Falcons defense shows promise despite loss to Steelers in opener

The Atlanta Falcons lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their season opener on September 15, 2026. Advanced metrics indicate that the Falcons' defense performed well, ranking second in Expected Points Added, suggesting a solid effort against the Steelers offense. Despite the overall loss, the defense effectively limited key players like Jaylen Warren and DK Metcalf. Quarterback Cooper Rush struggled in his debut, but is expected to start again against Carolina next week, which presents a new opportunity for improvement.

• 10:09 AMYahoo Sports — Advanced stats say Falcons' opener wasn't as bad as it looked