Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season has arrived and it doesn't get much sweeter for the Atlanta Falcons. The team has a new head coach, new coordinators and a new starting quarterback. Raheem Morris, who served as Atlanta's interim head coach in 2020, is back without the interim tag and ready to take care of unfinished business.

Arthur Smith replaced Morris in 2021, and now Morris replaces Smith three years later. In Week 1, the two coaches will face off when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Here are five storylines to follow in Sunday's season opener:

1. Arthur Smith Returns

After racking up a 21-30 record as head coach of the Falcons, Arthur Smith was fired following the team's Week 18 loss to the Saints. Smith quickly found another gig as the Steelers' offensive coordinator and now returns to Atlanta in Week 1. The Falcons established a strong foundation under Smith but never took that next step to the playoffs. Poor play at the quarterback position ultimately doomed Smith, but it was his call to go into 2023 with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Will Smith get his revenge on Sunday? Former Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson also returns to Atlanta in Week 1.

2. Battle of veteran QBs

The Falcons and Steelers both made mistakes in the 2022 NFL draft by taking quarterbacks. Atlanta traded Desmond Ridder to Arizona and Pittsburgh traded Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia over the offseason. Replacing Ridder and Pickett are Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson. The two veterans have thrown for 604 combined touchdown passes and 216 interceptions since being selected in the middle rounds of the 2012 NFL draft. Wilson is looking to get his career back on track after two mediocre years in Denver. Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles and has a talented rookie QB breathing down his neck. Both players must produce for their teams to have success this season.

3. Falcons' new dynamic safety duo

Following a Pro Bowl season in 2023, Simmons was released by the Broncos in an effort to save salary cap space. Denver absorbed a record dead cap hit by releasing QB Russell Wilson over the offseason. As the Falcons learned after moving Matt Ryan in 2022, dead money can greatly hinder your team's ability to add or retain high-level talent. Simmons, who has 30 career interceptions, now joins another Pro Bowl safety in Atlanta's secondary. On paper, Jessie Bates and Simmons should form arguably the best safety tandem in the NFL. Perhaps Simmons will get a little payback against his former Broncos teammate on Sunday.

4. Kyle Pitts' hamstring injiury

Kyle Pitts was limited at Wednesday's practice due to a hamstring injury, which sent Falcons fans spiraling on Twitter. Despite the dramatic reaction, Pitts is expected to play on Sunday. Head coach Raheem Morris wasn't overly concerned about his young tight end. “Just trying to be transparent about all that stuff,” Morris said regarding Pitts’ hamstring. “It really hasn’t affected him too much.”

If Pitts is healthy, this could be the year he reestablishes himself as one of the NFL's top tight ends. After a 1,026-yard rookie season, Pitts has just 1,023 yards over the last two seasons combined.

5. Matthew Judon replaces Ebiketie at OLB

The Falcons traded for Matthew Judon a few weeks ago and the veteran outside linebacker is expected to provide a major boost off the edge. While most assumed Judon would replace Lorenzo Carter in the starting lineup, Atlanta's first depth chart revealed that Arnold Ebiketie is the player moving to the bench. You never want to read too much into a Week 1 depth chart, but it was surprising to see Ebiketie listed as a backup following his six-sack season in 2023. Although, the former second-round pick played just 34 percent of the team's defensive snaps, so perhaps it's less of a surprise than we realized.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 5 storylines to follow in Falcons' Week 1 matchup vs. the Steelers