3 Winners, 3 Big Losers from Falcons 20-13 Loss to Steelers

The Atlanta Falcons opened the 2026 season with a frustrating 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Atlanta's defense gave the team plenty of opportunities to win, holding Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers to 20 points. However, the offense struggled to capitalize, while Cooper Rush's two interceptions and two missed Nick Folk field goals ultimately proved costly.

Despite the loss, there were several encouraging individual performances. Here are the three biggest winners and three biggest losers from Atlanta's season opener.

Winners

RB Bijan Robinson

Bijan Robinson was easily Atlanta's biggest offensive winner.

The Falcons' star running back finished with 21 carries for 83 rushing yards and added eight receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown, giving him 173 total yards from scrimmage.

Robinson also scored Atlanta's only touchdown, taking a pass from Cooper Rush 23 yards to the end zone.

With Atlanta forced to start its third-string quarterback, Robinson was always going to be a major part of the game plan. Pittsburgh knew it, yet the Steelers still struggled to consistently contain him.

The biggest takeaway may have been how effective Robinson was as a receiver. His 90 receiving yards were more than half of Rush's 143 passing yards, showing just how much the Falcons relied on him to create offense. He accounted for 72.7% of the team's total yards.

If Atlanta is going to navigate its quarterback uncertainty, Robinson will have to remain the centerpiece.

Falcons Defensive Line

The Falcons' defensive line was arguably the biggest reason Atlanta remained competitive throughout the afternoon.

Za'Darius Smith recorded two sacks, but he wasn't the only defensive lineman who made an impact. Maason Smith and Brandon Dorlus also turned in strong performances, helping Atlanta generate pressure and disrupt Pittsburgh's offense.

Dorlus entered the season with plenty of expectations after finishing the 2025 season with six sacks over his final eight games. He showed flashes of that disruptive ability on Sunday.

Maason Smith was similarly active, providing another interior presence that helped prevent Pittsburgh from consistently establishing control at the line of scrimmage. The Steelers were just 3 of 12 on third down.

The Falcons finished the afternoon with a defensive effort that gave the offense a chance to win. Atlanta limited Rodgers to 221 passing yards and one touchdown, while Pittsburgh managed just 20 points, seven of which came from the defense.

Considering how much attention was placed on Atlanta's defensive front entering the season, Sunday's performance was an encouraging sign.

Safety Sydney Brown

Sydney Brown was one of the more intriguing defensive players for Atlanta because of his versatility.

Brown finished with three tackles, including two solo tackles, but his impact went beyond the box score.

The Falcons were able to move Brown around and use him in different roles, allowing him to affect the game in multiple ways. That versatility is valuable for Jeff Ulbrich's defense, particularly as Atlanta continues to figure out how all of its young defensive pieces fit together.

Brown wasn't responsible for a game-changing interception or sack, but he was active and showed the ability to contribute in different areas.

For a player Atlanta brought in to add physicality and versatility to the defense, Sunday's debut was a positive step.

Losers

QB Cooper Rush

Cooper Rush was ultimately the biggest reason Atlanta couldn't finish this game.

Rush completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His second interception was particularly damaging, as T.J. Watt returned it 35 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Falcons didn't need Rush to be spectacular. They needed him to protect the football, make the easy throws, and manage the game.

He wasn't able to do that consistently.

The defense gave Atlanta a chance, and Robinson provided 173 total yards, but Rush's turnovers prevented the Falcons from taking advantage.

With Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. unavailable, Rush was handed an opportunity to stabilize the position. Instead, his performance will raise questions about how long Atlanta can survive with him under center.

TE Kyle Pitts and WR Drake London

Atlanta's two biggest passing-game weapons failed to make the impact the Falcons needed.

Kyle Pitts and Drake London were the biggest victims of the ineptitude at quarterback.

Atlanta finished with only 143 passing yards, and Robinson accounted for 90 of them himself. The Falcons simply couldn't generate enough production through their top receivers to make Pittsburgh respect the passing game.

Some of that falls on Rush and the circumstances surrounding the quarterback position. Still, London and Pitts have to find ways to become more involved.

The Falcons can't expect Robinson to produce 73% of the offense every week and win games consistently.

CB A.J. Terrell

A.J. Terrell's afternoon was a mixed bag, but ultimately he landed among the losers.

Terrell was beaten a few times in coverage and had some difficult moments against Pittsburgh's receiving corps. He was flagged twice and could very easily have had a third on a missed call on a long pass to D.K. Metcalf.

There were also a few instances where Terrell was fortunate that Steelers receivers failed to come down with catchable passes, helping prevent some of those coverage mistakes from becoming bigger problems.

Atlanta needs more from its veteran cornerback, particularly when facing a quarterback like Rodgers and a receiver like Metcalf. Terrell doesn't necessarily have to shut down an opponent completely, but he needs to limit opportunities and make the plays available to him.

Sunday wasn't a disastrous performance from Terrell, but it wasn't the standard the Falcons expect from one of their defensive leaders.

There were legitimate positives for Atlanta despite the loss. However, the offense remains the biggest concern.

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