Steelers schedule release: Which game odds were impacted the most?

Game #1: Steelers vs San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the NFC’s top teams over the past few years, making appearances in multiple conference championship games and even Super Bowl LIV. Last season, they were one of the league’s most exciting squads to watch thanks to the emergence of rookie QB Brock Purdy.

Their ability to knock on the door of a Super Bowl so consistently makes the 49ers one of the first groups to pop out on a schedule, and the minute I saw them on Pittsburgh’s, I thought for sure that they would hand my Steelers a loss without breaking a sweat. Yet based on their placement in the schedule, I am no longer so discouraged.

Pittsburgh has the great fortune of facing San Francisco to open the season, and that just might have been the best possible time for the pair's playdate to be set up.

Along with having the privilege of playing at home, the Steelers will have the comforts of being well-rested and not having anything major riding on the result. If I had to address one factor that I feel really brings things home, though, it would be their recent opening-week performances.

Pittsburgh has lost only one season opener since 2015, and its last two have been road wins over Buffalo and Cincinnati—both of which have been praised for sitting atop the AFC as of late.

If those moments serve as any implication of what the Steelers are planning to bring to the table this time around, their chances of getting the upset victory could have only skyrocketed since Thursday night.