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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons provided the first real look at how Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff plan to deploy their personnel in meaningful games. The snap counts revealed some notable differences from the previous regime, particularly in how the offense utilized its wide receivers and tight ends. Meanwhile, Patrick Graham’s defense leaned heavily on rotation along the defensive line and EDGE, allowing several players to stay fresh while still generating consistent pressure.
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Steelers snap counts Week 1 vs. Falcons pic.twitter.com/RStXLM8IhA
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) September 14, 2026
There were also some interesting developments at running back and linebacker, with Rico Dowdle seeing more offensive snaps than Jaylen Warren and Payton Wilson playing nearly every defensive snap. With 67 offensive snaps and 60 defensive snaps to distribute, the numbers offer an early glimpse into the Steelers’ preferred personnel groupings and how those decisions contributed to their Week 1 victory.
Offensive Snap Count Takeaways
The biggest takeaway might be the fact that the Steelers appeared to run 11 personnel at least 55% of the time. Roman Wilson (55%), DK Metcalf (96%), and Michael Pittman Jr. (88%) all received the majority of the offensive snaps among the skill-position groups, which combined for 67 offensive snaps. This was obviously a significant change from the previous regime, as the Steelers leaned heavily on 12 and 13 personnel.
Speaking of tight end usage, Pat Freiermuth (73%) and Darnell Washington (64%) both saw plenty of action. Freiermuth caught the Steelers’ lone offensive touchdown, while Washington made a highlight-reel play of his own. It was going to be interesting to see how their snap percentages were balanced, and the Steelers appeared to find a good formula in Week 1.
Finally, running backs Warren (37%) and Dowdle (58%) had an interesting split. Though Warren ultimately was more effective with his opportunities, Dowdle led the group in snap percentage. Dowdle is a grinding back who can handle the dirty work between the tackles, which was evident on Sunday. Warren will likely serve as more of a passing-down back, and that was also on display. However, the running game needs to improve, as the Steelers managed just 61 yards on 18 carries.
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Defensive Snap Count Takeaways
The Steelers sparingly used their 3-4 base defense. That was evident not only during the broadcast but also in the snap counts. It was also a true committee approach along the defensive line. No defensive lineman played more than 68% of the defense’s 60 snaps, with Alex Highsmith leading the EDGE group at that mark. Highsmith (68%), Nick Herbig (65%), T.J. Watt (63%), and Jack Sawyer (38%) all rotated efficiently. It paid off in a big way, as the EDGE group was on fire generating pressure and helped produce four sacks on the day.
The interior defensive line was led by Keeanu Benton (58%), who was outstanding at generating pressure. Cam Heyward (53%), Derrick Harmon (40%), Yahya Black (30%), and Sebastian Joseph-Day (30%) also saw significant action while creating havoc up front. This approach to rotating the EDGE and interior defensive line under Patrick Graham was a sight for sore eyes. The defense also blitzed just 10.5% of the time, the lowest rate in the league.
Finally, Wilson (95%) played a career-high percentage of the defensive snaps, with Patrick Queen also playing every defensive snap. Their play was strong in the run game as well. The defensive line and off-ball linebackers played with excellent execution, and it ultimately made the difference in the game.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 9:38 AM.