49ers vs Steelers Week 1 Prediction & Picks: CMC Finds Paydirt
Written by: Devon Platana
Last Update: Sat Sep 09, 2023, 7:43 pm ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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There's excitement in the air as Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season is finally here. One of Sunday's biggest games puts two of the league's most storied franchises head-to-head as the San Francisco 49ers pay a visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET.
Betting News has been covering the NFL Week 1 betting opportunities all week and that doesn't change with this matchup.
Continue reading for your one-stop shop for all 49ers vs Steelers betting needs, from the latest game odds and matchup information to the best bets.
49ers vs Steelers Week 1 Preview
SF vs. PIT Game Information
- Matchup: San Francisco 49ers (0-0, 0-0 Away) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0, 0-0 Home)
- Venue & Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023
- Game Time: 1 p.m. Eastern Time
- Where to Watch 49ers vs Steelers: FOX
49ers vs Steelers Odds
NFL game odds courtesy of Bovada as of Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7:42 p.m. ET. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.
Spread
- San Francisco 49ers -2 (-115)
- Pittsburgh Steelers +2 (-105)
Over/Under
- Over 42 Points (-110)
- Under 42 Points (-110)
Moneyline
- San Francisco 49ers -135
- Pittsburgh Steelers +115
49ers vs Steelers Betting Trends
- San Francisco is 6-3 straight up in its last nine games against Pittsburgh.
- Pittsburgh is 1-4 straight up in its last five games played in September.
- San Francisco is 2-4 ATS in its last six games played in September.
- Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in its last five games played on a Sunday.
- The total has hit the under in six of San Francisco's last seven games against the AFC North.
- The total has hit the over in each of Pittsburgh's last five home games against San Francisco.
49ers vs Steelers Week 1 Game Preview
The 49ers look to carry last season's late momentum into the new campaign.
After an abysmal 3-4 start to the 2022 season, the 49ers went on to win 12 consecutive contests before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. While the loss was disappointing, it had more to do with quarterback Brock Purdy tearing the UCL in his throwing arm than it did with San Francisco's play.
Fortunately, Purdy has had the summer to heal and looks to pick up from where he left off.
Between the regular season and playoffs, the 23-year-old gunslinger completed 67.4% of his passes for 1,667 yards and 16 touchdowns to three interceptions in his last nine games.
With dangerous offensive weapons like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel at his disposal, Purdy won't have an issue finding more success.
The Steelers' offense needs to have a big game if they hope to keep pace with the 49ers' attack.
Pittsburgh had one of the most lethargic offenses last season, averaging just 322.6 total yards (No. 23 in the NFL) and 18.1 points (T-No. 26) per game. For reference, San Francisco averaged 365.6 total yards (No. 5) and 26.5 points (No. 6).
The Steelers' offense improvement hinges on second-year QB Kenny Pickett. He has plenty of talented weapons around him (Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, George Pickens, etc.), so there's no excuse for him to finish with more INTs (9) than he did TDs (7) as a rookie.
Still, succeeding won't be easy. The 49ers' defense is as elite as they come, allowing the fewest points and offensive yards while generating 1.8 turnovers per game (No. 2).
In other words, Pickett & Co. must play mistake-free football, which could be easier said than done after the Steelers averaged the 10th-most turnovers at home in 2022 (1.4).
49ers vs Steelers Prediction and Best Bets
49ers vs Steelers Prediction: 49ers 24, Steelers 17
49ers vs Steelers Picks: 49ers -2 (Best Value: -115 on Bovada ) & Christian McCaffrey Any Time Touchdown (-115 on Bovada)
The 49ers are Super Bowl contenders and won't have an issue beating the Steelers. San Francisco's offense has too many weapons for Pittsburgh to shut down while the defense won't give the home team much breathing space. As a result, take the favorites to cover.
Another 49ers vs Steelers bet I like is Christian McCaffrey scoring a touchdown (-115). The dual-threat running back racked up 13 total touchdowns last year and now gets to face the Steelers, who were tied for allowing the most receiving TDs to RBs last year.
Considering how he also scored three TDs in his only previous trip to the Steel City, let's go with McCaffrey finding paydirt again.
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Devon is a Master of Journalism graduate who joined the sports betting world in 2020. His favorite leagues to cover are the NHL, NBA and NFL, and has a soft spot for fantasy football specifically. Outside of sports, he enjoys the finer things in life like pasta, live music and getting even more tattoos.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.
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