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Week 3 Game Recap: San Francisco 49ers 16, Pittsburgh Steelers 37
What you need to know
| San Francisco 49ers |
The 49ers came into this contest as the first team with fewer than 400 yards of total offense to start 2-0 since the NFL merger. They mounted a strong eleven play opening drive that kept the Steeler defense off balance with a variety of passing plays mixed in with Frank Gore runs. San Francisco had to settle for a 3-0 lead (on a 32 yard Joe Nedney field goal) after the offense stalled at the Pittsburgh 14 yard line. That lead would last all of 12 seconds; Allen Rossum went untouched for a 98 yard score on the following kickoff.
Frank Gore struggled to find running room against the stout Pittsburgh defense and finished with only 39 yards on 14 carries, his lowest rushing total since the 2005 season, when he shared time with Kevan Barlow in the 49ers backfield.
With only four catches for 27 yards in San Francisco's first two games, tight end, Vernon Davis, asked coach, Mike Nolan, to be a bigger part of the San Francisco offense. Against the Steelers, Davis was the focus of the 49ers passing game. He was targeted seven times and had four catches for 56 yards in the first half. Davis sprained his knee during a controversial play on the 49ers' first drive of the third quarter and did not return to the game. On the play, Davis had to leap for a high pass. Troy Polamalu upended Davis just as his feet came down. Davis flipped and when he landed, the ball popped out. It was plucked out of the air by Ryan Clark for an apparent interception. The 49ers challenged the play and somehow the referee ruled that the pass was incomplete despite the fact that the football never touched the ground.
Alex Smith did his best to keep the 49ers in the game, but was unable to hit any big plays to his wide receivers until late in the game, when he hit Taylor Jacobs for a 21 yard touchdown pass for San Francisco's first passing touchdown this season. Earlier in the game, Smith threw his first interception of the season. Bryant McFadden picked off Smith's errant pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.
| Pittsburgh Steelers |
The 49ers offense had the Steelers' defense back on their feet early in the game. San Francisco marched down the field on an eleven play drive to open the game and kept the Steel Curtain off balance. However, Pittsburgh's unit stiffened and held the 49ers to a field goal. The deficit was the first time the Steelers have trailed all season. It lasted only twelve seconds. Return specialist, Allen Rossum, streaked 98 yards untouched with the ensuing kickoff. The Steelers never trailed again. Pittsburgh held San Francisco to three Joe Nedney field goals until Alex Smith found Taylor Jacobs for a 22 yard strike with only 2:22 remaining. By that time, the game was well at hand.
The Steelers stifled San Francisco's attempts to establish a running game by holding Frank Gore to 22 yards in the first half and 39 yards in the game. No opposing runner has rushed for 100 yards against the Steelers in the past 28 games.
Willie Parker continued his hot start with his third straight 100 yard game to open the season. Parker ran 24 times for 133 yards. He is averaging five yards per carry and leads the NFL with 368 yards.
Ben Roethlisberger ran the offense efficiently. He was six of seven for 55 yards and a touchdown in the first half. With the Pittsburgh ground game rolling, Roethlisberger did not have to throw the ball often. He finished 13 of 20 for 160 yards.
Hines Ward left the game with a knee injury. The Steelers plan to hold him out of practice Wednesday, but hope he will be ready to go next Sunday.
Steelers' coach, Mike Tomlin, has started the season 3-0 just like his predecessor, Bill Cowher, did 15 years ago.
What you ought to know
| QB Alex Smith, Pass: 17 - 35 - 209 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 32 - 0 |
Smith focused on his tight ends in this game. He targeted Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker on ten of his eighteen first half pass attempts and 15 times during the game. He connected with Davis four times for 56 yards to account for half of San Francisco's total offense before halftime. Smith only attempted five passes to his wide receivers in the first half. He completed only one of them for 12 yards to Darrell Jackson. Smith was unable to hit a wide receiver on a big play until the game was effectively over. Taylor Jacobs' 21 yard touchdown reception was Smith's first touchdown of the season.
Smith also threw his first interception of the season. There appeared to be a miscommunication on the play. Smith expected Jacobs to run an out. Jacobs instead cut in and Bryant McFadden was there waiting for the errant pass. McFadden returned the pick 50 yards for a touchdown to put the game away. The Steelers blitzed Smith frequently, forcing him to hurry passes or take off on the run. Smith remained composed, but was unable to complete half of his passes in the game. Smith did show that he is a nifty runner; he scrambled three times for 32 yards. Smith's 25 yard scamper was San Francisco's longest ground gain and tied his personal career long run.
| RB Frank Gore, Rush: 14 - 39 - 0, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) |
Gore missed one day of practice to attend his mother's funeral. He found little room to run against the Pittsburgh defense. Gore had an eight yard gain early in the game. His other ten carries in the first half netted only 14 yards. After halftime, Gore had only three rushing attempts. He registered gains of eleven and five yards before San Francisco abandoned the running game. Gore's final carry netted only a yard.
Gore caught two short passes for 12 yards.
| RB Michael Robinson, Rush: 2 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) |
Robinson's seven yard gain on an inside draw play converted a third and six into a first down. He took one other inside handoff for a short one yard gain. Robinson was targeted once, but did not catch a pass.
| RB Moran Norris (1 targets) |
The 49ers fullback was targeted once unsuccessfully on a dump off attempt.
| RB Maurice Hicks (1 targets) |
Hicks was targeted once unsuccessfully. He returned four kickoffs for a 21 yard average.
| WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 4 - 69 - 0 (8 targets) |
Jackson led the 49ers in receiving yardage. He caught only one pass for twelve yards in the first half, however, and was unable to get open deep downfield. Jackson did a nice job of getting both feet down in bounds on a sideline route in the second half.
| WR Arnaz Battle, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (3 targets) |
Battle was targeted three times in the second half. He converted two first downs with receptions of eleven and 16 yards. Battle also gained eight yards on a reverse. On the play, Battle delivered a blow to Troy Polamalu rather than go out of bounds.
| WR Taylor Jacobs, Rec: 2 - 26 - 1 (3 targets) |
Jacobs' first catch of the season netted five yards. He was targeted on the next play, but wasn't on the same page as Alex Smith. Jacobs cut in (away from the coverage), when Smith expected him to cut out. The pass was intercepted by Bryant McFadden and resulted in a Steeler touchdown.
Late in the game, Jacobs hauled in Smith's first touchdown pass of the season. It was his first touchdown reception since his rookie year with the Redskins in 2003.
| WR Ashley Lelie (1 targets) |
Lelie was targeted once in the first half. Smith threw what looked to be a perfect strike. However, Lelie cut lazily out of his break and made a half-hearted one handed attempt to catch the pass.
| TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 4 - 56 - 0 (8 targets) |
Davis was the focal point of the 49er offense in the first half. He hauled in four first half passes for 56 yards. His best play went for a 32 yard gain on a quick screen pass to the left. Davis was targeted on consecutive plays in the end zone before San Francisco settled for Joe Nedney's first field goal.
Davis streaked open down the middle on San Francisco's opening second half possession, but Alex Smith's pass was a little high. Davis had to leap to corral the ball. He was hit low by Troy Polamalu just as his feet came down. Davis ended up flipping. When he hit the ground, the ball popped up. It was caught by Ryan Clark. Mike Nolan challenged the play and the officials ruled incomplete pass. Davis sprained his knee on the play and did not return.
Davis dropped a pass on a third and five play in the first half.
| TE Delanie Walker, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (7 targets) |
Walker was targeted seven times as San Francisco focused the passing games on its tight ends. Walker caught three passes. Despite the attention he received from Smith, Walker was unimpressive; he gained only 19 yards and dropped two passes he could have caught.
| PK Joe Nedney 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points |
Nedney accounted for all of San Francisco's points until the game was essentially over. He hit field goals of 32, 22, and 49 yards and converted his only extra point try. Nedney remains perfect on the season.
| SF Rush Defense |
Willie Parker had his way with the 49ers defense and ran for 133 yards. Overall, San Francisco allowed the Steelers to run for 205 yards at over a six yard per carry clip. Najeh Davenport busted through a seam for a 39 yard touchdown run, when Pittsburgh was trying to run out the clock. Marques Douglas led the 49ers with seven solo tackles and an assist.
| SF Pass Defense |
With Pittsburgh controlling the game on the ground, Ben Roethlisberger only needed to throw 20 passes. Roethlisberger completed sixty five percent of those for 160 yards and one touchdown. San Francisco sacked Roethlisberger twice. Hannibal Navies recorded a trifecta with a sack, forced fumble and recovery. Marques Douglas and Michael Lewis shared the other sack.
| QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 13 - 20 - 160 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 18 - 0 |
With Willie Parker rolling on the ground, Roethlisberger attempted only seven passes in the first half. He completed six of them for 55 yards. He found Jerame Tuman for a nine yard touchdown strike late in the second quarter. Roethlisberger completed seven of 13 passes in the second half. He fumbled once, when Hannibal Navies sacked him and was able to knock the ball from his hand. However, Roethlisberger was adept at avoiding the rush to buy time to throw. He is so big and strong, that he can shrug off defensive linemen. He only tucked the ball to run once, but showed his mobility with an 18 yard gain.
| QB Charlie Batch, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
Batch had one kneel-down play to end the game.
| RB Willie Parker, Rush: 24 - 133 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) |
Parker leads the NFL in rushing and has run for over 100 yards all three games this season. He gained more than seven yards per carry in the first half and averaged 5.5 for the game. Parker uses his speed to accelerate through holes or get around the edge. What makes him special, however, is his patience to wait for the hole to develop. On one play, Parker executed a beautiful stutter step. When the hole opened, he pounced for a 15 yard gain. He had a long run of 23 yards.
Parker is proving to be a workhouse. He led the NFL with 50 carries coming into the game and added 24 more attempts. There is some concern that the Steelers may be giving him too big of a load. So far, however, he is holding up well.
Parker caught one pass for a nine yard gain.
| RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 5 - 47 - 1 |
Davenport had two carries prior to garbage time. He gained a first down on a third and one play. He ran for 46 of his yards on three consecutive carries with the Steelers trying to run out the clock. He found a seam on the last of those carries and went 39 yards for a score. Davenport exhibited enough speed to outrun the defense once he broke through the hole.
Davenport returned one kickoff for 12 yards.
| RB Carey Davis, Rec: 3 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) |
Davis caught all three of his targets. He had one ten yard gain. The other two grabs combined to lose a yard.
| WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 3 - 49 - 0 (4 targets) |
Holmes caught all three of his passes in the second half. The fourth target resulted in a defensive holding penalty on Nate Clements.
| WR Hines Ward, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (3 targets) |
Ward caught one short pass for two yards. He dropped a potential catch on a play where he took a big hit. On the following play, Roethlisberger's pass was off target and Ward took another big shot.
Ward gained seven yards to convert a first down on a direct snap play.
Ward left the game with a knee injury. The Steelers plan to give him Wednesday off, but hope he will be available to play in week four.
| WR Cedrick Wilson, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) |
Wilson was targeted once. Wilson, a high school quarterback, ran an end around and appeared to be looking to throw, but instead tucked the ball, reversed field and might have run for a long touchdown, if not for the open field tackle by Nate Clements.
| WR Nate Washington (2 targets) |
Washington did not catch a pass as both balls thrown to him were off target.
| TE Heath Miller, Rec: 4 - 82 - 0 (5 targets) |
Miller was targeted a team high five times. He had a very good game and led the Steelers with four catches for 82 yards. Miller had receptions of 16, 20, 29, and 17 yards. He had an acrobatic 16 yard reception reversed, when he was ruled out of bounds.
| TE Jerame Tuman, Rec: 1 - 9 - 1 (1 targets) |
Tuman made the most of his one target; it resulted in a nine yard touchdown reception.
| TE Matt Spaeth |
Spaeth missed the game with an injured quadriceps.
| PK Jeff Reed 3 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 13 points |
Reed remains perfect on the season with nine field goals and ten extra point conversions. Reed hit field goals of 36, 49, and 35 yards. The 49 yarder would have been good from much deeper.
| PIT Rush Defense |
The Steelers shut down Frank Gore, limiting him to his lowest total since 2005. The Pittsburgh rush defense has not allowed a 100 yard rusher in 28 straight games. Troy Polamalu led the defense with five solo tackles and three assists.
| PIT Pass Defense |
The Steelers pass defense held Alex Smith under a 50 percent completion rate. They were especially tough on 49er wide receivers, who caught only one pass before halftime. Pittsburgh sacked Smith twice, but pressured him throughout and frequently forced him to throw early. James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley tallied the Pittsburgh sacks.
Bryant McFadden sealed the game with an interception and 50 yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter. McFadden did a nice job cutting across the field and setting up his blocks.
