After a huge offseason filled with roster moves, it is finally game week. The Pittsburgh Steelers have assembled an impressive roster loaded with depth and are hoping to get off to a fast start after the San Francisco 49ers at Acrisure Stadium.
Last season the Niners were 13-4 and had the second-best record in the NFC. Pittsburgh is facing a steep challenge right out of the gate. But here are the four reasons the Steelers will win on Sunday.
That home crowd
Steelers fans haven’t gotten a season opener at home in a long time so Pittsburgh is going to have the textbook definition of the home-field advantage.
Niners could be minus two stars
San Francisco got starting quarterback Brock Purdy back but could be minus two of the team’s best players. Edge rusher Nick Bosa is still holding out while he waits on a new contract and tight end George Kittle’s status is in jeopardy as he deals with a groin injury.
The return of T.J. Watt
Lord have mercy on every offensive tackle who squares off against T.J. Watt this season during his revenge tour. After missing seven games in 2022, Watt is focused on putting it behind him and reminding the NFL of what he’s capable of.
Battle of the 2022 quarterbacks favors the Steelers
This week’s showdown will be against the first quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL draft versus the last one taken in the same draft. We applaud what Brock Purdy was able to do last season and his comeback from his elbow injury but Kenny Pickett has been near-perfect this offseason and has taken his game to another level.
