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Falcons vs Steelers Week 1 postgame show: QB play tanks a winnable game

The Atlanta Falcons began their 2026 campaign with a 20-13 road defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on September 13. Atlanta entered the season opener severely depleted under center, as both Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.

were sidelined prior to kickoff. That thrust third-string passer Cooper Rush into the starting nod for Kevin Stefanski's debut leading the club, despite Rush battling his own back spasms leading up to the matchup.

Subpar execution at quarterback ultimately hindered Atlanta's bid to secure a victory on the road. Along with distributing touches to running back Bijan Robinson, Rush took the field despite late concerns that the squad might need to resort to their fourth-string option, but the offense could not overcome the deficit.