Steelers-Falcons preview: What to expect from Atlanta’s offense, defense in Week 1

Jan 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The regular season is back, and so are Read & React's game previews. This week, we'll take a look at the Atlanta Falcons, who finished 2025 with an 8-9 record and third place in the NFC South.

Atlanta, like Pittsburgh, will be debuting a new head coach in Week 1. The Falcons fired Raheem Morris after the team's disappointing finish last year, hiring former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski to lead the team in 2026.

It's a new era for the Falcons. What can the Steelers expect to face in their season opener?

What to expect from the Falcons' offense

Rushing YPG 2025: 125.8(8th)

Passing YPG 2025:207.2 (19th)

PPG 2025:20.8 (24th)

The Atlanta Falcons are a strange offense to wrap your head around. On the one hand, they have three first-round talents that most of the football-watching community agrees are supremely talented. There's Bijan Robinson, the do-it-all running back the Falcons selected eighth overall in 2023 and whom they just made one of the league's richest ball carriers with an extension this offseason. Falcons also boast two highly drafted pass catchers: receiver Drake London (2022's eighth overall selection) and Kyle Pitts (2021's fourth overall selection). Both London and Pitts signed big-money extensions this summer as well.

That collection of talent alone makes them a team you can't afford to sleep on. However, outside of the Browns - whose coach last year is now the head coach in Atlanta -the Falcons might have the worst quarterback situation in the NFL. Another former eighth-overall selection, Michael Penix Jr., is still not healthy enough to take the field. That meant the Steelers were supposed to see former Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa, a player who just had a brutal preseason and whom Miami is paying just under $52.8 million to play anywhere else. Things were so bad for Tua this summer, NBC had this report ahead of the Patriots-Seahawks game yesterday:

If it doesn't go well for Tua and he gets benched again, I'm told there is a strong possibility the Falcons will do what the Dolphins did and cut Tua Tagovailoa."

We haven't even played yet. pic.twitter.com/h1I7xbbOhR

- Carrie (@Carrie_ATL) September 10, 2026

Things took another turn Thursday when, less than 24 hours later, Tua seemed to suffer an oblique injury that has put his availability into question.

Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa appeared to suffer discomfort during individual throwing drills Thursday and briefly went to the ground. Tagovailoa missed the first week of training camp due to lower back spasms.

- Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) September 10, 2026

As I mentioned before, ESPN's Adam Schefter already reported that Penix would be inactive Sunday, so he isn't an option should Tua have to miss this. That means the Falcons might be forced to turn to a player Mike McCarthy should be quite familiar with, having coached him in Dallas.

Cooper Rush said he took all the reps with the 1s today. #Falcons

- Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 10, 2026

All this is to say that the offensive situation for Atlanta is messy, and while that should set the Steelers up for success, it can make projecting the exact offense we'll see a muddled picture.

Still, Steelers fans should recognize elements of what the Falcons are likely to run Sunday. Stefanski was Cleveland's head coach for six seasons. His offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, was with the Browns the past two seasons as well, growing from passing game coordinator in 2024 to OC in 2025.

As such, we should expect to see a run game featuring wide zone runs, a healthy dose of play-action and bootlegs from under center, and formations with multiple tight ends on the field.

With that and the Falcons' quarterback situation in mind, focus number one should be shutting down Robinson and the run game. Robinson is the most talented player on that offense, and he's got the production to match. In three seasons, Robinson's produced 3,910 rushing yards, 198 receptions for 1,738 yards, and 34 total touchdowns. He is the engine behind the Falcons' attack, and he's difficult to bring down. In 2025, Robinson was second in the league in average yards after contact (3.9) while the Steelers were 10th worst in that stat (3.10) as a defense.

No. 3 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026...@AtlantaFalcons RB Bijan Robinson! @NFLFilmspic.twitter.com/seqOFrSuVx

- NFL (@NFL) September 2, 2026

With a backup quarterback in, there's a strong chance Robinson leads both the Falcons' rushing and passing attack on Sunday. London and Pitts might arguably be more effective with Rush under center than they might have been with Tagovailoa.

London is a traditional possession receiver who primarily lines up outside, but he also moonlights as a power slot, with 30.7% of his career snaps coming inside. London isn't a player who creates a ton of separation with his routes, but he knows how to box out opposing defensive backs to secure the ball and has a 52% conversion rate on contested balls.

3 Minutes of @DrakeLondon_ jump balls#DirtyBirdshttps://t.co/eTBsfsQKRzpic.twitter.com/yBzjquRwWD

- (@ATLFalconsMuse) January 23, 2026

Meanwhile, Pitts had a return to form in 2025. After eclipsing 1,000 yards as a rookie, he battled injuries and inconsistent quarterback play in the three seasons that followed. Last year, he looked fully healthy again, totaling 928 yards and setting career highs in receptions (88), touchdowns (5), and yards after the catch (399). Know Stefanski's proclivity for featuring tight ends in his offense, I would circle Pitts as the player the Steelers should be most focused on stopping after Robinson.

Kyle Pitts Sr. 11 REC, 166 YDS, 3 TDs vs TB Tonight.

HAVE A NIGHT KYLE PITTS.pic.twitter.com/l2ZAHeFwQxhttps://t.co/nesfyquOpL

- Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) December 12, 2025

Outside of Atlanta's big three, the Falcons receiving corps is a bit of a hodgepodge of role players. Jahan Dotson might be familiar to the Penn State fans in Steeler Nation, but he's on his third team in five seasons and has struggled to match the promise of his rookie season when he scored seven touchdowns for Washington. He was held under 20 receptions and under 275 yards in each of the past two seasons while playing for the Eagles. Likewise, Olamide Zaccheaus is an eighth-year NFL journeyman on his second stint with the Falcons. He has just 2,311 career yards and 15 touchdowns, and is more known for doing the dirty work offenses need from a complementary receiver.

If there is one wild card I'd keep an eye on, it's rookie third-rounder Zachariah Branch. Branch is a smaller receiver (5'10, 180 pounds) with a limited route tree, but a reputation for creating yards after the catch on designed touches near the line of scrimmage. Whether it's Tagovailoa or Rush - who also has a spotty track record throwing deep with a career completion percentage of just 33.3% on throws 20+ yards downfield - I wouldn't be surprised to see a few plays designed for Branch to try to create some easy-button looks that might still result in explosive gains, even with a limited quarterback.

Zachariah Branch 81 REC, 811 YDS, 6 TDs 2025 Season Highlights.pic.twitter.com/qIleg70ZFqhttps://t.co/DCt6Gvdp43

- Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) March 2, 2026

What to expect from the Falcons' defense

Rushing YPG Allowed 2025: 126.2 (24th)

Passing YPG Allowed 2025: 200.4 (13th)

PPG Allowed 2025: 23.6 (19th)

RB: While we're still waiting to see what the Falcons' 2026 offense looks like under Kevin Stefanski, the defense might be easier to plan for with Jeff Ulbrich retaining his defensive coordinator role from last year despite the coaching staff turnover.

That said, the Falcons won't look exactly the same this year on defense - especially when it comes to the pass rush. Atlanta took a big swing in the 2025 NFL Draft to solidify its edge rusher room, drafting two at the position in the first round: Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. Neither will play against the Steelers this Sunday, however, with Walker out with a season-ending injury and Pearce serving the first of an eight-game suspension following domestic violence-related charges in February.

It's a massive blow for an Atlanta front that was better than you might realize at generating pressure last year, finishing second in the NFL last year in sacks (57) and fourth in sack rate (9.1%). This time around, the Falcons will be relying on the talents of the recently un-retired Za'Darius Smith (1.5 sacks in two starts last year) and a mixture of Cameron Thomas (2.5 sacks last year), Samson Ebukam (two sacks last year), and defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus (8.5 sacks last year) seeing snaps on the edge. Keep an eye on Zach Harrison (4.5 sacks last year) and Bralen Trice as potential practice squad elevations as well.

The Falcons did, however, make an investment in their interior defensive line recently, adding former Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. via trade in late August. Dexter is a solid starter, not a star, who wasn't always seen as a great scheme fit or consistent contributor in Chicago. But his 11 sacks in the last two seasons as a 326-pound interior rusher aren't something to scoff at.

#Bears Gervon Dexter Sr pic.twitter.com/5QBgsVn6fX

- ImBearingDown (@ImBearingDown) August 23, 2026

The Falcons also have the aforementioned Dorlus, an athletic but slightly undersized defensive tackle (6'3, 295 pounds) who recorded a whopping 8.5 sacks last year in just nine starts. He should be the centerpiece of the Atlanta pass rush in 2026, with the ability to play defensive end and tackle.

opposing fans may not know who Brandon Dorlus is, but their quarterbacks do pic.twitter.com/Ys6Qhp0zky

- Tre'Shon (@tre3shon) December 22, 2025

Atlanta also has a pair of run-stuffing defensive tackles in LaCale London and D'Shawn Hand.

At inside linebacker, the Falcons have an interesting group with veterans Divine Deablo and Christian Harris as well as rookies Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. Deablo and Daniels are listed as the starters on the Falcons' initial depth chart.

Overall, it's a room that's not lacking in length or athleticism, but how they hold up against the run is a question. Both Deablo and Perkins are listed at 223 pounds, while Daniels is a safety hybrid whose ability to fill gaps was questioned pre-draft.

Last year, the Falcons allowed an average of 3.54 yards after contact per rush, the second-worst in the NFL.

The Atlanta defense is the strongest in the secondary. In what was one of the cooler stories of the 2025 draft, second-rounder Avieon Terrell is expected to start alongside his brother AJ Terrell at cornerback in Week 1. AJ is still regarded as one of the league's best corners, while Avieon, though undersized at 5'10, 186 pounds, was one of the top prospects at his position in the draft this year.

At safety, the Falcons are led by veteran ballhawk Jessie Bates III, who has recorded 13 interceptions over his three years in Atlanta. A longtime Cincinnati Bengal, Bates has plenty of experience playing the Steelers. Opposite Bates is another ballhawk in Xavier Watts, who was a rookie phenom last year with five picks himself and a feisty presence in run defense.

Xavier Watts' tackling needs some refinement, but this right here is how you run fit. The Falcons rookie safety continues to make plays for this defense pic.twitter.com/6rK4mTc1TF

- Tre'Shon (@tre3shon) October 15, 2025

Zooming out to Ulbrich's scheme, the Falcons' sack numbers were so high last year, partially due to the second-highest blitz percentage in the league at 35.8%. Ulbrich is an aggressive and creative defensive coordinator who will undoubtedly be throwing the entire playbook at the Steelers' offensive line Sunday in an effort to put his undermanned pass rush in the best position to succeed. (It's a Texans Tweet below, but see where the Falcons fall on the graph).

Texans Defense:

Minimal blitz
Minimal coverage rotations
Wreak havoc pic.twitter.com/mVrdY52yhZ

- Football Insights (@fball_insights) December 31, 2025

In terms of coverage shells, the Falcons were one of the league's most heavy cover 4 teams last year, alongside a healthy dose of cover 3 and cover 1 man.

Defensive coverage usage from all of last season. Data via @FantasyPtsDatapic.twitter.com/eIjf6KcTG1

- Football Insights (@fball_insights) August 25, 2026

Ulbrich certainly won't make things easy for Pittsburgh, and the usual bizarreness of Week 1 football makes it impossible to predict, but this is still a winnable matchup for the Steelers offense.

Creative blitz packages will be a challenge, but otherwise, the Falcons' weakened edge rusher depth is as easy a matchup as it gets in the NFL for the Steelers' tackles. It's a good sign considering Pittsburgh starters Troy Fautanu and Dylan Cook both switched sides of the line this season and showed some rust in the preseason. Communication will still be key, however, with stunts from an athletic Atlanta D-line posing a real threat.

But if Aaron Rodgers can be kept clean, he'll be excited to target a rookie cornerback in his first career start. And while the Falcons' interception-happy secondary is certainly impressive, Rodgers has historically excelled at limiting turnovers.

As always, the key might lie in establishing the run. Nothing quiets a creative pass rush plan more than a smash-mouth run game, especially against a Falcons front seven that contains several tweeners. That isn't to say success is guaranteed, as Pittsburgh's offensive front struggled to create consistent push in the group's preseason reps.

Ultimately, this is Week 1 of the NFL - it's more about learning about these teams for the first time than nailing every prediction. And I can't wait to see the Steelers playing again.

Let us know what you think in the comments.Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!