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Rico Dowdle stymied by Atlanta in his Pittsburgh debut

Rico Dowdle found little running room during his first outing with Pittsburgh as the team edged out Atlanta 20-13 to kick off the 2026 campaign. While Dowdle struggled to establish himself, fellow tailback Jaylen Warren claimed the initiative in the backfield competition by amassing 73 yards across 15 total opportunities.

Pittsburgh's attack looked out of sync throughout the matchup, forcing head coach Mike McCarthy to acknowledge existing flaws despite securing a triumph in his organizational debut. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers presented McCarthy with the ceremonial game ball afterward, reflecting on the meaning of securing an opening victory in a meaningful venue.

The visitors entered the contest navigating their own issues under center, relying on backup Cooper Rush due to Tua Tagovailoa being sidelined. Ultimately, Atlanta's two turnovers proved decisive in swinging the outcome toward Pittsburgh.

J. Watt supplied the defensive highlight, picking off a pass early in the final quarter and sprinting 35 yards into the end zone to seal the narrow result.