The ongoing title for this NFL in-game reaction piece is “Booms and Busts.”
However, for the early window of Sunday’s Week 1, it could have easily been renamed “Busts and Busts.”
Typically, the opening weekend of the NFL season raises the question of rest versus rust. Modern strategy tends to favor resting primary players through most, if not all, of the preseason schedule. Consequently, it often takes some time for offenses to find their rhythm and for skill players to hit their stride.
In Sunday’s first eight games, rust seemed to have the upper hand. Numerous star players and offenses fell short of expectations, resulting in seven games that went under their projected total scores.
49ers Shine in Season Opener Amidst the struggles, there was a bright spot worth highlighting. The San Francisco 49ers, considered one of the top Super Bowl contenders, kicked off their season with a resounding 30-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
To be fair, the final score hardly does justice to the Niners’ dominance in this game, as it was never truly competitive. San Francisco combined efficiency with big plays, amassing an impressive 391 yards of offense against a formidable Steelers defense. It appears that there may be multiple effective strategies at play within the 49ers’ offense.
