The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for the 2024 regular season, and with it being the team’s first game fans’ hopes were high heading into the new season. The hope is there is a winning performance on the horizon on Sunday in Week 1 when the team travels to play the Atlanta Falcons in Georgia.

What exactly do the Steelers need to do to claim their first victory of 2024? Let’s break it down on the defensive side of the ball…

Defense

Stop the run/extended run

Last season the Steelers run defense was porous at times. They finished the season allowing 115.1 yards per game, ranking 19th in the league. Far from the standard most assume is normal for a Pittsburgh defense. The team is hoping a healthy Cam Heyward with an increased workload from players like Keeanu Benton will help bolster the defensive front, but they’ll have their hands full with the Falcons in Week 1.

Last season, with Arthur Smith as the head coach/play caller, the Falcons rushed for 127 yards per game, but there is no doubt Bijan Robinson will be a focal point for the Atlanta offense in 2024. Robinson is not just a dynamic runner, but whenever he gets in space he is deadly with the ball in his hands. While the Steelers might bottle up the run game, keeping Robinson and company in check in both the screen and lateral passing games will be a challenge for the defense in Week 1.

Get after Kirk Cousins

It’s tough to get a feel for what will be asked of Kirk Cousins in Atlanta. Last season he played just 8 games, and it was for the Minnesota Vikings In those 8 games Cousins was sacked 17 times, but that was behind a Minnesota offensive line, not his current offensive front. The Steelers had 47 sacks in 2023, and if they want to increase that to the 50+ category taking advantage of a non-running quarterback like Cousins will be important.

Nonetheless, the Falcons will want to feature the rhythmic and timing passing game to avoid Cousins getting hit and sacked. It will be up to the Steelers to force the Falcons into 3rd and long situations where the defense can pin their ears back and get after Cousins. On top of all that, you do have to wonder how Cousins’ ruptured Achilles tendon is feeling after the injury cut his season short in 2023.

If the Steelers want to win they need to make Cousins’ life miserable.

Create Splash/Offense for the team

Last season the Steelers finished the season +11 in turnover differential, tallying 16 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries, and these numbers will have to continue in 2024 if they want to be successful on a weekly basis. The fact Minkah Fitzpatrick didn’t register a takeaway for the first time in his career in 2023 should tell you all you need to know.

In this game the Steelers defense will have to do their part to help the offense, and it can come in a multitude of ways.

Last season in Kirk Cousins’ 8 games he threw 5 interceptions. Go back to 2022 and he threw 14 interceptions in 17 games. In other words, Cousins is prone to making the risky throw, and it will be up to the Steelers defense to take advantage and create opportunities, and even offense, for the team.

I talk about this, and MUCH more on the latest episode of “Let’s Ride”, and you can hear that podcast in the player below this article. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they gear up for game time!