There was pleasure, there was tragedy, there was numerous bizarre stuff. It was a Falcons soccer recreation, and sadly, that meant the enjoyment was fleeting and the tragedy and weirdness dominated.
The Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers confronted off in a recreation that promised to function some rust and weirdness, as most Week 1 video games do, and the sport delivered. There have been turnovers, dumb penalties, and missed alternatives left and proper for each groups, however the mixture of Chris Boswell’s stellar leg from a distance and the sheer variety of errors from Atlanta added as much as a tough day on the workplace for the Falcons, who discovered themselves down 15-10 heading into the fourth quarter. An offense with the items to be terrific seemed anemic, and a protection predicated on a powerful secondary seemed missing towards George Pickens. It added as much as a loss, as regardless of some heroic moments from the protection, Atlanta’s offense was terrible all through the second half, capped off by a Kirk Cousins interception below stress to provide Pittsburgh the possibility to salt the sport away.
It was a dispiriting begin to the season for Atlanta, given their expectations and provided that their subsequent two video games are towards the Eagles and Chiefs. We all know that Week 1 is a time for sluggish begin and sloppiness, however this was slightly past the pale for a Falcons workforce wanting to win, and it places them in a gap as they face the hardest stretch of their schedule early on. It goes with out saying that they must be much better in a short time to keep away from going into a particularly deep gap early within the season,
Right here’s the drive-by-drive recap, in the event you can stand it.
1st Quarter
The Falcons selected to obtain. Bijan Robinson took it seven yards on first down, and on second down Bijan took it once more and picked up three for a primary down. One other carry for 3 yards up the center got here subsequent, after which Kirk Cousins seemed to move to Robinson and it was practically picked off. On third down, Cousins threw a fastball to Darnell Mooney, who introduced it in over the center for a primary down. A defensive offsides adopted, after which Tyler Allgeier rumbled for a primary down and extra. Bijan then acquired outdoors to choose up about six yards, and Cousins discovered Drake London for a primary down. Bijan was hit within the backfield on the subsequent play to lose yards. after which Cousins skipped one into the turf on the subsequent play. That arrange a 3rd and objective, and the display move to Bijan picked up about six yards however was stopped by a pleasant sort out from a Pittsburgh defender. Younghoe Koo banged it dwelling to make it Falcons 3, Steelers 0.
On first down, a fumbled snap was picked up by Pittsburgh for a achieve of three yards. Pure rattling luck. On second down, stress acquired in Justin Fields’ face and he threw one off-target on the transfer for an incompletion. A timeout later, Fields acquired away from stress and scrambled for 12 yards and a primary down. Najee Harris then took it 4 yards on first down, after which Harris took a toss off a botched snap and picked up three yards, after which took it up the center once more for a primary down. Fields then threw it to Harris, lacking slightly behind, and he dropped it. Pat Freiermuth then took it a number of yards, after which Arthur Smith took a well-recognized street by having Cordarrelle Patterson take it up the center on third down for a minimal achieve. That arrange a protracted subject objective attempt, and the Steelers tied it up 3-3.
Robinson took it outdoors once more to start out the subsequent drive, choosing up 9 yards. Then Kirk Cousins threw an ill-advised, off-target throw over the center that was intercepted, swiftly ending the drive.
On first down, George Pickens acquired backed up a full 5 yards by a heads-up Falcons protection. Fields then tried to scramble up the center, acquired hit, and solely acquired a few yards. PIckens then caught a pleasant ball from Fields on third down and picked up a primary down. A nothing play misplaced a yard, after which Najee Harris took it eight yards earlier than each groups acquired into it a bit, with Harris taking exception to what actually seemed like a Jessie Bates facemask that the officiating crew missed. Pickens acquired it once more on the sideline, however Mike Hughes made a pleasant cease however after the primary down marker.
2nd Quarter
On the subsequent play, the Steelers tried a reverse to Pickens, however he misplaced practically ten yards on a disastrous play. The Steelers then acquired a yard on a run, after which Patterson picked up about 4 yards to arrange a subject objective attempt. Chris Boswell hit it from 50-plus to make it Steelers 6, Falcons 3.
Ray-Ray McCloud took the return to the 28 yard line. Drake London caught the primary down move over the center for about seven yards, after which an unusually tentative Robinson run picked up a primary down. Bijan then took it three yards on first down, after which caught one other display move for eight yards and a primary down. Sadly, Chris Lindstrom exited the sport with an harm. Cousins then fired slightly excessive to Charlie Woerner for an incompletion, and Robinson lower inside to choose up little or no. Cousins then took a shot to Mooney, however it was slightly bit behind him and he couldn’t carry it in. Punt.
After a pleasant return, stress on Fields pressured a fast throw to Harris, who slipped however nonetheless acquired about 9 yards. Harris then picked up a primary down after a few yards and grabbed 5 yards on the subsequent play, and Patterson fell ahead for about 4 yards. Fields then carried it for a pair yards and a primary down. Pickens then juggled an off-target ball and didn’t catch it, and the subsequent play was a confused mess that will have misplaced yardage even when the Steelers didn’t have a false begin. A fast move to Jaylen Warren was stopped shortly by Justin Simmons and Kaden Elliss. Fields then hit Pickens for a 36 yard achieve downfield, however it was erased by offensive move interference. Warren then caught it once more on third and 19 for slightly bit, however clearly Pittsburgh needed to punt.
Cousins threw a fast one to Ray-Ray McCloud on first down, which picked up 9 due to slightly after the catch work from McCloud. Robinson then picked up three yards once more for a primary down. Then Cousins was hit as he threw and arced one within the victinity of McCloud, who made a wonderful seize for an enormous achieve. Cousins then hit Kyle Pitts for about 5 yards, and Robinson picked up a yard because the blocking lane closed up actual quick. A fast move below stress from Cousins to Robinson resulted in a primary down by sheer pressure of will by Bijan. One other quick throw to Robinson resulted in one other first down due to his velocity. Cousins hung in powerful and hit McCloud once more over the center for an enormous first down. Cousins was sacked and fumbled on the subsequent play, however a false begin on Pittsburgh worn out the play, blessedly. On the very subsequent one, Cousins rolled out and fired it to a large open Kyle Pitts for a landing. Falcons 10, Steelers 6.
Calvin Austin caught one for six yards because the clock ticked down, after which Pat Freiermuth caught one for a primary down. Then Justin Fields launched one down the sideline to George Pickens, who stepped out of bounds with three seconds on the clock to arrange a subject objective attempt. Falcons 10, Steelers 9 on the half.
third Quarter
A fast 5 yards for Najee Harris kicked issues off for the Steelers after the half, after which a toss play went nowhere. On third down, Fields saved shifting backwards to attempt to get away from Grady Jarrett, however couldn’t achieve this because the veteran took him down for a sack and I virtually spilled my beer yelling. Avery Williams then took the punt return practically to midfield.
Bijan Robinson kicked issues off with a 4 yard carry, after which acquired one other three yards on second down, after which a yard to return up simply quick on third down. They went for it on fourth down, and the end-around to Robinson picked up a primary down after which some. Sadly, on the subsequent play the snap hit Ross Dwelley as he crossed the formation and T.J. Watt pounced on the fumble. Steelers ball.
MyCole Pruitt caught the move for about 9 yards, after which Fields went for Pickens and missed. Fields then went up the center for a sneak and acquired a primary down. Harris acquired about 4 yards on first down, after which a few yards on second down earlier than an Eddie Goldman defensive holding gave the Steelers a free first down. Fields then tried Pruitt and missed. Cordarrelle Patterson acquired a yard, after which Justin Simmons got here flying in to interrupt up the move on third down. Boswell then hit the lengthy subject objective to make it 12-10 Steelers.
Tyler Allgeier acquired the ball to kick off the subsequent drive, choosing up seven yards on first down. Allgeier picked up a yard or two on second down. Then Cousins hit Pitts for a primary down and much more, however an unlawful use of palms to the face on Jake Matthews introduced it again. Then on the subsequent play, T.J. Watt acquired a strip sack however a penalty on the Pittsburgh secondary erased that and gave Atlanta first down, which the Falcons adopted up with a two yard run from Robinson. Then Cousins acquired crushed with no hope because the Falcons offensive line crumbled on second down, and Charlie Woerner caught it for about seven yards. Punt.
Fields took a protracted shot to Pickens and acquired it, getting the Steelers contained in the 20. A false begin after a 5 yard Najee Harris run backed Pittsburgh up, after which Fields acquired 5 again on a scramble. Then Fields below stress discovered MyCole Pruitt, however an unlawful shift on Pittsburgh again it up once more. One other shot to Pat Freiermuth didn’t go very far, organising one more subject objective attempt. Boswell hit it. 15-10, Steelers.
Robinson took the primary carry for about 5 yards, and that took us to the fourth quarter.
4th Quarter
Robinson then took it for a primary down, however a holding name backed them up. Then Cousins acquired hit by T.J. Watt and was simply in a position to throw it away. On third and 15, Cousins fired low and the protection was tight on McCloud and he no actual shot at it. Punt.
Fields took it seven yards on a primary down run, after which Najee Harris took it 20 yards for a primary down and much more. Then Harris was hit after a yard, and Freiermuth acquired a primary down. Harris acquired 4 yards, and Jaylen Warren acquired a primary down from there. Fields picked up about 5 yards on a scramble, after which Darnell Washington acquired 4 yards. One other first down for Fields introduced the Steelers inside scoring vary. Harris then took it a few yards, with competing penalties on the Falcons and Steelers cancelling each other out. Van Jefferson caught it and Jessie Bates then stopped him wanting the primary down. On fourth and quick, the Falcons by some means acquired the cease, with Nate Landman leaping over the pile to make sure Fields was down. Turnover on downs.
Robinson picked up a number of yards on first down, after which a productive move went nowhere as a result of Kyle Pitts was not on the road of scrimmage and the Falcons had been referred to as for an unlawful formation. Then Cousins had his move tipped. Cousins was in a position to hit Pitts for about eight yards, however that introduced up 4th and 4. Punt.
Harris misplaced a few yards on first down. Fields needed to throw it away with Mike Hughes providing a blistering blitz off the sting on second down. On third down, Grady Jarrett and Matthew Judon mixed for a sack, forcing Pittsburgh to punt. A holding name on Pittsburgh backed them up one other ten yards, and the punter was injured on the play.
Bijan took the primary snap from the 40 and picked up about 12 yards, incomes a primary down and getting Atlanta throughout midfield. On second down, although, Cousins was below stress and hit whereas he threw and made the horrible choice to throw it, and it was one other interception that was returned deep into Atlanta territory.
Harris acquired a yard on first down, and the Fields took off and acquired about 5 yards on the scramble. Then Fields ran for a primary down, and Harris acquired a yard on first down, following it up with a small loss on second down. Fields then saved it on a pretend handoff and misplaced a yard. With the clock at 31 seconds, the Steelers kicked a subject objective and it was Pittsburgh 18, Atlanta 10.
The Falcons threw it to McCloud on the sideline, however he was tackled earlier than he may get out of bounds. They burned a down spiking it, after which Cousins was sacked by T.J. Watt on third down. That was the ballgame.