Happy Friday and I hope yinz are doing well.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to bounce back in a big way Monday night. After being blown out by the San Francisco 49ers 30-7 in Week One, they’re looking to avoid losing their first two games of the season at home. They’ll have to do so without WR Diontae Johnson and DL Cam Heyward, both out with injuries. Heyward is expected to miss up to two months. Pittsburgh’s offense must be much better, starting with QB Kenny Pickett. The defense will look to slow down a Browns rushing attack that went for over 200 yards in their opening win against Cincinnati.
No matter what happens, we’ll have the game covered for you.
Hope you all have a great weekend and that you enjoy our continued coverage. I thank you for visiting the site and we appreciate all of your great feedback. As always, we have five Friday night questions for you to answer.
Peace and love, peace and love!
1 – As always, we ask: Will the Steelers beat the Browns Monday night?
2 – Will Pittsburgh hold RB Nick Chubb under 100 yards rushing?
3 – Kenny Pickett has never had a multi-touchdown game in the NFL. Will he throw for at least two touchdown passes in Week Two?
4 – T.J. Watt had three sacks last week. Over/under 2.25 sacks for him Monday night?
5 – Who has more tackles against Cleveland: Minkah Fitzpatrick or Cole Holcomb?
Tiebreaker: Joey Porter Jr. played just seven snaps in Week One. How many snaps does he play in Week Two? (closest answer wins, even if they go over).
Recap of 2023 Week 1 Weekend Friday Night 5 Questions
Question 1: No even close. Steelers lost 30-7. Not as bad as a 1989 51-0 home opener loss to the Browns. Or a 1997 37-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Worst home-opening losses by Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher, respectively. But both of those Steelers teams made the playoffs. Imagine if, and it is a big if, Mike Tomlin leads the Steelers to the playoffs this year. Now, that would be quite a trifecta. An overwhelming 91.7% (55 of 60) Steelers Depot respondents picked the Steelers to win. Let’s see if we remain that optimistic for Monday night.
Question 2: Kenny Pickett completed a short three-yard touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth for the Steelers first and only score. Thirty-five percent (21 of 60) predicted Najee Harris scoring the Steelers’ first touchdown. Freiermuth received the second most votes with 12 (20%).
Question 3: T.J. Watt doubled the over/under figure by sacking Brock Purdy three times. A respectable 65% (39 of 60) of respondents picked up a point by taking the over. Let’s hope Watt maintains his production Monday night. The Steelers will need it.
Question 4: A putrid 34-yard Pressley Harvin III punt gave the 49ers extremely favorable field position at their own 46-yard line for their first possession. San Francisco exploited the gift by scoring a touchdown on its first drive. Respondents whiffed on this question. Just one respondent, Greg Payne, foresaw this eventuality. A large majority of 83.3% (50 of 60) predicted the Steelers forcing the 49ers to punt their first possession away.
Question 5: Diontae Johnson caught three passes for 48 yards. But on the first possession of the second half, he went down with a hamstring injury after a 26-yard catch and run. Calvin Austin III and Allen Robinson II combined for 11 catches for 101 yards, mostly in the second half after Johnson left the game. Most respondents, 88.3% (53 of 60), thought Johnson would catch more passes. But the injury derailed any chances. Hoping for a speedy recovery.
Here are the consensus responses of Steelers Depot respondents compared to the correct answers:
| Questions | Steelers Win? | First Steelers TD | Watt O/U 1.5 Sacks | 49ers First Drive Ends with … | Who catches more Passes |
| SD Consensus | YES | NAJEE HARRIS | OVER | PUNT | DIONTAE |
| Correct Answers | NO | FREIERMUTH | OVER | TOUCHDOWN | AUSTIN/ROBINSON |
Steelers Depot respondents just got one of five questions correct as a group.
Congratulations to Agustin-ARG! The only person to answer three of five questions correctly and receive four points (with the participation point) to take a very early lead in the Steelers Depot regular-season Friday Night Five Questions contest and win the first $25 weekly pot.
I’ll post the first leaderboard next week.
Excellent job Agustin-ARG! Please send me a DM (subBurgher on twitter or quarternelson on Instagram or email quarter_nelson@yahoo.com) with your PayPal address to receive your winnings. Alternatively, you can kick your share back towards the next pot or donate it to the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Or new this season, opt for a Steelers Depot polo shirt in lieu of the cash prize. Entirely up to you, just let me know.
