Steelers Falcons national media
Steelers Falcons national media
A weekly article we post that gives an overview of how national media members view the Pittsburgh Steelers’ odds. Just a skinny summary of notable names who are picking for or against Pittsburgh. We’ll see who gets it right most often. If they offer a score prediction, we include that too. When applicable, I’ll toss in the predictions from Dave Bryan and myself to see how we stack up. Today, national media predictions for the Steelers’ season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
Those Picking The Steelers
Pete Prisco/CBS Sports: Steelers (27-17)
Dave Bryan/Steelers Depot: Steelers (24-13)
Vinnie Iyer/Sporting News: Steelers (24-14)
Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk: Steelers (21-10)
Alex Kozora/Steelers Depot: Steelers (30-20)
Sam Farmer/LA Times: Steelers (24-20)
Jarrett Bell/USA Today: Steelers (27-20)
Bucky Brooks/NFL Network: Steelers (24-17)
Lance Zierlein/NFL Network: Steelers (23-20)
Pat McAfee/Pat McAfee Show: Steelers
A.J. Hawk/Pat McAfee Show: Steelers
Nate Davis/USA Today: Steelers (20-17)
Colleen Wolfe/NFL Network: Steelers (23-16)
Nick Shook/NFL Network: Steelers (26-17)
Brooke Cersosimo/NFL Network: Steelers (20-17)
Grant Gordon/NFL Network: Steelers (14-10)
Those Picking The Falcons
Adam Kaufman/USA Today: Falcons (17-14)
Totals
Those Picking The Steelers: 16
Those Picking The Falcons: 1
Quick Notes
– The Steelers have never lost to the Falcons at home, Week 1 or otherwise. Pittsburgh is 7-0-1 all-time with that 2002 34-34 game being the only thing preventing a clean sweep. Plaxico Burress, you were so close.
– All-time, Pittsburgh is 6-4 when hosting NFC opponents to begin a season. Pittsburgh last played one in 2023 and was blown out by the San Francisco 49ers. In 2010, the Steelers beat the Falcons in overtime on a Rashard Mendenhall touchdown run.
– Mike McCarthy is 11-7 in Week 1. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is 2-4. Stefanski lost his final two season openers while with the Cleveland Browns.
– Aaron Rodgers has thrown 32 touchdown passes to 10 interceptions in his 18 Week 1 games. He has a 99.6 QB rating. On the other end, Cooper Rush has never started Week One and has just 14 career pass attempts in season openers. This year, only three starting quarterbacks have fewer Week One attempts: Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, and Malik Willis.
– The last time Pittsburgh opened a season with a new head coach while facing an opponent that also had a new head coach? You gotta go all the way back to 1954 when Pittsburgh’s Walt Kiesling took on Green Bay’s Lisle Blackbourn. It was Kiesling’s second stint with Pittsburgh but a new hire for the season.
The Steelers came out on top, 21-20.