FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- At long last, y'all, we have made it to Week 1. In 24 hours the Falcons will kick the ball off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers. There are so many storylines heading into this game. Way more than the six listed here in this story, but that's the beauty of a new season's start.
If you have been around for a minute, this article used to be titled "Five Things to Watch." Re-branded with the help of Miller Light, the story premise remains the same. Only this year you're getting six things to watch instead of five.
So, without further ado, let's dive right into the Falcons' Week 1 matchup. It's a doozy of a home opener, y'all.
Injury updates
The Falcons enter into their Week 1 matchup very healthy after being conservative in their use of starters in the preseason. They have access to all of their roster save for one individual, Antonio Hamilton Sr.
Hamilton suffered a groin injury during practice this week. He was a limited participant Thursday and did not practice with the team Friday before being ruled out on the team's game designation report. Hamilton was listed as Dee Alford's back up at nickel on the team's official depth chart.
Outside of Hamilton, though, that's about it. After spending time in the limited participation category this week, Kyle Pitts (hamstring) and Nate Landman (quad) were full-go Friday and did not receive a game designation meaning they are fully cleared to make their 2024 return. The Falcons rested a number of players Friday like veterans Jake Matthews and Grady Jarrett, but their limited or lack of reps was not injury related.
As for players returning from 2023 injury, important play makers like Jarrett, Kirk Cousins and Avery Williams are fully cleared -- and have been for a while. There is no limitations on any of them, head coach Raheem Morris further confirmed this week.
So, we know the status of the Falcons. Their path forward is clear for Sunday, but things in Pittsburgh are a little up in the air right now...
The question of Russell Wilson's status
Though Pittsburgh ruled players like wide receiver Roman Wilson (ankle), guard Isaac Seumalo (pectoral) and defensive lineman Logan Lee (calf), all eyes were on the status of quarterback Russell Wilson.
It was announced Friday that Wilson would have a questionable game designation going into the weekend. Wilson has been the talk of the last couple days as he was experiencing some calf tightness Thursday and was limited in both Thursday and Fridays practices. Wilson was named the Steelers' starting quarterback over Justin Fields weeks ago, but we may have to wait a little longer to know if that role will stand once the team gets to Atlanta.
Wilson injured his calf back in training camp, and he told reporters Friday afternoon the its this specific injury that is lingering into Week 1.
"The biggest thing is you hit these nagging things," Wilson said Friday. "I've been feeling great – honestly. The past few weeks have felt really good. Just kind of felt a little funny yesterday."
Before the calf issue with Wilson popped up, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin joked that his long-time buddy in Morris should make sure he is preparing for Wilson and Fields. At the time, it was a joke. Now, there's some truth behind it as Wilson's status remains questionable.
As Terrin Waack noted Friday, however, that's been the plan all along, and the Wilson development doesn't really change that.
"We are definitely ready for all scenarios," Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake said Thursday. "That's what our job is. Two quarterbacks that have won in this league. One that's played for a lot longer and has won the Super Bowl. They both have positive attributes that we have to be ready for.
The Kirk Cousins, Zac Robinson debut
The veteran quarterback and first-time play-caller are both experiencing a different set of firsts this Sunday.
For Cousins, he will officially return from a 2023 season-ending Achilles injury. And boy, is he ready to get back to it, saying Wednesday he's almost giddy to get that first hit out the way.
"In a sick way, you do (want) to get popped," Cousins said. "I'll probably tell the first guy that hits me, 'Thank you,' within reason. It's good to get that taste of blood in your mouth a little bit."
Cousins enters the fold of the Falcons franchise with something to prove, and for players like Drake London and Kyle Pitts, the Kirk Cousins Effect ™ should be felt immediately seeing as Cousins is one of the most accurate pocket passers currently in the league. His debut as a Falcons has been a long time coming since he officially joined the team as QB1 back in March. On Sunday, that debut will become concrete.
But Cousins isn't the only one experiencing a first, so is the voice in his head: Robinson.
Sunday will be the first time Robinson calls a regular season professional game after taking over as the Falcons offensive coordinator when Morris was hired. For majority of his career with the Los Angeles Rams as a quarterbacks coach, Robinson spent game days on the sideline. Now, he will be up in the box, calling plays from on high this Sunday.
For Robinson, it's the start of something new, but he can't let that get in the way of the challenge at hand. With T.J. Watt coming to town, it doesn't leave a lot of room for jitters or error.
"I'm excited," he said. "You're so wrapped up in every day and every minute of the day with your process that you don't even allow your mind to go to that situation."
Arthur Smith returns to the Benz
Along with Robinson's first time calling plays at Mercedes-Benz, it's Smith's first time calling plays in the same location... just with a different team.
One of the prevailing Week 1 storylines is the return of a former head coach to his previous place of work. Under Smith, the Falcons were 21-30 over three years' time. The organization put up a 7-10 record in each of those three seasons with Smith as head coach. It was a three-year stint marred with salary cap constraints and a rotation at quarterback from Matt Ryan to Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. The Falcons parted ways with Smith they same night they lost their final regular season game of the 2023 season.
Within the next month of the coaching carousel, Smith landed as the offensive coordinator of the Steelers. Still marred with quarterback controversy, Smith said in a recent article by Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the change of scenery and new challenge of running the Steelers' offense had "been refreshing."
Cordarrelle Patterson - who was one of a few players who followed Smith to Pittsburgh - was quoted in the article saying Smith "seems a lot different — in a good way."
"It seems like he doesn't have so much stress on him, you know?" Pattersons said. "Ever since I met Arthur, he's been my guy. It was a no-brainer for me to come here when he got the job."
When asked about facing Atlanta in Week 1, The Athletic's Mike DeFabo reported Smith saying he's maintaining a "neutral mindset."
"I'm not really an emotional, petty person," DeFabo quoted Smith saying this week. "...With us playing Atlanta this week or going to Denver next week for Russ, if you're caught up in that, you're caught up in the wrong things."
Immediate impact of Matthew Judon, Justin Simmons
Despite having only been with the Falcons for a few short weeks, recent acquisitions of Judon and Simmons are expected to start and make an immediate impact on the Falcons' defense this Sunday. How much of an impact, though, will be determined.
The Falcons eased both of these veteran, All-Pro players into work with the Falcons after acquiring them in a span of 24 hours. Judon was full-go by the end of the preseason, while Simmons reached that status at the onset of Week 1's prep.
Asked about the impact someone like Simmons will have on his game, Jessie Bates III said there's an ease that comes with the knowledge of knowing its Simmons playing beside him.
"Just having a guy who's been there, had success for a very long time," Bates said, "it puts you at a peace of mind to be able to go and play faster."
The same can be said for the pass rush and Judon. He's also a player coming back from a season-ending injury in 2023 (like the aforementioned Jarrett and Cousins in the section above). And like the others, he has a hunger to get back on the field, too. Returning to form as one of the leading pass rushers in the league.
"Right now," Judon said Thursday, "you get to unleash it."
Player of the Game prediction: Bijan Robinson
For the sixth section of the Saturday Six Pack, I will predict who I think will be the player of the game for the Falcons. And this week, I have to go with Robinson.
Expectations are high for the second-year running back, who had close to 1,500 total yards from scrimmage in his rookie year. With Cousins in the pocket and the expectation that his presence alone could open up the run game a bit with defenses having to account for a more accurate pass game, this could bode well for someone like Robinson. What's more? It matters that this run game is returning virtually every person that plays a role in it. The Falcons return Robinson and fellow running back Tyler Allgeier, yes, but they also return their entire 2023 offensive line. It's a group that ESPN has ranked No. 3 in the league going into the season.
Speaking of ESPN projections and rankings, analyst Ben Solak recently predicted Robinson to finish the 2024 season as the league's leader in rushing yards. Solak put Robinson above players like Kyren Williams, Breece Hall and Travis Etienne Jr. He even put him well above the 2023 leading rusher, Christian McCaffery. Those are some pretty lofty expectations.
But if Kevin Durant's evaluation of Robinson is to be believed, these expectations are right on track for a player Durant says is one of the best he's ever seen.
