2024 NFL Picks, score predictions for Week 1

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons

Sunday, September 8, 1:00 PM ET

The quarterback matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers (Russell Wilson) and Atlanta Falcons (Kirk Cousins) will be like an episode of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.

Just a couple of old guys, making us all laugh.

All kidding aside, this game is fascinating from both teams’ perspectives and will really represent a good proof of concept as to whether or not whatever each franchise thinks they’re getting from their new quarterbacks is actually going to work.

Or will we be one step closer to fans calling for Justin Fields and Michael Penix Jr.?

Russell Wilson was cut earlier this offseason by the Denver Broncos and you know that the entire organization wanted him out of there because ownership signed off on the $85 million dead money hit and paying nearly $38 million for him to play with the Steelers in 2024. The Steelers, on the other hand, are viewing Wilson as an appreciable upgrade to what they had last year in Kenny Pickett. How could it be worse, right?

The Falcons are thinking along the same lines after moving on from both Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke this year, trading them to teams in need of backups. The Falcons made a massive investment ($180 million over four years) in Kirk Cousins despite the fact that he’s now entered his “late” 30s and is coming off of an Achilles injury.

These two teams are taking calculated risks on very different ends of the financial spectrum. But my money right now would be on Cousins and the Falcons, even though they have a lot more “new” to sort through than the Steelers. 

Prediction: Falcons win 23-19