The Pittsburgh Steelers escaped Week 1 with a win as an underdog against the Atlanta Falcons. The defense was absolutely dominant, while the offense showed some signs of promise with new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith. One of the players that stole the show, however, was kicker Chris Boswell. He was perfect, nailing all six field goal tries that he attempted. This included three 50+ yarders. Without his leg, it would have been an extremely long and painful game for the fan base.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (#9) sets up as he prepares to attempt a kick during a 2022 regular season home game against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Boswell's incredible performance in Week 1 has earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors, as he will look to build off of his impressive game in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos.
AFC Players of the Week! (Week 1)@Joe_MainMixon | @gregrousseau | @Gatorade pic.twitter.com/D8ZXtTm9pD
— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2024
Another wrinkle to this, and not necessarily a reason for him to further his case, was a key punt in the fourth quarter. Cameron Johnston went down with what ended up being a season-ending injury. After Justin Fields was sacked for a loss of eight, the Steelers got a great 51-yard punt from Johnston. Unfortunately, there was a holding penalty called, no roughing the punter, and Johnston was unable to move forward.
This led to Boswell coming in on a fourth and 31 at the Steelers' own 17-yard line. He did a respectable job, booting the ball 43 yards down field. It took only two plays for the Falcons to turn the ball over, which led to a sixth and final Boswell field goal. Pittsburgh quickly shut down any chance of a last second comeback, and came out victorious.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (#9) stands on the field in Orchard Park. NY as Pittsburgh warms up prior to a 2021 regular season game against the Buffalo Bills.
There's no doubt that Boswell was the unsung hero of the Steelers' Week 1 win. Pittsburgh's first half of the 2024 schedule will be crucial. The backend is rather brutal, which makes each game early on nearly a must-win. The offense will need to drastically improve moving forward, but Boswell's leg stepped up in a big way. He shouldn't be relied on week in and week out, but it's certainly nice to know that he can be counted on when it matters most.
Jonrdan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (#9) warms up on the field at Acrisure Stadium before a 2022 preseason contest in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Have Needed Boswell To Kick Six Field Goals Before In Bigger Game
Boswell has accomplished this incredible feat before. It was back in the 2016 Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pittsburgh was victorious by a score of 18-16, and it was all thanks to a strong defensive performance and Boswell's leg.
What are your thoughts on Boswell's AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors? Let us know in the comments below!
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