In Game 1 of the 2015 season on Monday night, the 49ers were solid in all areas in a convincing victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
In Game 2 Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Niners looked as if they’d brought their junior varsity in being thoroughly pounded by the Steelers, 43-18.
Now at 1-1, the 49ers are suddenly a mystery team again as they’ll try to rebound this coming week against the Cardinals in Arizona.
Are they the team that was efficient on offense, defense and special teams on opening night? Or are they the troubled, mistake-prone group in Pittsburgh?
Or, were the Vikings an overrated team, ripe for the picking? Certainly, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown almost tore the 49ers seconday apart on their own.
Roethlisberger stayed calm against a 49ers pass rush that had five sacks against the Vikes and carved up the 49ers pass defense. He completed 21-of-27 throws for 369 yards and three touchdowns. Brown – who led the NFL in receiving yards in 2014 – ran free all day, with nine catches for 195 yards and a TD.
The Steelers running game, too, was effective, with DeAngelo Williams running for 77 yards and three scores.
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The 49ers fell behind early and really didn’t get their offense moving until the fourth quarter when the game already was decided.
The Steelers went up 8-0 early on a Roethlisberger TD pass to Heath Miller and a two-point conversion. The 49ers tried to respond following that score, putting together a 17-play drive that stalled in the red zone. San Francisco had to settle for a 47-yard field goal by Phil Dawson. Pittsburgh then responded with three unanswered TDs before halftime to take a 29-3 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the San Francisco offense opened up, producing two touchdown passes from Colin Kaepernick, to Anquan Boldin (14 yards) and Torrey Smith (75 yards), plus another long drive that ended on the Pittsburgh 1-yard line.
Kaepernick, who was under pressure for most of the game and sacked five times, completed 33-of-46 passes for 335 yards and the two scores. The scoring throws were his first in the fourth quarter since 2013. The completions and yardage were career highs. Smith caught six of those passes for 120 yards. Carlos Hyde carried 14 times for 43 yards, but was knocked out of the game in the second half with a head injury. He was cleared to return, but his status for this week is likely uncertain.
Also uncertain is the 49ers’ pass defense, which was shredded by Roethlisberger and Co. on Sunday.
The 49ers will have a week to get ready for another potent passing offense led by Carson Palmer.
