SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Four turnovers on their first five series was a horrendous way for the 49ers to launch their home opener Sunday.
Surrendering a fourth-quarter lead and then committing a fifth turnover had the 49ers all set to blow their undefeated start to the season.
Then came a 5-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to Dante Pettis with 1:15 remaining, and the 49ers escaped with a 24-20 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 49ers are 3-0 for the first time since 1998. Garoppolo is 4-0 as a Levi's Stadium starter. The bye week is next, and the 49ers are back on the NFL map.
Much of the credit should go to a 49ers defense that touts a highly impressive pass rush, as evidenced by DeForest Buckner, Dee Ford, Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead day-long harrasment of Steelers first-time starting quarterback Mason Rudolph.
All four of those pass rushers got to Rudolph on the final third-down play of the game, ending with Buckner forcing a fumble. Once Rudolph had an ensuing fourth-down throw go incomplete, the 3-0 celebration was on in arguably the most important win in Levi's Stadium's six-year history.
Here are the 49ers' studs and duds thus far:
STUDS
_Fullback Kyle Juszczyk: He's been the 49ers' best receiver and best lead blocker. He helped open up an alley for Jeff Wilson to run through on a third-and-goal, 1-yard touchdown run that gave the 49ers a 10-6 lead 2:43 after halftime. Juszczyk took it to the 1 on a 2-yard catch, and he earlier made 27- and 22-yard receptions with determination and grit. On the 27-yarder at the Steelers' 28-yard line, it looked like he wasn't touched and could have raced to the end zone. His lead blocks opened holes for Breida on positive runs to start their first two series.
_Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner: He's the equalizer, heroically coming through after many a turnover by the 49ers offense. Buckner recovered a Steelers fumble at the 24-yard line with 5:29 remaining, offsetting Richie James' fumble three snaps earlier at the 7-yard line. Arik Armstead forced the fumble Buckner recovered. Buckner was an all-game factor, starting with back-to-back tackles to mimize the Steelers second scoring drive, including a third-down tackle of Mason Rudolph for a 1-yard gain that forced a field goal (and 6-0 deficit). Buckner made another third-down tackle, with Ronald Blair, to stop Randolph for a 1-yard gain and force a punt after 49ers turnover No. 4.
_Running back Jeff Wilson: He ran for two touchdown for the second straight game since his practice-squad promotion. The 49ers have themselves a short-yardage, red-zone and goal-line specialist _ and he's the only running back who didn't produce a turnover Sunday.
Tight end George Kittle: He had five catches for 48 yards by halftime, including a tough, 11-yard catch over the middle at the Steelers 11-yard line, having his legs taken out from behind him. Earlier, he broke wide open across the middle to catch Garoppolo's first pass for a 12-yard gain, and a similar crossing route led to another 12-yard completion later.
_Defensive end Dee Ford: Unable to practice Wednsday and Thursday because of lingering knee pain, Ford looked healthy as he blasted off the right edge and sacked Rudolph on third-down for a 5-yard loss at the 41, taking the Steelers out of field-goal range just before halftime.
_Pass rush: Mason Rudolph completed 8-of-15 passes but for only 40 yards. His first three passes found their mark, for only 5 yards. Prior to Ford's third-down sack just before halftime, the 49ers pass rush did not sack or hit him through four series and credit should go to defensive backs Ahkello Witherspoon, Tarvarius Moore and Richard Sherman, plus linebackers Kwon Alexander and Fred Warner.
_Cornerback K'Waun Williams: His interception to open the second half was an easy one to make, thanks to a penetrating pass rush and then Arik Armstead's pressure to force Rudolph to huck it down field.
_Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo: He went from a three-turnover dud into a second-half comeback stud. While engineering a touchdown drive to retake the lead late in the third quarter, Garoppolo showed a willingness to set up in the pocket or simply await a crushing hit before unloading on-target passes. As for the turnovers, the first interception came off a Matt Breida bobble, the second on a pass Dante Pettis couldn't snag, and the fumble on a botched snap at the Steelers 7.
DUDS
_Cornerback Jason Verrett: He made a rude introduction as a 49ers cornerback. Replacing the injured Ahkello Witherspoon (foot) in the fourth quarter, Verrett first tackled James Washington in the open field for a pass-interference penalty at the 49ers' 39-yard line, then Verrett allowed a go-ahead, 39-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson on the next snap.
_Wide receiver Richie James: He botched what appeared to be an end-around, direct snap on third-and-goal from the 7. That fumble came with 6:49 remaining and was the 49ers' fifth turnover, their second in the red zone.
_Running back Raheem Mostert: Ball-security concerns are back. He fumbled a pitch on the second series (and recovered it), and, more costly, he fumbled at the Steelers 15-yard line when Fitzpatrick's helmet struck his right arm and/or the ball. Mostert came back strong with four carries for 16 yards in a pivotal third quarter.
_Running back Matt Breida: He juggled Garoppolo's second pass and it landed in T.J. Watt's hands for an interception, only three snaps into the game. The ball was a bit behind Breida but he bobbled it a couple times as he turned upfield. Breida's blocking also seemed suspect. But he, too, rallied and ran for 28 yards on five carries in the third quarter.
_Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon: He got beat in coverage by JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 76-yard touchdown reception that gave the Steelers a 13-10, third-quarter lead. Tarvarius Moore didn't help matters by missing a tackle on that play. At the end of the third quarter, Witherspoon was taken by cart into locker room with a foot injury and replaced by Verrett at right cornerback.
_Wide receiver Dante Pettis: His first target since the opener got intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick, and it came on a contested pass. Was he at fault? Did cornerback Joe Haden deflect it? Pettis rallied, and his 12-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter set up a go-ahead touchdown by Wilson.
_Right tackle Mike McGlinchey: Stephon Tuitt darted past the second-year tackle for a 9-yard loss on the 49ers' second possession. He also allowed T.J. Watt to pressure Garoppolo on an incompletion to Kittle in the end zone.
_Left tackle Justin Skule: He enjoyed a mostly successful (or unnoticeable) starting debut until he got called for three penalties in the fourth quarter, including a blindside-block call that looked bogus. A holding penalty in the final minutes wiped out a Kittle reception at the 4.
_Left guard Laken Tomlinson: He got called for a holding penalty in the red zone midway through the second quarter. But he rebounded with a nice pull block on Wilson's touchdown run.
