Zachary Cook

San Francisco 49ers Dominate Pittsburgh Steelers in Road Win

<p>The Pittsburgh Steelers laid an egg in their Week 1 home opener against the San Francisco 49ers.</p>
<p>What key things can we conclude from their dud of a game?</p>
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<p><strong>NFL Week 1 Content</strong>: <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/nfl-afc-week-1-odds-power-rankings-chiefs-still-on-top-after-loss">AFC Week 1 Power Rankings</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/nfl-nfc-week-1-odds-power-rankings-eagles-49ers-lead-way">NFC Week 1 Power Rankings</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/ap-nfl-regular-season-mvp-race-week-1-power-rankings">NFL MVP Power Rankings</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/ap-nfl-offensive-player-of-the-year-2023-24-week-1-power-rankings">NFL OPOY Power Rankings</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/3-things-we-learned-from-the-kansas-city-chiefs-after-week-1">Week 1 Kansas City Chiefs Takeaways</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/3-things-we-learned-from-the-detroit-lions-after-week-1">Week 1 Detroit Lions Takeaways </a></p>
<p><strong>NFL Week 2 Content</strong>: <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/article/nfl-super-bowl-odds-power-rankings-49ers-cowboys-impress">Super Bowl Power Rankings</a></p>
<h3><strong>1. Not so Fast, Steelers Offense</strong></h3>
<p>When you only score seven points, it&#8217;s pretty obvious that the offense struggled, and that&#8217;s precisely what happened with the Steelers in their Week 1 loss. Heading into their clash with the 49ers, many were bullish about the Steelers&#8217; offense taking a big leap in 2023, but maybe we should have tempered expectations, at least early on. Quarterback<strong> Kenny Pickett</strong> performed admirably down the stretch during his rookie campaign, but progress isn&#8217;t always linear, and this group showed that in Week 1. There are many reasons to still like Pittsburgh&#8217;s direction on offense, but patience will be key, and expectations should be tempered moving forward. </p>
<h3><strong>2. Steelers Defense Can Still Make a Difference </strong></h3>
<p>Despite allowing 30 points to an explosive 49ers offense, there were still some things to like on defense for Pittsburgh. Veteran <strong>Cameron Heyward</strong> left the game, and that&#8217;s noteworthy, especially when you factor in his importance as a leader. One player that stood on defense was <strong>T.J. Watt</strong>, who had a powerful stat line in the losing effort. Watt had three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five quarterback hits, and a pass deflection. Talk about impactful, even in a loss. Watt will be involved in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion, and his Week 1 performance displayed how dominant he can be when healthy. Don&#8217;t be surprised if Watt takes home his second DPOY award when all is said and done. </p>
<h3><strong>3. Anthony McFarland Jr.: Special Teams Weapon?</strong></h3>
<p>One of the only bright spots for the Steelers in Week 1 came in the kick return game. <strong>Anthony McFarland Jr.</strong> looked explosive in that department, and the Steelers have lacked in that department of late. Being able to have an impactful kick returner should play a role in helping the Steelers offense have better opportunities. Sure, it&#8217;s a small sample size, but we liked what we saw from McFarland Jr. in Week 1. When you have an offense that&#8217;s as young as Pittsburgh, small things become big, and what he accomplished on special teams is noteworthy. </p>
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The Pittsburgh Steelers laid an egg in their Week 1 home opener against the San Francisco 49ers. What key things can we conclude from their dud of a game?

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