The Pittsburgh Steelers hit the road on Sunday to start their 2024 season against the Atlanta Falcons after a tumultuous offseason. Pittsburgh enters the season with high hopes they will improve on their 2023 campaign, which saw them finish 9-8 and lose in the Wildcard round of the playoffs. The Steelers’ offense is the biggest question mark heading into Atlanta. With a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator, and a lackluster receiver room, there are a lot of question marks for Pittsburgh offensively. Insert tight end Pat Freiermuth, who is a major key to a Steelers Week 1 victory.
Pat Freiermuth is the Steelers’ Week 1 Offensive X-Factor
Falcons Struggle to Cover Tight Ends
The main reason to expect a big game from Pat Freiermuth in Week 1 is Atlanta’s lackluster job of covering tight ends last year. They were among the NFL’s worst teams at defending tight ends in 2023, and they could be in for more of the same in 2024. Atlanta’s linebackers are not a very good group in coverage. This plays right into Freiermuth’s hands; he’s a great athlete for a tight end and a solid route runner. Expect Arthur Smith to align Freiermuth in the slot a healthy amount, too. He’s a good inline receiving option, but even better out of the slot.
One potential wildcard for the Falcons is recently acquired strong safety Justin Simmons. He could draw the assignment of covering Freiermuth in the slot. If so, that is still a matchup the Steelers should be able to exploit. While still a good player, Simmons has lost a step. If he matches up with Pat Freiermuth frequently, he’ll win his share of reps, but Freiermuth will win plenty of those matchups.
Safety Blanket for Russell Wilson
As they enter Week 1 with Isaac Seumalo injured and Troy Fautanu’s status still up in the air, Pittsburgh’s offensive line is trending in the wrong direction to start the year. This is a concern against a Falcons pass rush consisting of Grady Jarrett and Matthew Judon, another recent addition to Atlanta’s defense. There is potential for Russell Wilson to be under consistent pressure throughout the game.
If Wilson finds himself in trouble, Pat Freiermuth will probably be the first player he looks to as a safety valve. Freiermuth has shown throughout his career he can be a dependable option when his quarterback is under pressure. Further, if Atlanta’s pass rush is getting home, Smith may scheme some quick and easy dump-off passes to counter the rush. Freiermuth would be the top candidate to be on the receiving end of plays like that. Plus, if he gets the ball in space one-on-one with a linebacker, Freiermuth has big play potential.
There Aren’t Many Other Options
The final reason Pat Freiermuth could be in for a big game is the most simple. Other than George Pickens, there aren’t any other great receiving options on the Steelers roster. After Pittsburgh failed to acquire Brandon Aiyuk, Freiermuth was among the players whose stock rose. Pickens is going to receive extra attention from the Falcons secondary, as he will every game of the season. If Pickens is double-covered, which he will be often, Freiermuth is the next best receiving option. Couple this with a favorable matchup against Atlanta, and it’s appropriate to call Pat Freiermuth the Steelers’ Week 1 x-factor.
Main Photo: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
