Winners and losers from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s Week One opener.
WINNERS
Anthony McFarland Jr. – The team’s lone bright spot for much of the first half, good blocking and vision produced a couple of solid McFarland kick returns past the 25. He also made a diving grab on a low Kenny Pickett throw on fourth down late in the first half that kept the Steelers’ drive going, leading to a Pat Freiermuth touchdown. His receiving ability, on display this summer, was a big reason why he made the roster.
T.J. Watt – Watt knows how to party in Week One. As dominant as any player in the NFL to begin the year, Watt busted out for three sacks today, controlling 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz. Even with the 49ers leading essentially wire-to-wire and McKivitz getting plenty of help, Watt still found ways to win. In the process, he tied James Harrison’s all-time mark for sacks as a Steeler. One of the few who brought it today.
LOSERS
Pittsburgh’s Pride – Right off the top, that’s the big takeaway of the day. To start their season, to finally have a home game, and the Steelers were just a mess. Losing is one thing. It sucks but it’s the NFL. But being bulled and outmuscled on a consistent basis is what really hurts. The 49ers won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football.
On Christian McCaffrey’s 65-yard touchdown, CB Levi Wallace missed terribly while S Damontae Kazee, a physical player, got thrown out of the club like Jazz on Fresh Prince. That’s the stuff that just steals your soul. And it can’t happen. Not in an opener. Not at home. Unacceptable.
Patrick Peterson – Peterson talked a big game leading up to the week, noting the 49ers’ tells and predicting an interception off Brock Purdy. San Francisco accepted that challenge and won it on the field. Peterson allowed a pair of first half touchdowns to Brandon Aiyuk.
You could add caveats to that, slipping on the first, a good throw/catch on the second, but they still go down as touchdowns all the same. Peterson had a terrible first half, even dropping a would-be interception. His comments before the game only makes this outing look all the more painful.
Defensive Line – Pittsburgh battled injuries up front. Larry Ogunjobi came into the game not seeing a single snap inside a stadium this year. Cam Heyward tried to push through a groin injury and couldn’t. DeMarvin Leal missed a few snaps with an elbow injury.
But end of the day, this group didn’t get the job done. They didn’t get off blocks, didn’t create much pressure, with Isaiahh Loudermilk, Montravius Adams, and company doing little out there. Pittsburgh scored late in the first half and then gave whatever potential comeback there was away with McCaffrey’s 65-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second half.
Besides Heyward and Keeanu Benton’s potential, this team lacks a high-end lineman.
Kenny Pickett – Pickett was far from the only one but he wasn’t good today. He wasn’t anywhere remotely close to the word. His accuracy was scattershot, missing a wide-open Diontae Johnson on a five-yard route for a would-be touchdown at the end of the half, took some sacks, and didn’t look in sync with his wide receiver. It’s a two-way street, the receivers didn’t help much, but Pickett looked nothing like he did in the preseason, even against the Buffalo Bills’ starters.
It wasn’t that the 49ers had an amazing game plan against him. Pittsburgh’s self-enforced errors were just too heavy to win this game. Not good enough. Not even a little bit.
Mike Tomlin – The head coach sets the tone. And the tone today was flat. That’s a reflection of players and coaching. While Tomlin didn’t have any egregious and obvious in-game mistakes, the Steelers didn’t come to play today. That falls at the feet of the entire group, but Tomlin is responsible for it all.
Sloppy Special Teams – It was a sloppy first half all around for the Steelers, no question about that, but the number of special teams penalties alone were alarming. Long snapper Christian Kuntz was flagged for a facemask covering a punt. The Steelers burned a timeout on a field-goal block for unknown reasons. Then they went offsides on the following play, setting up a more makeable field goal. They false-started on a punt and backed themselves up. Pressley Harvin III had a 36-yard duck. And all of that happened well before the first half even wrapped up.
Tomlin noted they were a special teams unit in transition and this group lacked detail today. That’s for sure.
Team’s Health – To add injury to insult, the Steelers’ streak of good health no longer exists. Cam Heyward has a groin injury, Pat Freiermuth a chest injury. Diontae Johnson went down with a hamstring problem.
Pittsburgh has an extra rest day with Week Two’s matchup against Cleveland not taking place until Monday and we don’t have clarity on if those injured Steelers will suit up. But it’s another thing to deal with as the Steelers reckon with their terrible opener.
