Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the first half to catapult the Pittsburgh Steelers to their first win of the season, a 43-18 trouncing against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday at Heinz Field. Playing in front of the largest regular season crowd in Heinz Field history, Roethlisberger gave them more than enough to cheer and be happy about throwing for 369 yards and three touchdowns for the game.
Leading the receiving core for the Steelers for was Antonio Brown, Roethlisberger’s top target, who had nine catches for 195 yards and a touchdown on the day.
Pittsburgh got on the board in the first quarter with a touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to tight end Heath Miller to put the Steelers up six as Brown would get two points by way for a Roethlisberger pass for the two-point conversion.
First-year head coach Jim Tomsula, a graduate of Steel Valley High School, had his 49ers get on the board early in the second quarter on a Phil Dawson field goal to cut the lead to five. San Francisco dominated offensive possession the entire game having the ball for 36:59, but quarterback Colin Kaepernick never seemed to get comfortable going against the Pittsburgh defense.
The 49ers offense had three drives over five minutes long and were only able to get three points out of them. San Francisco had 409 yards of total offense taking 82 plays to do so.
Kaepernick threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns, however he was sacked five times in a losing effort.
In comparison, the Steelers recorded 453 total yards of offense in 52 plays. Pittsburgh amassed 369 yards through the air and 84 on the ground to ruin Tomsula’s homecoming.
Leading Pittsburgh on the ground was D’Angelo Williams, filling in for LeVeon Bell who was suspended the first two games of the season. Williams ran for three Steelers touchdowns gaining 77 yards rushing on 20 attempts.
Torrey Smith led the 49ers in receiving hauling in six passes for 120 yards and a touchdowns while also catching a pass for a successful two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Anquan Boldin brought in the the other Kaepernick touchdown pass in the fourth and had 60 yards receiving on the day.
Pittsburgh was 5-5 in the red zone today, and went 2-2 on two-point conversions. The Steelers only blemish was a missed Josh Scobee kick after Darius Heyward-Bey’s touchdown reception.
Pittsburgh is still without Bell as well as Martavis Bryant who are still suspended. Bell will return next week against St. Louis while Bryant will be returning in Week 5.
“When we get all our pieces back to this puzzle, it’s going to be a beautiful puzzle man,” Williams said.
Score By Quarter
San Francisco 0 3 0 15
Pittsburgh 8 21 0 14
First Quarter:
Steelers: Miller 2-yard pass from Roethlisberger (Brown pass from Roethlisberger for two-point conversion)
Second Quarter:
49ers: Dawson 47-yard field goal
Steelers: Williams 2-yard rush (Miller pass from Roethlisberger for two-point conversion)
Steelers: Heyward-Bey 35-yard pass from Roethlisberger (Scobee kick failed)
Steelers: Williams 2-yard rush (Scobee kick)
Fourth Quarter:
49ers: Boldin 14-yard pass from Kaepernick (Dawson kick)
Steelers: Williams 1-yard rush (Scobee kick)
49ers: Smith 75-yard pass from Kaepernick (Smith pass from Kaepernick for two-point conversion)
Steelers: Brown 7-yard pass from Roethlisberger (Scobee kick)
Photo credit: @Steelers
