The Pittsburgh Steelers are wasting no time in 2023 with a tough matchup. Week One finds the Steelers welcoming the San Francisco 49ers to Acrisure Stadium. Many pundits think the Niners are a legitimate Super Bowl contender out of the NFC so there’s nothing like hitting the ground running.
The season isn’t won or lost in the first week but in the AFC North, you cannot afford to slip up in non-conference games. Here are the four early worries we have for this game.
That Bosa guy
Honestly, the entire Niners defense is impressive but if the Niners get a contract done for edge rusher Nick Bosa, the San Francisco defense extends to a whole different level.
Making Kenny Pickett beat them
San Francisco is going to come out and assert themselves in stuffing the run. They want to see if quarterback Kenny Pickett can beat them when the run game isn’t working. Is Pickett ready to carry the offense in the first game of the season?
Matt Canada has to show it
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is proud as a peacock at how his starting offense played in the preseason. But five drives is five drives. If you are a Steelers fan, you have to temper your expectations for this offense as long as Canada is in charge until they can come out and do it in the regular season.
Staying healthy
This one might seem obvious but the first couple of games are always a bit more tenuous when it comes to injuries. Starters don’t play much in preseason and all these players are so keyed up, you just never know what could happen.
