The 49ers (4-5) travel to Heinz Field for a 10:00 PT kickoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6) in the first game back from the bye.
Tommy Maddox starts at quarterback for Pittsburgh. Jerome Bettis runs the ball with Amos Zereoue in rotation. Plaxico Burress leads the receivers. Tim Rattay starts for the 49ers with Jeff Garcia still on the injury report. Garrison Hearst at running back; Terrell Owens at receiver.
Tim Rattay's second start Sunday morning at Heinz Field. The 49ers (4-5), off the bye-week reset after the Rams home blowout, face the 3-6 Pittsburgh Steelers in the kind of cross-conference road game where Rattay's audition gets another credible opportunity.
Garrison Hearst stays the lead back. Terrell Owens the WR1. The Steelers come in 3-6 with Tommy Maddox at quarterback and Jerome Bettis as the lead back. The kind of road game where 5-5 puts the year's identity tape in real wild-card contention.
Favored by Pittsburgh by 4 at home. The kind of cross-conference road game where Rattay's second start, off the bye, produces the year's competitive identity.
Week 11 across the NFC sees the contenders pulling away. The Buccaneers (5-4), Eagles, Cowboys, Vikings, Saints, and Falcons compete for division titles and wild-card spots. The 49ers (4-5) trail in the NFC West. Around the AFC the Patriots, Colts, Chiefs, and Steelers (3-6) compete. The Sunday road game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against a struggling Steelers team, can produce the kind of road win the year's identity tape needs.
Through nine games the 49ers are 4-5 with a +50 point differential. Tim Rattay posted a 113.0 rating in his debut start with three TDs. Garrison Hearst averages 68 rushing yards a game with two TDs. Terrell Owens averages 84 receiving yards a game with two TDs. The defense allows 16.4 points per game. The Steelers are 3-6 with Tommy Maddox at quarterback. Jerome Bettis averages 70 rushing yards a game. Plaxico Burress leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens Pittsburgh as 4-point home favorites; total 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 7-2 | W5 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-4 | L2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 4-5 | L2 |
| New York Jets | 3-6 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 5-4 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-5 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-6 | L3 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-6 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 7-2 | L1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 7-2 | W4 |
| Houston Texans | 3-6 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9-0 | W9 |
| Denver Broncos | 5-4 | L3 |
| Oakland Raiders | 2-7 | L5 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 6-3 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-3 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 4-5 | W1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 3-6 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-2 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-3 | W4 |
| New York Giants | 4-5 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 4-5 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 6-3 | L3 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-5 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 3-6 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-6 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 7-2 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4-5 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-5 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-7 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Terrell Owens 61 yard pass from Tim Rattay ( Todd Peterson kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Todd Peterson 32 yard field goal | 0-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Jerome Bettis 1 yard rush ( Jeff Reed kick) | 7-10 |
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 78 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 7-17 |
| 49ers | Fred Beasley 28 yard pass from Tim Rattay ( Todd Peterson kick) | 7-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Todd Peterson 22 yard field goal | 7-27 |
| 49ers | Todd Peterson 44 yard field goal | 7-30 |
| Steelers | Antwaan Randle El 32 yard pass from Tommy Maddox ( Jeff Reed kick) | 14-30 |
Tim Rattay threw two touchdown passes and the 49ers crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-14 at Heinz Field. Rattay finished 21-of-27 for 254 yards. Terrell Owens caught eight for 155 with a touchdown. Garrison Hearst ran for 67. Tommy Maddox threw for 327 yards and a touchdown. Jerome Bettis ran for 39 with a touchdown. The 49ers improved to 5-5 in the cross-conference road blowout.[1][2][3]
Tim Rattay went 21-of-27 for 254 yards and two touchdowns Sunday morning at Heinz Field. The 49ers crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-14 in the kind of cross-conference road blowout where the backup quarterback's audition, in his second start, produced another statement performance.
Terrell Owens caught eight passes for 155 yards and a touchdown. Garrison Hearst ran for 67. Tommy Maddox threw for 327 but couldn't get the Steelers' offense to convert. Jerome Bettis ran for 39 with a touchdown. The 49ers' offense produced 30 points and the defense surrendered 14.
5-5. The kind of cross-conference road blowout where Tim Rattay's second start produced 254 yards and two touchdowns. The Green Bay Packers on the road next Sunday in another NFC matchup. The kind of November where the year's identity tape, with five wins in 10 games, has produced the kind of late-season competitive arc the offseason will dissect favorably.
49ers 30, Steelers 14. Margin: +16. Ten-game record: 5-5, +66 differential.
* Tim Rattay: 21-of-27 for 254, 2 TDs, 0 INTs (2nd start).
* Garrison Hearst: 20 carries for 67.
* Terrell Owens: 8 catches for 155, 1 TD.
* Tommy Maddox: 25-of-44 for 327, 1 TD, 1 INT.
* Jerome Bettis: 13 carries for 39, 1 TD.
* Plaxico Burress: receiving production.
* 49ers 5-5; Steelers 3-7.
A 30-14 cross-conference road blowout at Heinz Field. Tim Rattay throws two touchdowns. The 49ers improve to 5-5 with the cross-conference road statement win.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored on their opening drive with a Rattay touchdown to make it 7-0. The Steelers answered with a Bettis touchdown to tie at 7-7. The 49ers added a Joe Nedney field goal to make it 10-7. The second quarter was a Rattay second touchdown to push the lead to 17-7. The third quarter was a Steelers touchdown to make it 17-14. The fourth quarter was a 49ers touchdown and two field goals to close it 30-14.
The turning point
Tim Rattay's second-quarter touchdown that pushed the lead to 17-7. With the score 10-7 and the Steelers' offense looking like it could match the 49ers' production, Rattay's second TD gave the team the two-score lead the defense closed out.
By the numbers
Rattay 254 passing on 27 attempts with two TDs and no INTs. Hearst 67 rushing on 20 carries. Owens 155 receiving on 8 catches with a TD. Maddox 327 on 44 attempts with a TD. Bettis 39 rushing with a TD.
Personnel watch
Tim Rattay's second start producing 254 yards and two touchdowns. Terrell Owens's 155-yard receiving day. Garrison Hearst's productive day. The defense's stops late. The kind of cross-conference road blowout where the year's identity tape produced its third statement game of the year.
What it means
5-5 with the Packers on the road next Sunday. The kind of cross-conference road blowout where Tim Rattay's audition is now actually building a case for the QB1 position. The kind of November where the year's identity tape has produced three straight wins (Rams home blowout, bye, Steelers road blowout).
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Tim Rattay | 21/27 | 254 | 2 | 0 | |
| PIT | |||||
| Tommy Maddox | 25/44 | 327 | 1 | 1 | |
| Antwaan Randle El | 1/1 | -7 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Kevan Barlow | 8 | 98 | 1 | 78 |
| Garrison Hearst | 20 | 67 | 0 | 13 |
| Fred Beasley | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| Tim Rattay | 2 | -2 | 0 | -1 |
| PIT | ||||
| Jerome Bettis | 13 | 39 | 1 | 14 |
| Verron Haynes | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Hines Ward | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
| Amos Zereoue | 5 | -2 | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrell Owens | 8 | 155 | 1 | 61 |
| Fred Beasley | 2 | 28 | 1 | 28 |
| Jed Weaver | 4 | 28 | 0 | 12 |
| Brandon Lloyd | 3 | 15 | 0 | 7 |
| Garrison Hearst | 2 | 12 | 0 | 9 |
| Cedrick Wilson | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Aaron Walker | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| PIT | ||||
| Plaxico Burress | 6 | 92 | 0 | 24 |
| Antwaan Randle El | 4 | 61 | 1 | 32 |
| Chris Doering | 4 | 61 | 0 | 21 |
| Hines Ward | 4 | 44 | 0 | 27 |
| Amos Zereoue | 5 | 37 | 0 | 15 |
| Jerome Bettis | 2 | 15 | 0 | 11 |
| Jerame Tuman | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2003 W11 - 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers - Game Thread
