After playing a late Monday game, the 49ers have a short turnaround, heading to Pittsburgh to ring in the Steelers home schedule. Pittsburgh had plenty of time to figure out what went wrong in their opener, a loss to the defending champs, and we’ll see if they did.
The Steelers are happy to be home where they’ve won eight of nine openers under coach Mike Tomlin.
ODDS
The oddsmakers like the Steelers at home, pegging Pittsburgh as 6.5-point chalk to open. The betting public apparently liked what they saw from the Niners in their Monday night win and wagered that down to -6. The total opened at 44 and spiked to 46.
KEY INJURIES
Reggie Bush – Suffered a strained calf and not a tear during Monday’s game and is listed as questionable. His absence paved the way for Carlos Hyde to run wild for 168 yards and two scores.
Cortez Allen – Missed practice time early in the week with a knee injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday. He saw significant playing time in the opener despite backing up Antwon Blake at the corner. Brandon Boykin, who didn’t play against New England, has returned to practice and could see time this week if Allen is ruled out.
Pittsburgh’s running back Le’Veon Bell, receiver Martavis Bryant, and 49ers’ receiver Jerome Simpson all remain out while serving their league-imposed suspensions.
KEY MISMATCH
The Vikings had no answer for Niners defensive coordinator Eric Mangini’s wildly unpredictable schemes and blitz-heavy packages. SF racked up five sacks against Minnesota by five different players with three of those coming from safeties. Besides harassing Teddy Bridgewater with eight hits and a 79.0 rating on 23 of 32 passing with a Tramaine Brock interception, the 49ers limited All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson, playing for the first time since the 2014 opener, to 31 yards on 10 carries. From series to series, the blitzing seemed to rattle Bridgewater, who didn’t pick up open spots on the field until late in the game when the outcome was decided. “He dialed it up today,” 49ers nose tackle Ian Williams said of Mangini. “He was hitting on all of his calls and we were able to go out there and execute like he wanted.”
KEY STAT
3.0 – San Francisco’s points allowed. Sure it’s only one game, but the Niners throttled the Vikings, limiting them to just a field goal in their 20-3 win on Monday night. They’ll face a stiffer test in the well-rested Steelers, but SF will make Big Ben work for everything.
BETTING ANGLE
The 49ers played a late game Monday night, finishing off Week 1 of the NFL schedule. Now they traverse the country for what amounts to a 10 a.m. PT game on Sunday. Already facing the third-toughest schedule in the league, based on last year’s winning percentages, it’s an opening two-weeks that will surely test the young group. Not only that, the Steelers will be playing on 10-day’s rest, having opened the season on a Thursday night. But the Niners aren’t complaining. It’s all part of being in the league, according to coach Jim Tomsula. “We looked at that and planned accordingly,” the first-year coach said after throttling the Vikings on Monday.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Steelers got what amounted to a bye week after playing the Thursday opener then watching the rest of the league battle it out Sunday and Monday. The extended rest will help in solving problems with the team’s defense. The Niners played with a lot of emotion while thumping the Vikings in a surprisingly easy victory. They’re not going to be that easy and Carlos Hyde won’t be running wild against an aggressive Steelers front seven. Ben Roethlisberger will have success against a 49ers secondary that wasn’t tested last week, and the Niners will be just what we thought they’d be.
Pittsburgh 23 San Francisco 17
BookMaker sent out the NFL lines for this Sunday game at Pittsburgh -6.5 with a total of 44. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off Sunday, September 20, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Heinz Field. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
