ATL Standard

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — After a busy offseason, the Falcons will play their first game of the 2024 season on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Atlanta made significant moves in free agency, including adding Kirk Cousins at quarterback and signing safety Justin Simmons while trading for outside linebacker Matthew Judon. These additions come alongside changes to the coaching staff.

Our writers Tori McElhaney, Will McFadden, Terrin Waack, and Amna Subhan discuss what they are most curious to see in Week 1.

McELHANEY: "I mean, there's one obvious answer to this, right? It has to be the Kirk Cousins Effect™."

McElhaney emphasizes Cousins' accuracy and its potential impact on players like Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson. She notes that Cousins has a career completion rate of 66.9% and has averaged over 4,000 passing yards per year since becoming a full-time starter in 2015.

"The effect of having an offense powered by Cousins should be felt immediately," she says.

McFADDEN: "I'm extremely interested to see how the Falcons utilize their safety duo of Justin Simmons and Jessie Bates this season."

McFadden highlights the importance of having versatile safeties like Simmons and Bates for defensive flexibility. He believes their presence will have a ripple effect across the entire defense.

"I was already excited to see what Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake would do after their accomplishments in Los Angeles last year," he adds.

WAACK: "Bijan Robinson made a rather bold statement back in June when he said the Falcons plan to use him in 2024 more so like the San Francisco 49ers did Christian McCaffrey in 2023."

Waack draws comparisons between Robinson and McCaffrey, noting that both were No. 8 overall draft picks. She suggests that Robinson could have a strong sophomore season if Atlanta adopts a run-first mentality for him specifically.

"Robinson scored eight touchdowns last season... It should, in theory, be skewed more so toward the run in 2024 based off this possible plan," she states.

SUBHAN: "When Week 1 kicks off, I'll be paying special attention from the very start."

Subhan is eager to watch Avery Williams return kicks and punts this season. She points out that Williams led the NFL with an average of 16.2 yards per punt return before his injury last year.

"Now, he returns (literally and figuratively) when the lights are brightest on special teams," she concludes.