run blocker and presents too much of a mismatch in the red zone to ignore. Freiermuth, though, could be an excellent fit in this offense. The Steelers just need to make it a priority to get him going early and often.
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 9:00 AM.