Pittsburgh Has That “Well-Oiled Machine” Look
Pittsburgh 37 - San Francisco 16
“Welcome my son. Welcome to the machine.”
- Pink Floyd
Pittsburgh was firing on all cylinders by the time this one ended. The Steelers are flying under the national radar and very quietly making an impact. Impressive!
Quick Thoughts
Pittsburgh showed a little more of it’s offensive weaponry in this game. The Niners defense was tough, holding Ward and Holmes at bay for most of the game. No problemo! Ben just threw to the Tight Ends who were open all day.
It’s difficult not to expect a great performance from a Steeler defense anymore. It seems that fans expect perfection and we’re rarely disappointed in their production. Just another day at the office I suppose. One issue that did concern me, though. Alex Smith, although pressured a lot, was effective rolling out and throwing against the D. Be prepared to see something like that from opponents in upcoming weeks.
Special Teams finally showed up in this one as well! That last minute trade for Rossum is looking like a pretty good move on Tomlin’s part so far.
Hidden Play of the Game
“Hidden Plays” are the ones you rarely see in the highlights, but they are key performances that help determine the outcome of a game.
The Steelers up 20-9 early in the 4th quarter. With the odd officiating decision to overturn a live pass into an incompletion on the previous play put the 49ers in a 3rd & 9 position. James Farrior gets the sack and moves the Niners out of field goal range; basically sealing the game.
By the time San Francisco got the ball back, Pittsburgh was ahead 23-9. This forced the 49ers into attempting two touchdowns in 5 minutes. Ain’t gonna happen!
Missed Opportunites
“Missed Opportunities” are the crucial points in a game that teams fail to take advantage of. The consequences can sometimes be disasterous.
In the 1st quarter with Pittsburgh on top 7-3, the Niners sack Ben. He fumbles the ball and gives San Francisco great field position and a possible momentum shift. Fortunately for the Steelers, their defense stepped up once again and denied the opposition a touchdown forcing them to settle for three. The Steelers would eventually take a 17-6 lead before San Francisco could score again.
A touchdown in that situation, instead of a field goal, would’ve made the score at that time 10-7 San Francisco. It could have definately changed the way both teams approached the final period because the score would have been 17-10 and it would have given the Niners a great opportunity to tie the game.
Quote of the Game
“”It’s great to be 3-0.”
-Mike Tomlin
So what’s your analysis of the game? Come and tell the Swami what you think!