by
- Pittsburgh is a 2.5-point home underdog against the 49ers in Week 1 of the NFL season
- Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa may miss the matchup due to a contract dispute
- Sunday’s game kicks off from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA at 1 pm ET
Don’t tell Steelers fans that the preseason doesn’t matter. Kenny Pickett dominated in three appearances this August, completing 13-of-15 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Pittsburgh’s sophomore led five scoring drives in five tries, finishing with a 158.3 QB rating and a 94.7 PFF grade, topping all quarterbacks in both statistics.
Week 1 provides the real test, however, as Pickett hosts Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers. Before we check the odds on Sunday’s game, here’s where you can find the best Super Bowl betting tips and the top betting sites for NFL football in 2023.
Steelers vs 49ers
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| San Francisco 49ers | -2.5 (-110) | -138 | Ov 41 (-107) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +2.5 (-110) | +118 | Un 41 (-113) |
San Francisco missing key pieces
San Francisco is a 2.5-point road favorite on Sunday. The 49ers may be without both reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, who skipped training camp while trying to negotiate a new deal, and George Kittle, who missed practice on Monday with a groin injury. Otherwise, Kyle Shanahan’s club is loaded on both sides of the ball.
Christian McCaffery enters his first full season in the Bay Area after amassing 746 rushing yards, 464 receiving yards and 10 total TDs in 11 games with the Niners in 2022. The aforementioned Kittle, Deebo Samuel and breakout candidate Brandon Aiyuk also give sophomore QB Brock Purdy a plethora of weapons in the passing game.
#49ers Nick Bosa is not on the field as the team holds their first practice to gear up for Week 1 against The Steelers, per @MaioccoNBCS pic.twitter.com/ry2RaqbeiM
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) September 4, 2023
Brock Purdy enters year 2
Brock Purdy tossed two-or-more TDs in seven consecutive games after taking over as the 49ers starter in Week 13. However, Mr. Irrelevant’s Cinderella season took an ugly turn in the NFC Championship Game when he tore his UCL against the Eagles.
Now fully healthy and ahead of only Sam Darnold on the depth chart with Trey Lance in Dallas, Purdy enters year 2 as the only question mark on San Francisco’s Super Bowl caliber roster.
Is Kenny Pickett for real?
After a 2-6 start, the 2022 Steelers surged down the stretch and barely missed the postseason with a 9-8 record. Pickett threw 4 TDs and only 1 INT over his final four games and showed improved arm strength and accuracy throughout the preseason. While San Francisco’s defense should provide a stiff test, what if Nick Bosa is not on the field?
According to Pro Football Focus, the Niners’ pass rusher extraordinaire has racked up 165 pressures and 35 sacks over the past two seasons. Without Bosa, Pickett will have time to pick apart a weak secondary and find talented pass catchers such as Diontae Johnson and sophomore George Pickens.
every single Kenny Pickett preseason attempt pic.twitter.com/q1TmCCOgOM
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 26, 2023
Best Bet
While everyone is talking about Nick Bosa, people are forgetting that the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt, is also playing in this game. In addition to a healthy Watt, Alex Highsmith had a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2022 and fourth-round pick Nick Herbig was a revelation in the preseason.
After leading the NFL in sacks for five straight seasons before last year, this Steelers defense may again be among the best in the league. With improved play from Pickett, we like Pittsburgh to score the upset at home.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
