The Atlanta Falcons kick off the 2026 NFL season against a formidable foe in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Falcons have never won a game in Pittsburgh
, and the last two times they opened the season against the Steelers, they couldn’t beat a pair of backup quarterbacks: Justin Fields (2024) and Dennis Dixon (2010). If the Falcons are going to swing a historic road win on Sunday, they’ll have to do it with a backup of their own.Here are five Falcons to watch in this potential history-making opener.
Cooper Rush
It starts with the backup quarterback, Cooper Rush, who will be under center this Sunday. With starter Tua Tagovailoa nursing an oblique strain, and Michael Penix not ready to return as he works his way back from an ACL tear, Rush becomes the next man up.
The Falcons’ game plan for Rush is unlikely to shift dramatically from their strategy for Tua. Still, it remains an open question of how well Rush can execute a quick-rhythm, low-risk passing script. Rush executed a similar mandate in Dallas behind strong run games featuring Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard while force-feeding CeeDee Lamb. The Falcons have the requisite firepower in Bijan Robinson and Drake London to shoulder that same workload. However, during his brief 2025 stint in Baltimore, even Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers couldn’t mask Rush’s limitations as an injury fill-in.
Rush needs to prove he remains a dependable option as he could be playing for his job. Atlanta is currently carrying four quarterbacks, which looks prescient today, but once other injuries spring up elsewhere on the roster, carrying four signal-callers will quickly become a luxury. If Rush fails to spearhead an efficient, competitive offense vs. Pittsburgh, then he’ll become very expendable once Tua and Penix return.
Bijan Robinson
Rush’s presence in the lineup means Robinson will have to shoulder the burden of the offense. The Falcons need to feature Robinson as much as possible in a run-heavy attack. Robinson had an up-and-down day in his first and only battle with the Steelers back in 2024. A fast start and a strong third quarter of production, however, were not enough to prevail over the Steelers that Sunday. This weekend, the Falcons will need Robinson to put together four good quarters of play as both a runner and a pass-catcher.
There’s no doubt that until the Falcons’ quarterback situation gets settled, Robinson will be the focus of the team’s offense, and also opposing defenses. This puts tremendous pressure on the Falcons’ offensive line to control the line of scrimmage to get Robinson going.
Jawaan Taylor
The lineman who is facing the most pressure, literally, will be right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who will spend most of the afternoon lined up across from future Hall of Famer T.J. Watt. This game marks Taylor’s official debut in Atlanta, replacing retired right tackle Kaleb McGary. McGary’s 2024 outing against Pittsburgh was a disaster, largely due to a questionable scheme from former offensive coordinator Zac Robinson that left him stranded on an island against Watt.
New head coach Kevin Stefanski cannot repeat that mistake with Taylor, especially given the latter’s tendency for procedural penalties. He was flagged for false starts in both preseason series he played, in his incessant attempts to get a jump on the snap count. That problem will only get exacerbated against a speed rusher of Watt’s caliber in a hostile road environment. Any pre-snap penalties will easily derail Atlanta’s run-heavy, quick-game approach before it even gets off the ground.
Cameron Thomas
The Falcons hope their own defensive line can help decide the battle in the trenches, and defensive end Cameron Thomas figures to be a big part of that campaign. Thomas flew under the radar as a free-agent addition, but is now a starter and a potential major factor in why the Falcons saw a player like Zach Harrison as expendable.
Thomas spent 95 percent of his pass-rush snaps on the left side facing the right side of opposing offensive lines in the preseason, according to PFF. With the Steelers breaking in a pair of new starters in right guard Spencer Anderson and right tackle Dylan Cook, left-sided players like Thomas have a great opportunity to take advantage. A strong day from Thomas and the rest of the Falcons defensive line to stymie the Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers offense.
A.J. Terrell
Cornerback A.J. Terrell will also be essential to containing Rodgers and Pittsburgh’s passing attack as he draws the primary assignment on D.K. Metcalf. Sunday marks their fourth career matchup, though the previous three came during Metcalf’s tenure in Seattle.
Keeping Metcalf in check was critical to stopping the Steelers’ passing attack last year. In games where Metcalf hit at least 60 yards receiving, Pittsburgh sported a 4-0 record. In games where Metcalf was held under 60 yards, they were 5-6. That Metcalf-centric focus explains why Pittsburgh bolstered its receiving corps with Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard, giving the Steelers viable options if Metcalf is neutralized. But Atlanta’s defensive strategy still begins and ends with containing Metcalf, because if he breaks loose, keeping a lid on this offense becomes nearly impossible.
If that happens, chances are the Falcons will have to wait another eight years for another shot at a win in Pittsburgh. However, a road win in Pittsburgh with a backup quarterback would mark an incredible debut for the Stefanski Era.
Are these the five Falcons that will lead the team to a history-making upset, or is more heartbreak on the horizon? Can you name any more Falcons that intrigue you in this season-opening matchup?
