The San Francisco 49ers have been positioned as a top five team throughout the entirety of the offseason, and following their 30-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the team put the entire league on notice. San Francisco charges ahead into Week 2 as the No. 1 ranked team across multiple national outlets.
The 49ers dominant performance in the opener was a masterclass on complementary football. All three phases of the ball contributed crucial plays to build an early against Pittsburgh and sustain it for all 60 minutes of regulation. The defense got things going early and racked up 5.0 sacks and two interceptions on the day. On offense, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk recorded the third two-touchdown game of his career, and Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey sprinted 65-yards down the field to reach the end zone. Special teams accounted for 12 of the team's 30 points.
Let's take a look at what national outlets had to say about the 49ers headed into Week 2:
Lead Draft Writer Eric Edholm
"The 49ers dominated the first half against the Steelers and delivered the knockout blow to Pittsburgh two plays into the third quarter. Christian McCaffrey's 65-yard run started with perfect execution up front. McCaffrey spun past the Steelers Levi Wallace and was aided by blocks from WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Ray-Ray McCloud III. It was just a devastating play from a 49ers offense that was in full command on the road in Week 1. I suspected San Francisco's defense would pick up where it left off, and it did just that. But the offensive explosion was the Week 1 headline, answering any questions anyone might have about the ability or health of QB Brock Purdy. Truly brilliant stuff."
NFL Writer Nick Wagoner
"Apologies to rookie kicker Jake Moody, who had a flawless debut, but Hargrave's presence on the interior sparked a dominant performance by the defensive line. The Niners had the best defense in the league last season without getting much pressure from the interior, but Javon Hargrave and a healthy Arik Armstead look intent on changing that in a significant way."
NFL Writer Pete Prisco
"They were the most-dominant team on opening day. The defense looked like it had 13 guys on the field against the Steelers. The offense showed up too. Brock Purdy is just fine."
NFL Writer Mike Florio
"They've been knocking on the door for five years. They might be getting ready to kick it in."
