T.J. Watt Dominates in Steelers Win Over Falcons

The Pittsburgh Steelers take home a close win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrates a sack of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) in the fourth quarter of a Week 12 NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, at Paycor Stadium. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- Last season, Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt sat at home unsurprised by his second-place finish for the Defensive Player of the Year award. In the Steelers' season-opener at Atlanta, Watt ensured the black and gold would start 1-0. The Steelers defeated the Falcons 18-10.

When the Falcons drafted running back Bijan Robinson last season, his talent was recognized immediately. Despite recording the most yards from scrimmage as a rookie in Falcons history, new head coach Raheem Morris knew he could do more. The star running back touched the ball on half the Falcons' plays on their first drive taking them inside the Steelers' red zone with little resistance.

That was until Watt broke into the backfield and recorded the Steelers' first tackle for loss of the season, setting the Falcons' offense behind the sticks. In the red zone, the Steelers' marque bend-don't-break defense showed up. The Steelers forced a 24-yard field goal by Falcons' kicker Younghoe Koo.

If there was one play to define the Steelers' season opener, it was the first play. Fields fumbled the snap from rookie center Zach Frazier on the first play from scrimmage. Another fumbled snap occurred a few plays later, but there was enough time to get the ball to Steelers' running back Najee Harris who lowered the shoulder for a first down. Fields complimented Harris on the ground with several successful rushes. The two finished the first half with 26 and 23 yards respectively.

The Steelers were lucky to get off the field with any points. Chris Boswell, the Steelers' reliable veteran kicker, nailed a 57-yard field goal to even the score at 3-3 with 4:37 left in the first quarter. During the drive, tight end Pat Freiermuth recorded the only reception for four yards. The rest of the Steelers' gains came on the ground - a strategy that shouldn't be surprising considering Arthur Smith's typical gameplan.

The Steelers' defense capitalized on that momentum. In his Steelers' debut, safety DeShon Elliot read Cousins's eyes and grabbed a diving interception putting Fields and the Steelers' offense back on the field.

As promised, third-year wide receiver George Pickens got involved in the Steelers' passing game. Fields found Pickens for his first passing first down and showed the Atlanta-based Steelers' fans his ability to catch anything. Two plays later, Harris pushed through the Falcons' defensive line for an eight-yard gain but Falcons' safety Jessie Bates III ripped off Harris's helmet during the tackle. The dirty play initiated an on-field fight.

Despite only gaining 18 yards over 10 plays, Boswell kicked another 50+ yard field goal to give the Steelers their first lead at 6-3.

Elliot continued to show his value with a key pass breakup on 3rd-and-10 that kept the ball just outside of Falcons' wide receiver Drake London's hands. Elliot's play kept the Falcons deep in their territory and forced their first punt of the day. In the passing game up to this point, the Steelers' defense only gave up one play over 10 yards.

Despite Fields's touted arm strength, the Steelers' first-half offense was focused on repeated short gains - the previous first down to Pickens was the only gain of more than 10 yards. A 36-yard pass to Pickens would have put the Steelers in the red zone, but a slight push-off by Pickens drew offensive pass interference and set back the ball 10 yards.

With the first half winding down, the Falcons' offense felt the pressure of the clock. Cousins completed four passes over 10 yards, including two to former Steeler wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III. On 1st-and-10 in the red zone, the Falcons were poised to score.

But Watt, as he usually does, came through with a strip sack and recovered the fumble. However, the referees deemed Watt jumped off the line before the snap and negated Watt's big play. On the next play, Cousins found tight end Kyle Pitts wide open in the endzone giving the Falcons a 10-6 lead with 32 seconds left in the half.

With 9 seconds on the clock, Fields found his man. Pickens, who spent much of last season coming up big when the Steelers needed him the most, found open grass and caught a 41-yard pass on the far sideline and luckily stepped out of bounds to keep time on the clock. Boswell made a 44-yard field goal to bring the Steelers' within one. The Falcons led 10-9 at the end of the first half.

The Steelers started the second half on offense, but after two Harris runs stuffed at the line of scrimmage, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett sacked Fields for a loss of 15 yards. The sack resulted in the Steelers' first three-and-out of the season.

The Falcons' first drive of the second half showed a doubling-down on Robinson - the Texas product got the handoff on the first four plays and manufactured a first down. But the next play, the Falcons pre-snap motion collided with the snap and Watt jumped on the fumble, giving Fields and the offense a chance at redemption.

That chance of redemption did not result in the Steelers' first touchdown, but nine plays and 24 yards later with no gain more than nine yards later, Boswell kicked his fourth field goal and third over 50 yards.

Watt struggled to get a strip sack that would count. Another strip sack of Cousins was called back due to newly acquired cornerback Donte Jackson's illegal use of hands to the face. Watt, the superhero the Steelers have always needed but may have never deserved, crafted his DPOY case early.

Despite the stat sheet looking emptier than the Steelers' defense would hope, they forced another Falcons punt.

Pickens continued to prove he could be a WR1 for the new-look Steelers' offense with a 40-yard catch over Falcons' cornerback A.J. Terrell setting the offense just outside the Falcons' red zone. However, a false start penalty and then a subsequent illegal shift penalty killed any hope of the Steelers' first touchdown and put Boswell out there for his fifth field goal to increase the lead to 15-10.

Boswell is the first Steelers' kicker in franchise history to kick three or more field goals over 50 yards.

Despite the Steelers playing on the road, any camera shot of the crowd showed more than enough Terrible Towels to energize the black and gold defense. Mercedes-Benz Stadium must have felt like home for Watt as the star edge almost recorded another strip-sack. But Cousins felt the pressure and got rid of the ball just before Watt punched it out.

It's typical for the Steelers to save their best for last. Fields and Harris conducted a balanced attack to drive 72-yards in 13 plays all the way down to Atlanta's six-yard line. Harris juked defenders that he would typically put his shoulder into and Fields scrambled when possible for solid gains.

But on 4th-and-1, new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith decided to go for it. Tragically, a miscommunication and a televised quarterback sneak made the play predictable for the Falcons' defense, who made the stop.

After another Steelers' three-and-out, the Steelers' new punter Cameron Johnston suffered a brutal injury to his kicking leg. Despite the severity of how the injury looked, Johnston walked off the field with slight assistance. The injury forced Boswell, the source of all 15 of the Steelers' points thus far, to make his first career punt.

Cousins gave the football back to the Steelers with a pass into double coverage. Jackson, making up for his previous penalty, jumped the Falcons' route and returned the interception 49 yards into the red zone.

The ground game, effective all day for the Steelers, closed out the opening win. Fields and Harris rushes drained the clock and set up Boswell for his sixth field goal of the day. Boswell, the most accurate kicker from 50+ yards in NFL history, gave the Steelers all 18 of their 18-10 victory over the Falcons.

With a miracle touchdown the only answer for the Falcons, Watt capped off his unbelievable performance with his first sack of the year, although barring untimely penalties, Watt should of had many more.

Consistent quarterback play, no turnovers on offense, two interceptions by the defense and a relentless running game ensured that Arthur Smith beat his former employer and head coach Mike Tomlin improved his record in season-openers to 11-7-1.

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