Sunday | 1:00 ET
This is a sneaky-fun matchup. Everyone knows about the talent the 49ers have accumulated, both on offense and defense. But the trading of Trey Lance has ruffled some feathers. San Francisco is all in on former 7th round draft pick Brock Purdy at quarterback. It will be fascinating to see if he can recreate what he did last year in Kyle Shanahan’s west coast offense. On the other side of things, the Steelers are riding a preseason high. The national question around Pittsburgh’s squad is whether or not Kenny Pickett is the quarterback of the future. He, and the entire starting offense, finished the 2022 season on a heater and also looked very strong the in preseason. Don’t be surprised if they are able to put some points up at home against the stellar 49ers defense.
Schematically, the 49ers are a bit of a question mark on defense heading into week 1. With the departure of former DC DeMeco Ryans, things will change a bit. Regardless, the unit will be strong no matter what philosophy new DC Steve Wilks implements due to the talent it possesses. Kenny Pickett will have to keep a close eye on (newly paid) former DPOY Nick Bosa off of the edge, as well as be weary of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw surveying the middle of the field (the strongest linebacking duo in the NFL).
On the other side of the ball, the Steelers need their impressive pass rush to perform. The 49ers have arguably the most diverse set of offensive weapons in the NFL, and they will need to use them all on Sunday. Purdy will have to find soft spots in Pittsburgh’s zones and avoid making bad mistakes. The Steelers always have a stout defense. Even though San Fransisco’s roster is better on paper, Mike Tomlin- with the benefit of home field advantage- is going to find a way to force the upset.