The 49ers rolled in their 2023 season opener with a 30-7 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
Unlike last season where the 49ers struggled to get going in Week 1, they came out of the gates quick to go up 17-0 early in the second quarter. They never really looked back from there as they cruised to their third 1-0 start under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Buy 49ers TicketsHere are our notes from each quarter:
First quarter
– Mitch Wishnowsky is handling kickoffs, not Jake Moody. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Moody handles kickoffs moving forward.
– Heck of a play by Clelin Ferrell to snuff out a jet sweep.
– Deommodore Lenoir is the nickel CB, not Isaiah Oliver.
– There’s the 49ers defensive line. Arik Armstead got pressure up the middle and Drake Jackson finished it off. Nice work from that group up front. Nick Bosa played all three downs to open the game.
– Ray-Ray McCloud is returning punts just four weeks after having wrist surgery.
– Easy throw for Brock Purdy to Deebo Samuel to open the 49ers’ first drive.
– Kyle Shanahan gets aggressive early with a fun design on a throw to George Kittle on fourth-and-1. That shows some of the trust he has in Purdy to make the right play on a fourth down.
– Too easy for the 49ers offense. Play-action on their first snap inside the 10 and Purdy hit WR Brandon Aiyuk for an eight-yard touchdown. That was a sensational drive that needed just seven plays to go 54 yards.
– Moody’s extra point try was cash. It could not have been more down the middle.
– Holy cow. Fred Warner blew up Steelers RB Najee Harris to open Pittsburgh’s second drive. That’s why he’s the best off-ball LB in the sport.
– Now a turnover after Steelers WR Diontae Johnson slipped on a third-and-5 to give Charvarius Ward perhaps his easiest-ever interception. If San Francisco’s defense turns the ball over at the rate they did last season it’s going to be really hard to beat the 49ers.
– The 49ers get behind the sticks to open their second series, but Purdy found Aiyuk for 23 yards on second-and-11. That was a nice throw by Purdy in the intermediate area of the field. He was money on those last year.
– Pressure from the Steelers gets home on a third-and-long. That’s the first time Purdy has been under duress. He found Kittle for a short completion, but third-and-14 isn’t where Purdy is going to thrive.
– Moody’s first field goal try was blocked, but the Steelers were offsides. That moved his kick to 41 yards and he drilled it. The preseason jitters appear to have subsided after some time off because of his injury. It’s 10-0, 49ers.
– The Steelers are having a ton of success on kick returns. That could swing this game at some point and will be something the 49ers need to clean up this year.
– Two plays into Pittsburgh’s third drive and Bosa hasn’t come off the field. He’s played all eight snaps.
– Really excellent play by Purdy to pump fake his first read to open the 49ers’ third drive. There was no window to throw it to Aiyuk, so he brought it back and found RB Christian McCaffrey in the middle for an easy completion.
– Steelers CB Patrick Peterson is sitting on in-breaking routes. The 49ers might be able to get him with a double move at some point.
– RB Elijah Mitchell makes an appearance with about a minute left in the first quarter. That’s the first rest McCaffrey has gotten.
– Absolutely brutal penalty by Spencer Burford to end the quarter. Purdy was trying to draw Pittsburgh offsides and Burford jumped to cost the team five yards heading into the second quarter. He’s been flagged twice already.
End of first quarter: 49ers 10, Steelers 0
Second quarter
– Nice play by Purdy to find Samuel for 22 yards to open the second quarter. He layered a throw into the intermediate area again. This offense is rolling.
– What. A. Throw.
AIYUUUUUUUUUUUK AGAIN.
📺: #SFvsPIT on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/G4uoYVOqQn pic.twitter.com/oe2fa730Im— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2023
– Pressure from Bosa forces a loss of five on first down, then pressure from Ferrell nearly leads to an interception by Warner. Bosa still hasn’t come off the field.
– Now it’s Jackson making a play. He came up with his second sack of the game on a third-and-long for Pittsburgh. What a start for the second-year DE out of USC.
– Nice work by Purdy to navigate the pocket and find Aiyuk for a first down on third-and-7. Kittle stayed in to help block Steelers DE TJ Watt.
– Watt gets to Purdy to force a fumble, but Purdy recovered. That’s an impressive play by the QB. It felt like Watt getting home for a sack was only a matter of time.
– Moody is cash from 32 yards out on his second field goal try. It’s 20-0, 49ers.
– Another long return for Pittsburgh. That’s a huge problem for San Francisco.
– Turns out the long returns aren’t mattering because the Steelers keep going three-and-out.
– Sheesh. Purdy avoided a free rusher by spinning out left then found Samuel for a first down. Purdy turning sacks into first downs has been one of the fundamental reasons he’s elevated the offense above where previous 49ers QBs have had it under Kyle Shanahan.
– Purdy’s had his arm hit as he was throwing twice. Those are scary plays considering what happened in the NFC championship game.
– With 1:43 left in the first half the 49ers are going to punt for the first time. Purdy was under heavy duress on the last couple plays.
– Sick special teams play by Samuel Womack III. He stood inside the 5 and swatted down Mitch Wishnowsky’s punt to be downed at the Steelers 5 with just over 90 seconds left in the second quarter.
– Pittsburgh’s first first down comes with 1:16 left in the first half. Harris found 22 yards up the right sideline, then Lenoir hit Harris late to give Pittsburgh an additional 15 yards. Just a poor end to the half by San Francisco’s defense.
– The Steelers are making it look easy now. They’re cruising to end the half and needed less than a minute to get to the red zone.
– Terrific pass breakup from Dre Greenlaw on what would’ve been a touchdown on a third-and-3.
– Touchdown, Steelers just before the half ends. Tough way to end it after a stifling first half for San Francisco’s defense. It’s 20-7, 49ers.
Halftime: 49ers 20, Steelers 7
Third quarter
– Well, that didn’t take long. A 65-yard touchdown run by McCaffrey on the second play of the second half put the 49ers up 27-7. McCaffrey made a nice spin move at the line of scrimmage, but it was a huge block by Aiyuk and another from Ray-Ray McCloud that sprung the RB.
– Bad play by Charvarius Ward on Pittsburgh’s first play of the half. He badly overran WR Diontae Johnson and let Johnson race ahead for 26 yards on what should’ve been a short gain.
– Ferrell has having a really, really nice game. He just came up with a run stop on an inside handoff.
– Good work by the 49ers defense to force a punt after a not-so-good start to the series. Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead applied some pressure on third down to get Pickett off his spot and rolling to the sideline.
– Aiyuk is having the best game of his career. He’s up to 107 yards and two touchdowns while catching all seven of his targets.
– Watt gets home again for his second sack. He just flat out beat RT Colton McKivitz. The 49ers left him on an island and Watt got into McKivitz’s outside shoulder and had a straight line to the QB.
– Whew, Pickett has been off target a lot. This has been a dominant defensive effort from the 49ers, but the Steelers QB has just missed some throws. He missed another on a third down.
– Sheesh. Watt whooped McKivitz again for a strip sack. That’s his third sack of the game and he recovered the fumble. Burford was flagged for a facemask — his third penalty of the game.
– Fourth-and-4 in the red zone and Pickett misfires again with 2:02 left in the third. If the 49ers can avoid a turnover and get a couple of first downs on each time they have the ball moving forward they should be able to put this one away.
– It’s still McCaffrey getting these tough carries late in the game. Ideally one of Jordan Mason or Elijah Mitchell would be taking those.
End of third quarter: 49ers 27, Steelers 7
Fourth quarter
– Aiyuk again on a third down to open the fourth quarter. He’s been incredible and he helps San Francisco extend this drive to salt the game away. He’s up to a career-high 129 yards.
– Bad news for the 49ers with Trent Williams leaving the field after getting up slowly. Jaylon Moore is his replacement.
– Williams is back in after one play.
– Wishnowsky is having an unbelievable game. He pinned the Steelers inside the 10 again. All three of his punts have landed inside the 20.
– Hilarious. Talanoa Hufanga intercepts Pickett on a tip by Warner. Hufanga then tried to lateral to Tashaun Gipson, but the lateral went forward and the 49ers were penalized five yards. It’s the second INT of the game for San Francisco and they’re in Steelers territory with 10:00 left.
– McCaffrey still in. This feels like Jordan Mason time in 20-point game.
– A Purdy scramble for 18 yards and a first down inside the 25. This one is over.
– Moody is good again on his third field goal from 40 yards out. Nice job by the rookie in his debut. It’s 30-7 after the 49ers settled for a field goal on a bad misfire by Purdy on third-and-8.
– Drake Jackson again! That’s his third sack, although Arik Armstead might get credit for half a sack, but either way it’s a huge day for Jackson.
– Now Javon Hargrave gets in on the action with his first sack of the day on a fourth down from the Steelers with 1:10 left. The 49ers can kneel it out and head home with a win.
Final score: 49ers 30, Steelers 7
