In a highly anticipated Week 1 matchup, the Atlanta Falcons faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With speculation surrounding Russell Wilson's game status, the Steelers' starting quarterback was ultimately ruled inactive, leaving Justin Fields to start in his place. On the other side, Kirk Cousins took the field for the first time in a Falcons uniform, aiming to make an impact for his new team.

Atlanta won the coin toss and chose to receive, immediately showcasing their offensive prowess. The Falcons' opening drive began at their own 30-yard line and resulted in a 24-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo, putting the first points on the board. Cousins displayed accuracy with 3 completions for 30 yards, while the running backs combined for 34 rushing yards on six carries. The drive showcased the Falcons' ability to move the ball effectively.

However, Cousins had a close call during the series when his pass intended for Darnell Mooney was nearly intercepted by Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson. Luckily for Cousins, the interception was dropped, saving him from a costly mistake early on.

The Steelers quickly responded on their own drive, marching down the field with 10 plays for 31 yards. Kicker Chris Boswell nailed a 57-yard field goal, tying the score at 3-3 by the end of the first quarter. The opening period was filled with drama and momentum swings as both teams fought for control.

As the second quarter began, the Steelers took the lead with another successful field goal by Boswell, this time from 51 yards out. The Falcons, determined to regain their advantage, showed resilience on their next offensive series. Despite Cousins being sacked for a loss of 7 yards and fumbling the ball, the play was negated by an offsides penalty called against T.J. Watt. Taking advantage of the second chance, Cousins found tight end Kyle Pitts in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass, putting the Falcons back in the lead.

The seven-point touchdown proved to be crucial as the Falcons held a slim 10-9 lead going into halftime. However, the Steelers capitalized on a big play from wide receiver George Pickens, putting themselves in field goal range. Boswell connected from 44 yards, bringing the halftime score to 10-9 in favor of the Falcons.

The third quarter saw both teams struggling to find the end zone. The Steelers extended their lead with another field goal, while the Falcons failed to convert on their offensive drives. Atlanta's defense, led by standout Grady Jarrett, recorded a crucial sack on Fields, forcing a punt.

In the final quarter, the Steelers continued to pound the Falcons' defense, eating up valuable time on the clock. However, the Falcons defense held strong when linebacker Nate Landman stuffed Fields on a crucial fourth-and-1 play, causing a turnover on downs and giving the offense a chance to regain momentum.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, their offense failed to capitalize and went three-and-out for the second time in the quarter. The Steelers followed suit, leading to a back-and-forth defensive battle. In a pivotal moment, Cousins was intercepted for the second time by Donte Jackson, leading to a promising Steelers drive that ended with Boswell's sixth field goal of the game — a 25-yarder that sealed the victory for Pittsburgh.

Despite a late rally attempt by the Falcons, a 17-yard sack by Watt halted their comeback efforts, securing the win for the Steelers. Cousins finished his Falcons debut with 155 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions, while Fields showcased his versatility with 156 passing yards and 57 rushing yards.

The low-scoring affair highlighted the defensive intensity of both teams, with the Steelers ultimately prevailing with an 18-10 victory over the Falcons. It was a challenging start to the season for Atlanta, but there were promising signs on both sides of the ball that they can build upon in the coming weeks.