Steelers Beat Falcons 20-10 as T.J. Watt Seals Opener With 35-Yard Pick-Six

3 articles · Updated · Steelers.com · Sep 14

Pittsburgh opened Mike McCarthy’s tenure with a 20-10 home win over Atlanta, breaking open a 13-10 game early in the fourth quarter.
T.J. Watt delivered the decisive play by intercepting Cooper Rush’s short pass intended for Bijan Robinson and returning it 35 yards for his first career pick-six.
Watt had already dominated the game with what would have been his third sack pressure, and the interception added to a résumé that now includes 100-plus sacks and at least 10 interceptions.
The victory gave immediate validation to a veteran Steelers roster adjusting to McCarthy after months of scrutiny over the franchise’s biggest coaching change in decades.
For McCarthy, a 62-year-old Pittsburgh native, the opener carried extra weight: Aaron Rodgers presented him the game ball after his first win coaching his hometown team.