Steelers Get Slaughtered By 49ers: Reaction To Ugly Loss

PITTSBURGH, PA — Perhaps Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin summed it up most succinctly following his team's 30-7 thrashing Sunday by the San Francisco 49ers: "We got kicked in the teeth today in a lot of ways."

But sports writers across the country weighed in on a game in which the Steelers were outplayed from the opening kickoff in every phase of the game:

Brooke Pryor, ESPN: "The Steelers faced one of the NFL's best defenses in the 49ers, but the issues go deeper. Quarterback Kenny Pickett,who didn't throw an interception in the preseason and was accurate throughout training camp, threw two picks in the season opener. He often

threw passes high and off-target, including one intended for Diontae Johnson that was intercepted in the first quarter. Prior to the scoring drive just before halftime, the Steelers had one net yard of offense on five drives."

Bryan DeArdo, CBS Sports: "If dominant was the word to describe the 49ers' performance, sloppy and lethargic would be two words that could sum up Pittsburgh's afternoon. The Steelers looked out of sync on offense, while their defense struggled to get the 49ers' skill players on the ground. Even before the game got out of hand, the Steelers never got their ground game going. That made things even harder for Kenny Pickett."

Kevin Patra, NFL.com: "It's no longer the preseason, Toto. As good as Kenny Pickett and the Pittsburgh offense looked in the preseason, it was equally bad to open the games that count. The Steelers started the game with five consecutive three-and-outs, earning -9 net yards. Pittsburgh didn't earn a first down until the 1:16 mark in the second quarter. Pickett was scattershot all game, missing targets behind, low and high. Under siege by the 49ers' defensive front, Pickett's head was spinning from the start."

Stephen Thompson, Sports Illustrated: "The San Francisco 49ers came into Acrisure Stadium and reminded the Pittsburgh Steelers of how far they have to go before they can compete with a Super Bowl contender like themselves. The 49ers dominated from the opening kickoff. The Steelers' offense was poor and the defense couldn't make up for it as the Steelers were routed on their home field."

Frank Schwab, Yahoo Sports: "Quarterback Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers looked incredible in Week 1. They blew out the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-7 on the road and left no doubt they're Super Bowl contenders again. At one point, the yardage in the game was 157 to minus-3 in favor of the 49ers. The Steelers weren't a bad team last season, and they probably won't be a bad team this season, but the 49ers made them look horrible."

Next up: The Steelers play the Cleveland Browns next Monday night at Acrisure Stadium.