Rico Dowdle scores three rushing touchdowns as Pittsburgh Steelers edge Atlanta Falcons 34-31 in Week 1

Pittsburgh, PA - Rico Dowdle rushed for three touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers recorded four interceptions in a 34-31 Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Dowdle finished with 97 yards on 17 carries, averaging better than five yards per attempt while producing a long run of 18 yards. He also caught two passes for 46 yards, giving Pittsburgh a productive presence in both the rushing and receiving totals.

"Getting into the end zone three times is a great feeling, but the score tells you how much every point mattered," Dowdle said. "We had to value the result because there wasn't much separating the two teams statistically."

That was particularly true in the overall yardage. Atlanta finished with 341 offensive yards, only three more than Pittsburgh's 338. The Falcons held similarly narrow advantages in first downs, 17-16, and rushing yards, 100-98. Pittsburgh finished with 240 passing yards, one fewer than Atlanta.

The most pronounced contrast appeared in the passing turnovers. Pittsburgh intercepted four passes, while Atlanta recorded one interception. Michael Penix Jr. completed 3 of 6 attempts for 45 yards and threw three interceptions. Jack Strand went 17 of 22 for 207 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 117.0 passer rating.

"There was a lot that worked in the passing game, and there are also things we can't ignore," Strand said. "The two touchdowns are encouraging. My interception is something I have to own, and as a group we know four giveaways through the air are too many."

Aaron Rodgers completed 19 of 29 passes for 260 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Pittsburgh. His longest completion covered 77 yards, and the Steelers received a pair of notable performances in the passing game. Germie Bernard caught two passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, including a 77-yard reception, while Michael Pittman collected 10 catches for 64 yards.

"I liked the production we had through the air, but I don't like giving the defense a takeaway," Rodgers said. "There's plenty to clean up after a three-point game. You can appreciate winning and still be honest about where the execution needs to improve."

Atlanta countered with Zachariah Branch, who caught six passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Bijan Robinson added 82 rushing yards on 16 attempts, with a long run of 19 yards, and contributed two receptions for 36 yards.

"Scoring twice is something I can build on, but it's hard to focus on individual production after losing by three," Branch said. "We finished with plenty of yards. The result is still the part that stays with you."

Both teams made six trips to the red zone, but their results differed. Pittsburgh recorded three touchdowns and two field goals on those visits. Atlanta came away with two touchdowns and one field goal. The Falcons were more efficient on third down, converting 4 of 9 attempts compared with Pittsburgh's 4-for-12 mark. Atlanta went 1-for-3 on fourth down, while the Steelers finished 0-for-1.

The defenses posted identical sack totals with two apiece. James Pearce Jr. recorded 1.5 of Pittsburgh's two sacks, adding another notable entry to a Steelers defensive performance defined statistically by its four interceptions.

The Week 1 result ultimately belonged to Pittsburgh despite Atlanta holding slight advantages in offensive yards, first downs, rushing yards and third-down efficiency. With Dowdle scoring three times on the ground and the defense intercepting four passes, the Steelers finished their opener with a 34-31 victory.