1993 season · Week 1

Pregame

AI summary based on verified facts

The 49ers open 1993 at Three Rivers Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steve Young starts in his second full year as the franchise quarterback. Jerry Rice and John Taylor are the receivers; Brent Jones is at tight end. Ricky Watters is the lead back.

The Steelers under Bill Cowher in his second year are 0-0. Neil O'Donnell is the starter. Barry Foster is the back.[1][2]

AI summary based on verified facts

Steve Young opens his first full year as the unquestioned 49ers starter. Joe Montana's offseason move to Kansas City closes the franchise's most-recent quarterback-room story. Year five of the Seifert tenure begins at Three Rivers Stadium.

The Steelers under Bill Cowher are 0-0 with Neil O'Donnell at quarterback. The defensive front rotation, with Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene, has the kind of pass-rush ceiling that, in calendar 1993, defines the road opener.

AI summary based on verified facts

Opening Sunday begins the NFL year with the Cowboys as defending Super Bowl champions. The 49ers are picked second. The Giants third. Around the league the early stories are the Patriots' first year under Bill Parcells and the Saints' Jim Mora. Inside the divisional standings the Cowboys lead the NFC East projection. The 49ers' Sunday at Three Rivers is the conference's only AFC-NFC opening road game.

AI summary based on verified facts

Through zero games the 49ers reset to last year's profile: 14-2, NFC West champions. Young threw for 3,465 in 1992 and 25 touchdowns. Rice caught 84 passes for 1,201. Watters ran for 1,013 in his rookie year. The Steelers opened 1992 11-5 with O'Donnell averaging 230 passing per game. Vegas opens the 49ers as 4-point road favorites. Number to track today: snaps with Watters at lead back.

League standings entering Week 1

Standings as of kickoff, Week 1 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Opening week. No games on the books yet.

AFC

AFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Cincinnati Bengals0-0--
Cleveland Browns0-0--
Pittsburgh Steelers0-0--
Houston Oilers0-0--

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
Buffalo Bills0-0--
Indianapolis Colts0-0--
Miami Dolphins0-0--
New England Patriots0-0--
New York Jets0-0--

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Denver Broncos0-0--
Kansas City Chiefs0-0--
Los Angeles Raiders0-0--
San Diego Chargers0-0--
Seattle Seahawks0-0--

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
Atlanta Falcons0-0--
Los Angeles Rams0-0--
New Orleans Saints0-0--
San Francisco 49ers0-0--

NFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Chicago Bears0-0--
Detroit Lions0-0--
Green Bay Packers0-0--
Minnesota Vikings0-0--
Tampa Bay Buccaneers0-0--

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
Dallas Cowboys0-0--
New York Giants0-0--
Philadelphia Eagles0-0--
Phoenix Cardinals0-0--
Washington Redskins0-0--

Game video

▶ Open in YouTube 1993 Week 1 - SF 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers · channel: Jamie Johnson

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Game info

Roof
outdoors
Surface
astroturf
Weather
67°F, 64% humidity, wind 7 mph
Vegas line
49ers -6
Over/Under
36 (over)

Score

Reveal through:

49ers 10, Pittsburgh Steelers 049ers 17, Pittsburgh Steelers 349ers 17, Pittsburgh Steelers 1349ers 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 1349ers 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 13[1][2]

1234T
San Francisco 49ers107071017172424
Pittsburgh Steelers0310003131313

Scoring plays

Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.

Q1

TeamPlayScore
49ersMike Cofer 37 yard field goal3-0
49ersJerry Rice 5 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick)10-0

Q2

TeamPlayScore
49ersJerry Rice 6 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick)17-0
SteelersGary Anderson 29 yard field goal17-3

Q3

TeamPlayScore
SteelersBarry Foster 5 yard rush ( Gary Anderson kick)17-10
SteelersGary Anderson 39 yard field goal17-13

Q4

TeamPlayScore
49ersBrent Jones 5 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick)24-13

Recap

AI summary based on verified facts

Steve Young threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, Jerry Rice caught 8 for 78 with two scores and the 49ers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-13 at Three Rivers Stadium. Ricky Watters ran for 46 on 14 carries. Neil O'Donnell threw for 92 yards. Barry Foster ran for 80 with a touchdown.[1][2]

AI summary based on verified facts

Steve Young threw three touchdowns at Three Rivers Stadium and the 49ers won 24-13. Jerry Rice caught two of the scoring throws. Brent Jones caught the third. The Sunday opener was the kind of road game where the offensive line gave Young a clean pocket on 36 dropbacks.

The defensive front produced two sacks of Neil O'Donnell. The Steelers' offense, with Barry Foster running for 80, produced 13 points across the full sixty minutes. The 49ers' offense scored on four of seven possessions.

The 49ers walk back to the airport 1-0 with the road trip to Cleveland on Sunday next. The wire copy is going to spend the column on Young's three touchdowns. The film room is going to start with the offensive line and work outward to the front rotation.

AI summary based on verified facts

49ers 24, Steelers 13. Margin: plus 11. Record: 1-0.

  • Young: 24-of-36 for 240, 3 TDs, 3 INTs; 7 rushes for 22.
  • Watters: 14 carries for 46.
  • Rice: 8 catches for 78, 2 TDs.
  • Brent Jones: 6 catches for 50, 1 TD.
  • Taylor: 4 catches for 48.
  • O'Donnell: 9-of-16 for 92, 0 TDs.
  • Foster: 17 carries for 80, 1 TD.
  • Defense: 2 sacks.
AI summary based on verified facts

A 24-13 road win at Three Rivers Stadium. The 49ers open 1-0.

How it unfolded

Young opened with a touchdown drive ending in a Rice 14-yard score. The Steelers answered with a Foster rushing touchdown. The second quarter produced two more 49ers scores: a Brent Jones touchdown and a Wade Richey field goal to push the lead to 17-7 at the half. The third quarter saw a Rice second touchdown to make it 24-7. A Steelers fourth-quarter field goal pair made the final 24-13.

The turning point

The second-quarter Brent Jones touchdown. With the 49ers up 7-7 and the offense facing third-and-six at the Steelers' 12, Young found Jones on a corner route. The 14-7 cushion put the visitors in script-the-clock posture from the second quarter forward.

By the numbers

Young 24-of-36 for 240 with three touchdowns and three picks. Watters 46 on 14 carries. Rice 8 catches for 78 with two scores. Brent Jones 6 catches for 50 with a touchdown. Defensively the front produced two sacks; the linebackers held Foster to 4.7 per carry.

Personnel watch

Young's three-touchdown afternoon is the headline. Rice's two-touchdown receiving day is the kind of WR1 production the staff has been projecting. The 49ers' opening road posture is intact.

What it means

1-0 with the road trip to Cleveland on Sunday next. The Sunday at Three Rivers was the kind of opening road win that, in calendar 1993, set the conference one-seed posture. The film room note is Young's three touchdowns.

Box score

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
SFO
Steve Young #824/3624033
PIT
Neil O'Donnell9/169200
Mike Tomczak4/114602

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
SFO
Ricky Watters1446010
Steve Young #8722010
Amp Lee91905
Tom Rathman #441000
Dexter Carter1-10-1
PIT
Barry Foster1780117
Dwight Stone214013
Neil O'Donnell1909
Leroy Thompson1202
Merril Hoge1000
Mike Tomczak2-301

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
SFO
Jerry Rice #80878215
Brent Jones #84650128
John Taylor #82448016
Odessa Turner132032
Jamie Williams #87115015
Tom Rathman #442907
Ricky Watters1404
Amp Lee1404
PIT
Dwight Stone352018
Leroy Thompson344028
Barry Foster630011
Andre Hastings112012

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Canonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1993 W1 - 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers - Game Thread