On the opening drive of the season, the San Francisco 49ers forced a quick three-and-out with a Drake Jackson sack on Kenny Pickett. On offense, Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk and Kyle Shanahan capitalized with a surgical drive down the field a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead.
Following their impressive drive to start the season, the 49ers never looked back. In his return to the field, Purdy spun the rock for 19-of-29 passing for 220 yards through the air to go along with two touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Buy 49ers TicketsChristian McCaffrey picked up right where he left off, rushing for 151 yards with one long touchdown run.
Brandon Aiyuk looked like he could’ve sparked a breakout campaign with eight catches for 129 yards receiving. Aiyuk tacked on two touchdown receptions along with a key block to spring Christian McCaffrey on his touchdown run.
As the 49ers’ offensive cruised up and down the field, their defense handled business on the other side of the ball. Jackson recorded three sacks while Talanoa Hufanga and Charvarius Ward each picked off Pickett.
Following the 49ers’ 30-7 rout on the road in Week 1 over the Steelers, NFL Twitter chimed in with reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts were saying on social media on Sunday.
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49ERS BRANDON AIYUK IS BUILT DIFFERENT pic.twitter.com/qgJUg0TVYx
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) September 10, 2023
Brandon Aiyuk's fifth-career 100-yard game.
— Kyle, a Madson (@KyleAMadson) September 10, 2023
Purdy and Aiyuk dropping touchdowns on his head like https://t.co/3Rqf83EhsB pic.twitter.com/M7R54IWMq5
— Jordan Elliott (@splash_cousin) September 10, 2023
Brandon Aiyuk has caught all seven of his targets for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
There were 10 games last year where Aiyuk had 7 or fewer targets.
The 49ers have a QB that relies/leans on his WR1. Forgoing the underneath routes for the deeper WR. Again. This is new.
— KP (@KP_Show) September 10, 2023
Whew. Brandon Aiyuk looked like Ronnie Bass blocking for Rev Harris down the sideline in Remember The Titans pic.twitter.com/Rbhi5I2gKi
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) September 10, 2023
Good runs turn into GREAT runs when WRs block down the field! Clinic by Aiyuk and McCloud. Excellent. pic.twitter.com/MqLXeRQah6
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) September 10, 2023
Aiyuk caught a body lol pic.twitter.com/R8EEMAk33S
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy and Brandon Aiyuk today pic.twitter.com/MmE1tPMBzF
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) September 10, 2023
49ers 30, Steelers 7.
That was a dominant season-opening win for an SF team coming off a newsy offseason. No bad vibes around this team — just a very powerful roster that looks very ready to bid for a Super Bowl this season.
Brock Purdy was efficient, Christian McCaffrey and…
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 10, 2023
Christian McCaffrey just went 65 yards to the house to start the second half. #49ers are rolling in Pittsburgh.pic.twitter.com/XR8ZUt8nBw
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 10, 2023
49ers players of the game vs Steelers
Brandon Aiyuk
Brock Purdy
Christian McCaffrey
Drake Jackson— John Chapman (@JL_Chapman) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy just makes his teammates better. Credit him for that 65-yard touchdown run by Christian McCaffrey.
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) September 10, 2023
Christian McCaffrey with a 65 yard TD run! Longest of his @49ers career. 🔥🔥
“Good runs become great runs when receivers block downfield” –@geoffschwartz pic.twitter.com/oajs3riO4q
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) September 10, 2023
Christian McCaffrey's season high last season was 121 yards. He's got 134 at the end of the third quarter.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) September 10, 2023
Oh hey, the 49ers still have Christian McCaffrey, too. pic.twitter.com/3WRy3OycOi
— David Fucillo (@davidfucillo) September 10, 2023
Christian McCaffrey just broke off a spectacular 65-yard touchdown run. Ray-Ray McCloud and Brandon Aiyuk outstanding blocking downfield.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 10, 2023
Patrick Peterson: The 49ers offense has tells
Also Patrick Peterson: https://t.co/yrhsmZOyxP
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) September 10, 2023
Steelers fans: “49ers are going to find out.”
Also Steelers fans:
pic.twitter.com/r3iVbpfxK4— John Chapman (@JL_Chapman) September 10, 2023
DUB CITYYY pic.twitter.com/iAw0VjTNew
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 10, 2023
That's a win, yinz!#SFvsPIT x #FTTB pic.twitter.com/AuAlu3Z515
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 10, 2023
49ers dominating both sides of the ball today pic.twitter.com/VuBlX1PQMS
— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2023
#49ers Brock Purdy= moves on moves. pic.twitter.com/GTSSQ4kN7o
— Chris Wilson (@cgawilson) September 10, 2023
Just an absolutely dominant 49ers road performance to open up 2023. The first half was almost perfect, the second half just maintenance. Huge win.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 10, 2023
Just an absolutely dominant 49ers road performance to open up 2023. The first half was almost perfect, the second half just maintenance. Huge win.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 10, 2023
Hearing crickets from the “Brock Purdy sucks” crowd.
— ᵏʸˡᵉ (@49ersKyle) September 10, 2023
One of the wildest twists is that Brock Purdy is a significantly faster scrambler than Trey Lance, who the 49ers drafted as a dual-threat QB
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 10, 2023
To all the Brock Purdy haters out there… pic.twitter.com/b188cNIvWd
— Matt Van Winkle (@mattvanwinkle) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy: 10-12, 114 yards, 2 TD, 145.8 rating
He's back
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy picking up where he left off! @Eric_Crocker not gonna jinx it but the band is gonna be out this season
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 10, 2023
there is currently only one quarterback in the entire early slate with a positive EPA/play:
brock purdy pic.twitter.com/VI0ZYL27dN
— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) September 10, 2023
Moody gets the Niners to the 30-point mark. Brock Purdy start = you're gonna get 30, sports fans.
— Brian Murphy (@knbrmurph) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy is playing quite well for a quarterback who has two fumbles and a dropped interception midway through the third quarter.
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy had a perfect passer rating today (158.3) when targeting Brandon Aiyuk. #49ers
— Jeff Deeney (jeffdeeney on Threads) (@PFF_Jeff) September 10, 2023
Brock Purdy is just flat out dealing. #Niners
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) September 10, 2023
