PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s a look at all of the key plays from the Steelers season opening 18-10 win at Atlanta. From the impact plays to the missed opportunities, the flags that negated plays to the simple mistakes—these are the plays that made the difference Sunday.
Impact plays
· Third-and-goal from the 13, Falcons call for a screen to Bijan Robinson, looks like it’s heading for a touchdown, but Payton Wilson comes off a block by receiver Drake London to make his first career NFL tackle and stop a touchdown.
· Larry Ogunjobi provides pressure on the second Falcons series and hits Kirk Cousins just as he threw and DeShon Elliot made a diving interception which led directly to a field goal.
· A combo play-Minkah Fitzpatrick avoids a block to stone Bijan Robinson in the hole and then on the next play on man-on-man coverage, Donte Jackson gets his finger on a pass that would have been a long third-down conversion to Darnell Mooney.
· Cousins saw the impending doom, the snap signaled by the guard after he brought the tight end into motion late. He tried to stop the motion, but Ross Dwelley continued and the shotgun snap hit the Atlanta tight end. Quickly TJ Watt was able to dive in and outbattle three Atlanta players for the ball. It would lead to another Boswell FG.
· After a penalty gave Atlanta a first-down, Montravious Adams busted through the middle of the line for a nine-yard sack and when would led to a Falcons punt.
· Steelers have the ball at their own 32 on the first play of the series, quarterback Justin Fields hangs in the pocket and with an impending hit coming steps up and finds George Pickens deep for 40 yards. It would set up a 40-yard Boswell field goal.
· After losing punter Cameron Johnston holding just a five-point lead, Chris Boswell (already six-for-six on field goals) comes in and his first-ever NFL punt goes 43 yards followed by an open-field tackle by receiver Scotty Miller.
· Atlanta has the ball at their 40-yard line trailing by five, the pocket collapsing on pressure from Watt, Alex Highsmith and Ogunjobi, Cousins is picked off by Donte Jackson and he returns it to the Atlanta 18-yard line with 2:34 to play.
· On 3rd and 5 with 2:22 to play, Fields gains seven yards on a quarterback sneak and forced Atlanta to take a final time out
· Watt sacks Cousins to end the game
Flags nasty flags
· For the first time Fields had the play to throw downfield, he throws a good sideline route to Pickens for 36-yards setting the Steelers up deep in Atlanta territory. Pickens was called for offensive pass interference for a small shove. Steelers would punt on the next play.
· Watt believed he timed the snap perfectly as he watched for the center’s head bob. Watt gets around the tackle and strip-sacks Cousins which he recovers. Falcons would score a touchdown on the next play and Watt was furious yelling at a ref and then telling Tomlin he was onside.
· Watt involved in another, but not directly but a second strip sack of the game by Watt wiped out, this time by illegal hands to the face by Jackson on a Falcons receiver to give Atlanta a first down.
· What looks like it might be a roughing penalty on the Falcons on fourth down and 21 and a potential first down, turns into an offensive holding and punter Cameron Johnston had to leave game with an injury to his kicking leg.
Missed opportunities
· On the first drive of the game, a throw by Cousins glances off the helmet of Jackson. On the next play a third-down conversion which would end in a Falcons field goal and a 3-0 lead.
· Watt hits Cousins in the second quarter on a pass attempt. The ball floats in the air between four Steelers and yet falls perfectly to Ray-Ray McCloud for a 20-yard gain. Falcons would get a TD on the drive.
· On a 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 7, the Steelers call a flanker screen with 5’9” Calvin Austin as the lead blocker. He gets blown up and Van Jefferson is stopped inches short, Steelers would fail on 4th down
Simple mistakes
· There were a pair of bad snaps including on the first play of the game, both were under center between Fields and rookie Zach Frazier.
· Really the first drive was a series of simple mistakes from bad throws, bobbled snaps, wasted time outs. It was a 12-yard run by Fields that helped get enough yards for a Boswell 57-yard field goal.
Much more coverage of the Steelers season opener here on 93.7thefan.com and on 93.7 The Fan.