The Steelers want to score touchdowns, not kick field goals, but other than that things went pretty much according to plan in Atlanta.
A significant component of the Steelers' plan, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith revealed prior to practice today, was not to let the game be dictated by Falcons safety Jessie Bates.
That mission was accomplished along the way to an 18-10, season-opening triumph.
"The way I looked at it, and maybe it's because I coached Jesse (last season in Atlanta) and I have so much respect for Jessie Bates because that guy is a game-wrecker," Smith emphasized. "Trying to neutralize him, which I thought we did, that's what it came down to, turnovers.
"Our game-wrecker wrecked the game, theirs didn't."
Bates finished with six tackles but the Steelers avoided turnovers along the way to six field goals from Chris Boswell.
The wreckage inflicted by Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt included four tackles, a sack, two tackles for a loss, three quarterback hits and a fumble recovery.
It worked out that way in part because the Steelers avoided throwing passes in the middle of the field by design.
"That was my respect for Jessie Bates, don't let their best player wreck the game," Smith continued. "And the way the game was going we were able to stay ahead and it allowed us to try not to let him affect it.
"Our Jason Bourne, T.J. Watt, wrecked the game. Theirs didn't, and that's kinda what the story of the game really was."
Another part of the story was the Steelers relying on multiple-tight ends sets, including 17 with three or four tight ends deployed (the most such snaps in the NFL over the last three seasons).
"We felt good about our tight ends and the OLBs (Atlanta's outside linebackers)," Smith said. "A little bit was controlling the line of scrimmage. And we have big, strong tight ends that can do multiple jobs.
'I joked when you get the combination of (tight end) Darnell (Washington) and one of our (offensive) tackles, it's 650 pounds coming at you. Most of those OLBs aren't made to do that. It'll change week-to-week, depending on schemes, matchup, but I thought they handled that part well."
The offensive line, likewise, performed according to plan despite the presence of two first-time starters (rookie Zach Frazier at center and first-year pro Spencer Anderson at left guard).
"For those guys, two-and-a-half rookies, however you want to categorize (second-year right offensive tackle) Broderick (Jones), young line, especially a new center, on the road against a veteran defense, somebody asked me the question, how do you protect them?" Smith said. "We wanted to control the line of scrimmage with a blunt force trauma. Made it ugly; it wasn't pretty at times, depending on your perspective.
"I thought as the game went on, we were able to posses the ball, I think, 36 minutes (35:36), 11 in the fourth quarter (11:07). As a coach, maybe I'm sick in the head, but that was beautiful to me."
Smith loves it, in other words, when a plan comes together.
