49ers @ Steelers Week 1 Live Blog

PITTSBURGH -- This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers' Week 1 road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I will update this with information and analysis from the press box.

8:35 Here are the 49ers inactives: Brandon Allen, Nick Zakelj, Kalia Davis, Dee Winters, Jalen Graham, Brayden Willis and Ty Davis-Price.

8:37 The big questions for the 49ers in this game are quarterback Brock Purdy and kicker Jake Moody. Purdy is coming off elbow surgery and never threw a pass that traveled more than 15 yards downfield during the preseason. How much arm strength does he really have? Can he zip the ball into tight windows? And will his arm get fatigued as the game goes on? The 49ers will try to help him as much as possible by moving the pocket and getting the ball out his hands quickly. But when Purdy drops back in the pocket to pass, can the 49ers protect him? When he has time to throw, he's deadly. When he's under pressure, he's ordinary. The Steelers have an excellent pass rush, and the last time Purdy played a full game against a team with great pass rushers, the 49ers scored 19 points against the Cowboys. So I expect this game to be low-scoring a close. Which brings us to Jake Moody, the 49ers' rookie kicker who bombed the preseason before injuring his quad and missing the final exhibition game. Will he miss a field goal today? And if so, will that miss be the difference in the game?

9:42 The 49ers plan to play Nick Bosa 30-40 snaps according to Jay Glazer.

10:00 The 49ers lose the toss and the Steelers elect to receive the opening kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER

10:05 On 3rd and 5 from the Steelers 30, Arik Armstead pressures Kenny Pickett, who scrambles to his left and runs into Drake Jackson, who sacks Pickett for a loss of 10, and the Steelers go 3 and out. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 46.

10:10 On 1st and goal from the 8, Brock Purdy throws a touchdown pass to a wide open Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers got in a rhythm after Christian McCaffrey was stopped for no gain on 3rd and 1 from the Steelers 45. The 49ers went for it, and Purdy completed an 11-yard pass to Kittle for the first down. Then the offense cruised from there.

49ers 7, Steelers 0.

10:16 On 3rd and 5 from the 32, Kenny Pickett throws a prayer downfield and gets intercepted by Charvarius Ward, who returns the ball to the Pittsburgh 48. There's no way the 49ers can lose to a stiff like Pickett.

10:24 On 1st and 10 from the Steelers 26, Spencer Burford commits a holding penalty. Then a few plays later on 3rd and 14 from the Steelers 30, Purdy completes a three-yard pass to George Kittle. Then the Steelers block Jake Moody's 46-yard field goal attempt, but Patrick Peterson is flagged for being offside. So Moody attempts a 41-yard field goal and makes it.

49ers 10, Steelers 0.

10:30 On 3rd and 8 from the Steelers 34, Pickett airmails Diontae Johnson over the middle, and the Steelers go three and out yet again. They have no first downs. The 49ers defense is playing extremely well, clearly. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 32.

SECOND QUARTER

10:45 On 2nd and 12 from the 49ers 19, Brandon Aiyuk runs a fade to the front right pylon and beats Patrick Peterson for his second touchdown catch of the half. Aiyuk is asserting himself as the No. 1 weapon on the 49ers offense. And Brock Purdy's passer rating is 145.8. He's playing quite well, minus the near interception which Peterson dropped during this past drive.

49ers 17, Steelers 0.

10:50 On 3rd and 20 from the Steelers 15, Pickett tries to scramble and gets sacked by Drake Jackson. This omes two plays after Pickett threw a pass directly to Fred Warner but he dropped it. The Steelers are awful and Pickett is worse. During the punt, the Steelers commit a 15-yard facemask penalty to underline just how awful they are. The 49ers take over at midfield.

11:04 On 2nd and 7 from the Steelers 13, Purdy gets sacked and fumbles, but he falls on the ball and recovers it. Next play, he overthrows an open Kittle in the end zone while Trent Williams is flagged for holding. Then Jake Moody makes a 28-yard field goal.

49ers 20, Steelers 0.

11:08 On 3rd and 6 from the Steelers 40, Pickett throws to tight end Pat Friermuth, who slips and drops the ball, and they go three and out again. They have zero first downs. The 49ers have 11. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 24.

11:26 On 3rd and 15 from the Steelers 42, Purdy scrambles to his left and throws the ball. Away the 49ers were driving until Shanahan called four straight passes. After the punt, the Steelers take over at their 5 with 1:33 left in the half.

11:39 On 1st and goal from the 3, Pickett throws a touchdown pass to Friermuth, who beat Dre Greenlaw with a quick out route to the left. That drive started with a 22-yard run by Najee Harris that was capped off by a 15-yard late hit penalty by Deommodore Lenoir. Later in the red zone, Lenoir committed a illegal conact penalty on 3rd and goal from the 6. Rough drive for him. Also a rough drive for Ambry Thomas, who gave up four catches.

49ers 20, Steelers 7.

THIRD QUARTER

11:57 On 2nd and 10 from the 49ers 35, Christian McCaffrey spins, breaks a tackle and runs 65 yards for a touchdown. The Steelers just quit.

49ers 27, Steelers 7.

12:04 On 3rd and 6 from the 49ers 45, Pickett scrambles to his right and throws the ball out of bounds. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 17. This game feels over.

12:10 On 3rd and 6 from the Steelers 46, Colton McKivitz gets beaten by T.J. Watt who sacks Purdy for a nine-yard loss. After the punt, the Steelers take over at their 6.

12:15 On 3rd and 4 from the Steelers 12, Pickett misses an underneath throw to Allen Robinson, and the Steelers go three and out again. Then Ray-Ray McCloud returns the punt to the Steelers 38.

12:20 First play of the drive, Watt beats McKivitz again, sacks Purdy, strips the ball from him and the Steelers recover.

12:27 On 4th and 4 from the 49ers 8, Pickett throws the ball to Friermuth who isn't looking for the ball. Fitting. The 49ers take over.

FOURTH QUARTER

12:38 On 3rd and 2 from the Steelers 45, Purdy floats a pass over Christian McCaffrey's head, and the 49ers punt the ball to the Pittsburgh 4-yard line. Purdy is playing well, but he has almost no zip on his throws.

12:44 On 1st and 10 from the 49ers 48, Pickett throws a pass that gets tipped by Fred Warner and intercepted by Talanoa Hufanga, who returns the ball into Pittsburgh territory and flips an illegal forward lateral to Tashaun Gipson. The 49ers take over at their 49.