Week 1 could not have gone worse for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After building a ton of positive momentum during training camp and in the preseason, everything came unraveled against the San Francisco 49ers in their season opener.
The Steelers couldn’t get out of their own way offensively, as they didn’t get a first down until their sixth drive of the game. The 49ers’ defense had their number from the get-go, showcasing why they are among the true contenders in the NFL.
When it was all said and done, the Steelers lost their home opener 30-7. Kenny Pickett struggled mightily, completing 31-of-46 pass attempts for 232 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He was under siege all afternoon, getting sacked five times and absorbing nine quarterback hits.
Pittsburgh left him out to dry a little bit as they attempted only 10 rushes all game. The 49ers were able to pin their ears back and rush the passer without any worries of a running play being mixed in, teeing off on the second-year signal caller.
Now, Pickett and the Steelers have to worry about a disgruntled pass catcher. Wide receiver George Pickens didn’t seem thrilled with his usage during the game on Sunday afternoon. On his social media, he liked a comment calling out the team for not getting the ball to him often enough.
Pickens ended the game with five receptions for 36 yards. He was targeted seven times, which was second on the team behind offseason acquisition, wide receiver Allen Robinson. The Steelers were heavily criticized for not pushing the ball down field last season and they were unable to dial up deep shots against San Francisco either.
It is impossible to work the ball down the field when your quarterback is facing the amount of pressure that Pickett was. Nothing worked on Sunday as the team will be going back to the drawing board this week to figure things out ahead of their Week 2 matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
