NFL football is back, and the Steelers are set to take on the 49ers in week one to begin their season. There has been a lot of turnover this offseason as this team takes shape with a new identity. Despite a middling season last year, I really like the way this Pittsburgh roster has taken shape.
With the first game set to occur on Sunday, I wanted to start up my yearly tradition of some bold predictions for this first outing. This was harder than expected, as I don’t have a great feel as to what this team will do this season. With that all said, here are four bold predictions for the Steelers in week one.
Steelers get a jump from DeMarvin Leal
One of the more curious players on the Steelers defense, DeMarvin Leal was used as a hybrid defender last season. While he will still see some snaps as an edge rusher, he seems to be settled more into a defensive lineman role. He had a strong offseason, showing some growth as a pass and run defender.
The 49ers don’t boast a strong interior of their offensive line. I fully expect the Steelers line to get a lot of push and wreak some havoc down there. Leal is a name I have circled this week, as I think he has a big showing to start off his second season.
Add in the fact that Larry Ogunjobi has been limited ahead of this game, and Leal could get some additional work against the 49ers. I think he shows up with a sack, a big run stop, and is just generally in the backfield all game causing issues for San Francisco.
Steelers rookies are quiet
The Steelers rookie class was one of the better ones on paper in recent years. It seemed like the draft fell perfectly for the team, as needs and players of interest were available at every pick. The draft has been praised, and there are some high expectations for this rookie class.
That said, I don’t see this week being a banner day for the group of rookies. Broderick Jones will start the year on the bench after Dan Moore did more than enough to earn the starting role. Joey Porter seems poised for a role sooner than later, but the addition of Desmond King muddies his role. He could be used sparingly, especially if the Steelers want to keep Levi Wallace out on the field at first.
As for Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig, neither figure to factor in much this week. Herbig will struggle to get defensive snaps given the depth of the edge room, and Washington is poised to be a blocker and less of a receiver early on.
The lone exception could be Keeanu Benton. While he isn’t officially listed as the starting nose tackle yet, I expect him to be on the field. As stated before, the 49ers interior of the line is weak, so that is a matchup that could be exploited. That said, I don’t expect to see a lot of big contributions from the rookie class despite a lot of hype this week.
Steelers Kenny Pickett comes back down to earth
Kenny Pickett was a very mixed bag during his rookie season. While he got better as the year went on, he lacked the ability to make big plays and was also turnover-prone. The Steelers, in turn, built their offense around the ground game this offseason to take some pressure off of him.
Then the preseason came and went, and suddenly some view Pickett as a potential elite quarterback this season. While I was impressed with his performance, I still find myself struggling to see a major jump in his play this year. It needs to be better, but I can’t see him being that gunslinger many seemingly expect him to be.
I think that comes to light in this first game. Pickett doesn’t look abysmal, but his sharpness and efficiency are less prevalent with an elite defensive line coming after him. He misses some openings, forces some passes, and overall struggles to mimic the nearly perfect tape he had in the preseason.
While he doesn’t find the end zone once through the air, he also throws a pair of interceptions that limit this offense. The offense doesn’t stall out, as the running game as well as the check-down passing game still work, but Pickett looks more like his rookie self than the superstar that he hinted at in the preseason.
Steelers Warren outpaces Harris
If you have followed along with my writing, you know that I am a big fan of Jaylen Warren. I love his ability with the ball in his hands, his burst, and his tenacity as a runner. That said, I also don’t find myself in the camp that Warren will be the starter over Najee Harris this season. The team will rightfully have a pair of co-starters to work with.
That said, I like Warren’s potential in this game more than Harris’s. The 49ers boast a strong defensive front, and while I have hope that this improved line will be able to open holes, I’m not convinced yet. If they can’t set the tone, Harris may once again struggle. He has proven in the past to be an inefficient runner when his line doesn’t open holes for him.
Because of this, as well as the fact that I think the Steelers will need to be in a quick-tempo offense on occasion to remain in the game, I think Warren outproduces Harris in terms of yards. Harris gets more opportunities, somewhere in the mid-teens, but he only registers 60 yards on the ground. He does convert two short-yardage touchdown opportunities though.
Warren adds a big play here and there which boosts his totals. As well, he is a factor in the passing game, reeling in four passes. While he fails to find the end zone, Warren flirts with 100 total yards and looks like the more efficient runner once again.
The wait is finally over, and the Steelers are set to play regular-season football once again this weekend. I like this week one matchup, and I think Pittsburgh has a real chance to make their mark. Keep an eye on these bold predictions as the team takes the field this Sunday.