When the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2024 official schedule was revealed, it showed that they would start the year with a couple of revenge games. They will kick off their 2024 season on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. This is considered a revenge game because the Steelers hired a new offensive coordinator this offseason, Arthur Smith.
Before joining the Steelers, Smith was the head coach of the Falcons for three seasons, all of which were losing seasons. The Falcons fired him immediately after the 2023 season ended. Prior to his head coaching stint, Smith had established himself as a great offensive coordinator. The Week 1 matchup against the Falcons will give Smith a chance to seek revenge against the team that let him go.
In a significant offseason move, the Falcons signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. This is a massive contract for a quarterback who is 35 years old and will turn 36 during the 2024 season. Cousins is also coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, which could be a major setback at this stage in his career.
However, he has been recovering well and is confident he will be effective at the start of the year against the Steelers. Cousins spoke with media personality Jim Rome to detail his health.
"I'm not fully cleared yet, not a hundred percent, but to be out getting reps, throwing the football, makes a meaningful difference, and I feel good. It helps that I'm a pocket passing quarterback, so if I was a receiver, running back, pass rusher, I think there'd be even more concern, if you will, about, 'I got to get to a hundred percent. I got to get there.' Now, I think as a quarterback that ultimately my game is based on my right arm accuracy, my mind, and so whether the Achilles is a hundred percent today or not, I can still be very effective as a quarterback.”
Cousins is unsure if he will be fully recovered by Week 1 against the Steelers. However, he is confident he will perform effectively against them.
"But, I'm looking forward to kind of closing the gap to get to a hundred percent here in the next couple of months. And we should still have a little bit of buffer time before the season starts."
The importance of the Steelers getting off to a great start in the 2024 season cannot be understated. It's not just about the revenge narrative and the confidence boost it will provide Smith in beating the team that fired him.
The Steelers' 2024 schedule is a gauntlet that gets progressively harder as the season goes on. Winning the first three games is crucial for any team, but for the Steelers, it is absolutely necessary.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Will Have His Streak Tested In 2024
Under Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh has never had a losing season in a remarkable 17 seasons. In past seasons, the Steelers have always finished strong. They will need to do just that in 2024, as they play all their AFC North games in the second half of the season. Starting the season strong will be essential to maintaining their momentum. The Steelers will need a cushion early in the year to protect them for the gauntlet that awaits them at the end of the season.
Additionally, the update on Cousins provides Steelers fans with a clearer picture of how effective he might be in Week 1 against Pittsburgh. Although Cousins is uncertain if he will be fully recovered by the time they face off, he remains confident in his ability to perform effectively. This uncertainty adds another layer of intrigue to an already highly anticipated matchup, making the stakes even higher for the Steelers as they aim for a strong start to the season.
