Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett and his offensive line teammates took a “prepare for the worst and hope for the best” approach in their prep for the season-opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
Nick Bosa, defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was in a contract dispute with the 49ers that wasn’t resolved on Tuesday when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke to reporters after practice.
“We are preparing for Bosa,” Tomlin said during Tuesday’s weekly news conference. “It is prudent for us to assume that he’s going to be there and prepare in that vein as opposed to be surprised.”
Tomlin hasn’t had a losing record in his 16 seasons as an NFL coach and knows a thing or two about football. He was proven right less than 24 hours later when Wednesday’s report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter said that the 49ers and Bosa agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension, including $122.5 million guaranteed, less than four days away from Sunday’s Week 1 game.
Bosa had 18 1/2 sacks, 51 tackles, two forced fumbles and 58 quarterback pressures (third in the NFL) last season for a 49ers team that lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
Perhaps the happiest person about Bosa’s signing is 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy. A defense led by Bosa makes life easier for any signal-caller, especially in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. The 49ers parted with first-round pick quarterback Trey Lance, signaling trust in Purdy.
Despite Purdy returning from an elbow injury that rendered him an ineffective passer in the loss against the Eagles, Tomlin expects consistency for Purdy in Shanahan’s system.
“It doesn’t put them in a lot of adverse circumstances. It keeps them on schedule. And doing so minimizes the potential for negativity,” Tomlin told reporters on Monday after practice. “It’s a great platform, particularly for a young guy to play and gain experience, and I think it’s reflective of Purdy’s journey a year ago and their collective journey a year ago. But I imagine his growth and development in that experience has him and them ready to take another step, just like we are with our young quarterback.”
Regarding Tomlin’s young quarterback, Pickett’s performance during his rookie year was rocky. His 76.4 quarterback rating was the second-worst in the league. He led the team to comeback wins on last-second drives against the Las Vegas Raiders and AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers are hoping for a full season of games from their star defensive lineman T.J. Watt. Pittsburgh allowed 389.9 yards and 25.3 points per game on defense in the seven games Watt missed with a torn pectoral muscle, compared to 16.9 points and less than 300 yards per game in the games Watt played.
Based on the close betting line, oddsmakers are expecting a tight ballgame. Let’s get into how to watch and betting info for the Week 1 game.
How to Watch the 49ers at Steelers
The Steelers host the 49ers at 1 p.m. Sunday ET from the building formerly known as Heinz Field, now called Acrisure Stadium. Fox will air the game with Joe Davis (play-by-play) and Daryl Johnston (analyst) on the call. Fans in Pittsburgh can tune into the radio broadcast on WDVE 102.5. Bay Area locals can listen to the game on KNBR 680 AM / 104.5 FM.
Betting Info
Oddsmakers at FanDuel, as of Wednesday, have the Steelers as a 2.5-point underdog at home against the 49ers. A money line wager on Pittsburgh would pay $212, with odds at +112 for a Steelers win. The over/under is 41.5 points.