The Atlanta Falcons visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET from Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh brings the market's favor into this one.
The Steelers are 3.5-point favorites at DraftKings with a 41.5 total, and Pittsburgh's moneyline sits at -181 to Atlanta's +152. The ground game runs through Jaylen Warren. He has exceeded 9.5 carries in 16 of his last 17 games, averaging 13.1 rushing attempts per outing, a workload that keeps Pittsburgh's offense on schedule.
Atlanta counters with pressure of its own: the Falcons racked up 13 sacks in the red zone during the 2025 regular season, the most in the NFL, a number that puts extra weight on every snap Pittsburgh's offense runs inside the 20. Below, we'll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game. How to Watch Falcons vs.
Steelers Players to Watch Atlanta opens this matchup with a clear spotlight on its quarterback, because Tua Tagovailoa was named the Week 1 starter and Michael Penix Jr. will be inactive. That makes every Falcons possession run through him against a Pittsburgh team that finished ahead of Atlanta in third down rate in the latest team rankings, with the Steelers at 9th and the Falcons at 25th. His recent sample is small, but it gives this game some tension.
In the preseason, Tagovailoa completed 10 of 13 passes for 117 yards, while also fumbling twice and losing one. The Falcons are asking him to settle the offense, protect the ball, and get it to Atlanta's established playmakers. If he handles pressure and keeps the chains moving, Atlanta's offense has a much better chance to control the tone of the opener.
On the other side of Atlanta's game plan, Jessie Bates III matters because the Falcons need their back end organized against a veteran Pittsburgh passing attack. His availability is a key part of that equation, and he practiced in full on Monday after dealing with a back issue during training camp. This is worth watching because Atlanta's defense is projected to lean on its secondary.
A.J. Terrell is expected to handle a major outside role, and Bates is the safety who helps tie the coverage together. With the Falcons entering the opener healthy enough for Bates to be ready, his range and communication could decide whether Pittsburgh is forced into longer drives instead of quick strikes.
When Bates is sharp, Atlanta's defense can look much steadier snap to snap. For Pittsburgh, the quarterback is central simply because this opener may come down to how efficiently the Steelers convert chances through the air. Aaron Rodgers gives them the most direct path there, and the most recent regular-season line attached to him was a 31 of 47 day for 294 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions in Pittsburgh's 26-24 win over Baltimore on Jan.
4, 2026. That recent contrast is part of the intrigue. One week later, in the playoff loss to Houston on Jan.
12, 2026, Rodgers went 17 of 33 for 146 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interception. Atlanta's secondary has enough talent to make him work through progressions, so his decision-making becomes the hinge point. If Rodgers is decisive and accurate, Pittsburgh can turn this into the kind of game it wants, with the ball coming out on time like a hammer hitting the same spot.
Where this matchup can tilt for Pittsburgh is on the ground, and Jaylen Warren stands out because Atlanta's run defense showed vulnerability over the full 2025 season. The Falcons allowed 4.6 yards per carry last season, which ranked 25th, and they also lost Kaden Elliss and David Onyemata from that front. That makes Warren a player to track even without fresh 2026 production on the board yet.
He is listed among Pittsburgh's top offensive pieces for this matchup, and his role could be especially important if the Steelers want to stay ahead of the sticks and avoid putting everything on Rodgers. A productive day from Warren would give Pittsburgh balance, shorten third downs, and put more stress on Atlanta's reshaped front seven. Falcons vs.
Steelers Odds Learn more about the Atlanta Falcons vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game and check the full NFL schedule on FOX Sports! Want great stories delivered right to your inbox?
Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
