5 Realistic Expectations for Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 2 Matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers get to be the home team this week, hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon.

The Steelers are hoping to bounce back after losing to the New England Patriots in Week 1. The 49ers, though, are a tough opponent and the Steelers will need to make a few changes to their approach in order to win.

Here are five realistic expectations for the Steelers as they prepare to face the Niners in Week 2.

Pass Defense Will Struggle Again

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Though the 49ers offense isn't known for its prodigious passing, it will take what it can from opposing defenses. And, at least based on what happened in Week 1, the Steelers will be giving a lot.

The switch to a Cover-2 with players unfamiliar with it and with each other was a disaster against the Patriots last week, with tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Julian Edelman repeatedly wide open and uncovered.

One week is not enough time to completely turn things around for the Steelers. And add into that the fact that cornerbacks Brandon Boykin and Cortez Allen may not be able to play, with the former dealing with a groin injury and the latter, a knee. Suddenly, the unproven Ross Cockrell could be a starter in Pittsburgh's secondary on Sunday.

With deep-threat Torrey Smith and punishing tight end Vernon Davis on the roster, the 49ers have the right setup to shred Pittsburgh's secondary. Colin Kaepernick isn't Tom Brady; that may be the Steelers defense's saving grace.

Running Will Be More Difficult

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Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams had his way with the Patriots' defense last week, with 21 rushes for 127 yards. And though he's proven more than capable of filling in for the suspended Le'Veon Bell, it's hard to imagine Williams repeating that success against the Niners on Sunday.

That's not to say that Williams won't have his moments. He certainly looked 10 years younger than he is last week and he does seem to be having a career resurgence.

But despite the many losses on the defensive side of the ball, the Niners were able to hold the Minnesota Vikings to just 71 rush yards on 17 attempts on Monday night.

Needless to say, it will be much more difficult for Williams to break the 100-yard threshold in Week 2 than it was in Week 1.

Fear the Niners Pass Rush?

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Related to the notion that DeAngelo Williams won't have as good a running day this week as he did last week is also the fact that it may not be as easy a day for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, either.

The 49ers may have lost numerous defensive players in the offseason, but they didn't lose their fierceness. The Niners sacked Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater five times in Week 1, and the same could happen to Roethlisberger.

The weak link? Center Cody Wallace, who is starting in place of the injured Maurkice Pouncey. Last week, one of Roethlisberger's two sacks were attributed to Wallace according to Pro Football Focus. He could again struggle on Sunday against a fierce Niners front that includes NaVorro Bowman, Antoine Bethea and Tank Carradine.

Roethlisberger is notoriously hard to sack and is well known for his surprising mobility. But that doesn't save him from taking sacks. The Niners will be gunning for him, especially knowing that the Steelers are fielding a backup at center.

Antonio Brown's Streak Will Stay Alive

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It's been 33 straight games that Steelers receiver Antonio Brown has caught at least five passes for at least 50 yards.

Team after team, defense after defense has tried to stop him. And though defenses know who 84 is and how to try to commit resources to keeping him in check, it has never worked. Last week, he had nine catches for 133 yards and a score, even without the suspended Martavis Bryant on the field.

So, no matter what happens—Ben Roethlisberger getting sacked and pressured, receiver Markus Wheaton being shut down, eight defenders are tasked with trailing Brown—it's hard to imagine the streak coming to an end.

Brown is too good and too dominant and the 49ers will be the latest to fail at containing him.

It Won't Be Easy to Contain Carlos Hyde

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The Steelers did a good job of limiting the damage the Patriots did on the ground in Week 1, holding them to just 80 combined rushing yards on 24 attempts.

But the fact that Dion Lewis could put up 69 rushing yards on 15 carries is a sign that the Niners' Carlos Hyde could have a big day against the Steelers defense.

Pittsburgh held the Patriots to just 3.3 yards per carry, but the defense allowed 4.4 yards per carry last year. And depending on the status of his knee, speedy run-stopping linebacker Ryan Shazier might not be around to help the team out.

Hyde had 26 carries in Week 1 against Minnesota, and totaled 168 rushing yards and two scores, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

It shouldn't be that brutal a day for Pittsburgh's defense, but they do have to keep an eye out for Hyde and respect what he is capable of.

Ignoring him to simply try to improve the pass defense will result in some big gains for Hyde, who forced seven missed tackles in Week 1.