The Pittsburgh Steelers secured an unexpected 18-10 victory over the Falcons in Atlanta on Sunday, surprising the league thanks to decisive performances from kicker Chris Boswell and All-Pro linebacker TJ Watt.

Most experts expected the Falcons to win at home thanks to a revamped roster and the signing of quarterback Kirk Cousins. But the Falcons failed to get going on Sunday and were put in a stranglehold by the Steelers defense.

While the Steelers are currently on a high and their modest expectations may still rise, Falcons fans fear another disappointing season.

This is what they said in Atlanta after Sunday’s game:

After an 85-yard drive in the second quarter that gave the Falcons a 10-6 lead, hopes were high for Atlanta. The Falcons’ defense was making the Steelers’ lives miserable, and the touchdown pass to a completely free Kyle Pitts brought some joy to Atlanta, if only temporarily.

The Falcons did not score another point for the rest of the game and were outscored by the Steelers with a series of field goals.

“It was a Falcons football game, and unfortunately that meant the joy was fleeting and the tragedy and the sinister prevailed,” wrote Dave Choate of SB Nation The Falcoholic.

When I see yellow so often, I see red

— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) 8 September 2024

Football in Atlanta is known for disappointment, and the fans certainly shared that feeling at X.

Kudos to the Falcons for shattering all expectations in Week 1. You don’t have to waste all that time on false hopes, you have to respect them

— Carlton (@CrispyCarlton) 8 September 2024

We were beaten by a damn kicker

— BigBoi (@BigBoi) 8 September 2024

This has to be one of the most disappointing opening games in Falcons history. Many questions have to be asked about Cousins. He couldn’t have looked more uncomfortable and unsettled. The coaching staff will also be criticized for a lack of adjustments/plans to contain Watt.

— Allen Strk (@allenstrk) 8 September 2024

The Falcons’ highest point – a 25-point lead over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI – was quickly followed by bitter disappointment when the Falcons blew their lead and lost the 2017 game in overtime to Tom Brady and the Patriots.

This season, Atlanta fans found new hope with the addition of four-time Pro Bowler Cousins, but Sunday’s loss may bring Atlanta back down to earth.

Former Falcons running back Devonta Freeman, who played six years in Atlanta and rushed for nearly 4,000 yards, summed up the loss to X with one word: “garbage.”

GARBAGE ????????️

— Devonta Freeman (@devontafreeman) 8 September 2024

Cousins ​​​​faces much of the blame, Matt Urben wrote in USA Today’s Falonwire blog.

“With Cousins ​​coming off a season-ending Achilles injury and not playing in the preseason, you’d expect some rustiness,” Urben wrote. “However, the 36-year-old made some poor decisions in the face of Pittsburgh’s pass rush. In his debut for the Falcons, he completed 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. There were moments when the offense clicked, but Cousins ​​rarely looked comfortable in the pocket on Sunday.”

Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution agreed.

“Cousins ​​is supposed to be the guy who turns losers into winners. But the new offense with the proven quarterback looked a lot like the old offense with the young quarterback the Falcons sent away,” Cunningham wrote, referring to current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder. “Cousins ​​threw two interceptions and took the blame for a lost fumble. He needed 26 pass attempts to gain 155 yards and scored just one touchdown.

“The Falcons lost a game where their quarterback wasn’t good enough, just like Desmond Ridder. That’s not what the Falcons paid for when they signed Cousins ​​to a $100 million guaranteed contract.”

While Atlanta fans were largely upset by the Steelers’ surprise victory, the Journal-Constitution also acknowledged that the result was a big deal for the Steelers’ new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who served as the Falcons’ head coach from 2021-2023.

Steelers quarterback Justin Fields told the Journal-Constitution the win “meant a lot. I know Art, I know how motivated and ambitious he is, so it definitely meant a lot. He wishes, just like I do, that we could have scored even more points, but I know he’s happy that we won.”