Tell a Pittsburgh Steelers fan the turnover battle and they can tell you who won the game. While taking the football away and protecting it are fundamental elements of winning, it’s more true for the Steelers than any of the other 31 teams in the league. When Pittsburgh doesn’t turn the ball over, they win. When they do, even once, they lose.
The Steelers won the turnover battle 3-0 today. And thus, it’ll be a victory Monday in Pittsburgh.
Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins was responsible for all 3 of those turnovers, throwing 2 picks and a mis-timed snap that led to a fumble recovered by OLB T.J. Watt. Speaking to reporters post-game, Cousins said he was trying to do too much.
“I was really trying to avoid the sack on the first one and throw it away,” Cousins told reporters via the Falcons’ YouTube channel. “I knew [WR Drake London] was breaking in there. I did see color, but I was just trying to basically put it out there way out in front of him but the safety was there and made a good play.”
In his Steelers debut, SS DeShon Elliott made a great diving interception as Cousins’ throw badly missed London over the middle, the receiver pulling up and not contesting the play. Not known for his ball skills, Elliott’s grab was impressive.
Cousins said he should’ve either taken the sack or thrown it lower to avoid any chance of it being picked. He and the Falcons’ starters had plenty of rust to knock off. Unlike the Steelers, Atlanta didn’t play their starters a lick in the preseason. For Cousins, it was his first game since last October when he tore his Achilles and missed the rest of the season. Facing a stout Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense only made life harder on a team that managed only 10 points and 54 second-half yards.
Pittsburgh’s pass rush caused Cousins’ second interception, a crucial pick by CB Donte Jackson he nearly ran back for a touchdown.
“The second one just couldn’t get anything on the ball…I’ll go back and watch it and be critical and say, ‘Hey, maybe you eat it or you progress or you dirt it.’ Or whatever you gotta do to kind of avoid the critical error of the interception.”
Cousins was crunched by T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Larry Ogunjobi, his pass fluttering in the air that Jackson plucked and returned 49-yards the other way.
Both of Pittsburgh’s interceptions to open the year came via offseason additions, Elliott signed in free agency and Jackson acquired in the trade that sent WR Dionte Johnson to the Carolina Panthers.
Cousins finished the day 16-of-26 for 155 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Officially, he was sacked twice, while two more from T.J. Watt were negated by penalty and hit a total of five times. The Steelers welcomed him back to the NFL with a reminder of what an top-tier defense looks like. Cousins won’t forget it.
