Win pretty or win ugly, winning is all that matters. The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers won on Sunday much in the way the 2023 team did, though at a higher and more concentrated level. Run the ball, control the clock, play great defense, don’t make the big mistakes, and win a low-scoring affair. That’s how the Steelers can come away victorious despite failing to score a touchdown with a quarterback who threw for 156 yards. Recapping the loss on 92.9’s Duke & Bell Show, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris credited Pittsburgh for its no-frills way to win.
“We couldn’t get those guys to have to open up,” Morris said of not forcing the Steelers to pass. “Because you gotta be able to score points to be able to do that. Pittsburgh lives in the ugly game. And that’s where they live. They love it. They’re one of the best at it in the business. We gotta be able to get those guys out of the ugly game in order to wins those games.”
Pittsburgh controlled the tempo for most of the game, bouncing back after allowing a field goal on an effective Falcons first drive. The Steelers ran the ball 41 times Sunday, the most they have in a Week 1 game since Mike Tomlin’s debut in 2007 and played a conservative brand of offense. QB Justin Fields, not officially named starter until two hours before kickoff, wasn’t asked to do much. When he threw, the Steelers moved the launch point and gave him easy half-field reads mixed in with a couple of downfield shots.
The Steelers stayed out of third and long and played a tight game throughout. Despite facing a whopping 17 third downs, Pittsburgh needed six of fewer yards on 10 of them. They stayed on schedule, making it hard for the Falcons to freely rush and generate pressure.
In the second half, Pittsburgh wore Atlanta down. They dominated time of possession, holding the ball for over 11 minutes in the fourth quarter. The Falcons ran just 21 plays in the final 30 minutes, recording more turnovers (two) than first downs (one) while averaging under 2 yards per play. In the end, it was the Falcons who had to abandon the run and throw at will. T.J. Watt dipped past RT Kaleb McGary on the final play for a well-deserved sack after penalties wiped out two earlier in the game.
Some could interpret Morris’ comments at being passive aggressive. The Steelers stuck with a 1970s model of winning football games. It’s true that Pittsburgh won’t win a Super Bowl in these drag-out street fights it so commonly plays. But in a Week 1 with plenty stacked against them, the Steelers know style points don’t matter. Wins are all that get reflected in the standings.
