Steelers Grind Out 20-13 Win as Backup QBs Deliver Exactly What Nobody Wanted

Pittsburgh escaped with a 20-13 home victory over Atlanta in a game that played out like a preseason scrimmage between third-stringers. The Steelers' rookie Drew Allar managed the game without catastrophe, while Atlanta's emergency starter Cooper Rush—pressed into duty with both Penix and an inexplicably mentioned Tua Tagovailoa sidelined—did just enough to keep the Falcons within striking distance before sputtering out late.

The 33 combined points landed comfortably under DarkHorse's published 41.0 total, hitting exactly as projected. When you trot out a first-time NFL starter against a guy nursing back spasms who wasn't even supposed to be on the roster, offensive fireworks aren't on the menu. Both teams leaned heavily on their ground games and short passes, with neither quarterback willing—or able—to push the ball downfield consistently.

Pittsburgh's defense did the heavy lifting, forcing Atlanta into predictable third-and-longs that Rush had no prayer of converting. The Steelers added a late field goal to push the margin to seven, but this one was decided by whichever offense made fewer mistakes. Spoiler: they both made plenty. DarkHorse nailed the under call, banking on Week 1 chaos and backup quarterback incompetence. Sometimes the easiest money is betting on bad football.