The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2026 season with a 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, and while it wasn't always pretty, Mike McCarthy's first game in Pittsburgh gave us plenty to talk about.
In this episode of the Pittsburgh Football Podcast, Chris breaks down the biggest takeaways from the Steelers' Week 1 victory, starting with a dominant defensive performance led by T.J. Watt. Watt looked like the game-changing force Steelers fans have grown accustomed to seeing, finishing with two sacks and a pick-six as Pittsburgh made life miserable for Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush.
We also dive into Patrick Graham's impressive defensive debut, Pittsburgh's success containing Bijan Robinson on the ground, and strong performances throughout the Steelers' defensive front.
On offense, there were considerably more questions. Aaron Rodgers showed flashes of what this passing game could become, but drops, missed opportunities and an offensive line that continues to look vulnerable kept Pittsburgh from turning several promising plays into touchdowns. We break down the encouraging signs from Rodgers, Pat Freiermuth and Michael Pittman Jr., the frustrating misses involving DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson, and why the right side of the offensive line could quickly become one of Pittsburgh's biggest problems.
Finally, we dig into the Joey Porter Jr. situation after he was inactive for Week 1. With no contract extension completed before the regular season, Mike McCarthy's postgame comments, continued questions about Porter's availability and trade speculation have created a fascinating situation to watch heading into Week 2.
The Steelers are 1-0. T.J. Watt looks like T.J. Watt again. But there's plenty this team needs to clean up before heading to New England.
Subscribe to the Pittsburgh Football Podcast for Steelers and Pitt football coverage throughout the 2026 season.
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TIME STAMPS:
00:00 - Intro
04:39 - TJ Watt and a Dominant Performance
10:48 - Steelers Dominant Front 7
16:44 - A Rough Performance Offensively
27:05 - Joey Porter Trade Talk
Episode 15