How to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons on Thursday

It's hard to believe, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are already at the end of the 2023 preseason. The final chance for starters to ramp up for the regular season, and for players on the bubble to make a name for themselves, Thursday's game will be critical: Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-0-1)Date: Thursday, August […]

Rob Gregson — NFL News Writer

Aug 23, 2023 10:58 AM EDT

Dec 4, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) breaks up a pass against Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to believe, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are already at the end of the 2023 preseason.

The final chance for starters to ramp up for the regular season, and for players on the bubble to make a name for themselves, Thursday's game will be critical:

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-0-1)
Date: Thursday, August 24
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium/Atlanta, GA
Betting odds: Steelers -4.5, Over/Under 39
How to watch on TV: NFL Network (Nationally) CBS (KDKA, locally) Preseason Network Affiliates
Streaming: NFL+ FuboTV, YouTube TV, Network apps, etc.
Radio: 102.5 WDVE (locally)

Will the Steelers play the starters?

As Mike Tomlin told reporters during yesterday's pre-game press conference:

"The way that we've done it in other games will continue," said Tomlin. "Those that are healthy are scheduled to play. We got an agenda with our units, and when speaking about the first unit, second unit, and third unit, if you will. And so, we'll play the first group until we get a level of satisfaction on both sides of the ball with those agendas. And then we'll move on to the second and then the third, and then we'll go from there."

Who Wins the Slot Corner Job?

The battle for who comes away as the starting nickel will likely come down to who shines brighter between Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley on Thursday. Both have had great camps and both caught an interception last game, so this will truly be the tiebreaker to see who comes away with the starting gig.

Three Players to Watch:

CB Joey Porter Jr: Coach Tomlin admitted earlier this week that Peezy Jr. was limited in his debut against the Bills. That was done in order to "save" him for Thursday's contest. It should also be noted that Porter Jr. garnered first-team reps this week, meaning he is on track to get some considerable burn in Atlanta.
LT Broderick Jones: Jones is likely cemented as the backup left tackle in Pittsburgh, but he can still finish his inaugural preseason on a high note, likely garnering a similar workload to the one he got in Tampa a couple of weeks ago.
QB Kenny Pickett: Pickett will be out there once again, and while it may not be for very long, it will be interesting to see if he and the first-team offense can keep their hot streak going, ending the preseason scoring on every drive.