3 Things We Learned From the Pittsburgh Steelers After Week 1

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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1. Not so Fast, Steelers Offense

When you only score seven points, it’s pretty obvious that the offense struggled, and that’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’ offense taking a big leap in 2023, but maybe we should have tempered expectations, at least early on. Quarterback Kenny Pickett performed admirably down the stretch during his rookie campaign, but progress isn’t always linear, and this group showed that in Week 1. There are many reasons to still like Pittsburgh’s direction on offense, but patience will be key, and expectations should be tempered moving forward. 

2. Steelers Defense Can Still Make a Difference 

Despite allowing 30 points to an explosive 49ers offense, there were still some things to like on defense for Pittsburgh. Veteran Cameron Heyward left the game, and that’s noteworthy, especially when you factor in his importance as a leader. One player that stood on defense was T.J. Watt, 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’t be surprised if Watt takes home his second DPOY award when all is said and done. 

3. Anthony McFarland Jr.: Special Teams Weapon?

One of the only bright spots for the Steelers in Week 1 came in the kick return game. Anthony McFarland Jr. 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’s a small sample size, but we liked what we saw from McFarland Jr. in Week 1. When you have an offense that’s as young as Pittsburgh, small things become big, and what he accomplished on special teams is noteworthy. 

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