SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- History could be working against the Steelers this week.
Not only are they breaking in a new starting quarterback, they're doing so in a game on the West Coast, which might as well be the Bermuda Triangle for the Steelers.
Plenty of good Steelers teams have headed west, only to find themselves lost -- or at least with another loss added to their ledger.
The Steelers are just 26-49-1 when playing outside of the Eastern Time Zone since the 1970 merger. Overall, they're 19-39 in franchise history on the West Coast, dating back to the first game they played there in 1941 against the Los Angeles Rams.
When you add in their record when breaking in a first-time starting quarterback -- 4-19-1 in franchise history -- it doesn't bode well for the team heading on the road to play the undefeated 49ers Sunday at Levi's Stadium. The last came in 2004, when Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers went into Miami and beat the Dolphins in a hurricane, 13-3.
But they're 5-5 in San Francisco, with two of those losses coming prior to 1970. Since then, they're 5-3 against the 49ers on the road, though they have lost their past two trips -- in 2003 and 2011.
That's a lot of history working against them.
So it's not a surprise Mason Rudolph's main goal in his first career start in place of injured Ben Roethlisberger will involve the KISS method. Keep It Simple Stupid.
And more importantly, "I want to win," he said. "There's a lot of things I want to do but winning is the biggest goal to get us back on track."
The Steelers (0-2) won't make any concessions for Rudolph in his first career start. Their expectation regarding his level of play is high.
But they will make some concessions about a second-year player replacing a future Hall of Fame quarterback. They didn't last week, either, when Rudolph replaced Roethlisberger in the second half of a 28-26 loss to the Seahawks and threw for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
"He got a chance to have a whole half and a chance to prepare this week," Randy Fichtner said. "This will be a new week for him. It is different than last week’s situation. But we are not addressing anything different from the standpoint of preparation because he [knew] that preparation last week had to be the same. All of a sudden, he had a fire lit under his butt, ‘Oh man, I am the starter now.’"
That's the reality. The other is that lack of success by the Steelers on the West Coast, including a 1-5 record in such games under Mike Tomlin.
To shake things up and try something different, Tomlin had the team leave earlier than usual -- 8:30 a.m. Saturday -- to keep the team on an East Coast schedule.
"We’re going to get up and go on Saturday morning and kind of operate on an East Coast time, in an effort to get a fluid night’s rest and be ready to play on what will be a 4:25 East Coast time kickoff on Sunday," Tomlin said earlier this week.
Maybe they can trick their bodies. But they can't trick themselves into believing Roethlisberger is going to come riding back in to save this season. In that respect, it's in Mason they trust.
"Ben’s talent level, obviously, he is what he is, a Hall-of-Famer," Vance McDonald said. "But Mason can come in and we can still operate, and we can still execute on offense and move the ball and score and win. That doesn’t change for me."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Who: Steelers (0-2) vs. 49ers (2-0)
• When: 4:27 p.m. (1:27 p.m. PCT)
• Where: Levi's Stadium
• TV: KDKA (local), CBS (national)
• Radio: 102.5 WDVE, ESPN Pittsburgh
• Satellite: SiriusXM 234, Internet 826
• Forecast: 85 degrees, mostly sunny
• Lots open: 1 p.m.
• Will call open: 3:25 p.m.
• Gates open: 2:25 p.m.
• Boxscore: NFL Game Center
• Odds: MyBookie.AG
THE INJURY REPORT
Steelers: FB Roosevelt Nix (knee, out), LB Vince Williams (hamstring, out), OLB Anthony Chickillo (foot, out),
49ers: OT Joe Staley (leg, out), RB Tevin Coleman (ankle, out), WR Jalen Hurd (back, out), WR Trent Taylor (foot, out), DE Nick Bosa (ankle, questionable), DE Dee Ford (quad, questionable), DB Jimmie Ward (hand, questionable), S Jaquiski Tartt (toe, questionable)
THE KEY VARIABLE
One way the Steelers can help a young quarterback is to run the ball effectively. Another is for the rest of the guys on the roster to pick up their game -- at least a little bit. But the key for them is not trying to do too much.
"No, definitely not," Cameron Heyward told me. "That's where you get into trouble, trying to do too much. Everybody just needs to do their job, but make sure you do your job. We can't have those little mistakes. But there's no need for guys to try to do too much."
It also wouldn't hurt if the Steelers ran the ball more effectively. Or often.
The Steelers have run the ball just 29 times in their first two games, 27 if scrambles by Roethlisberger and Rudolph are taken out of the equation. Only the Dolphins, who have been outscored 102-10 in their first two games, have run the ball fewer times.
But with lead runner James Conner averaging just 2.6 yards per attempt on 21 carries, they need to do a better job of it.
"We want to have a balanced offense and I feel like the coaches will do a good job with that," David DeCastro said. "Obviously, everyone has to step up a little bit."
Conner missed practice early in the week with a knee injury but is expected to play in this game. In fact, he's not even listed on the team's injury report. And he and the rest of the running backs know they have to get going early and often to help ease the burden on Rudolph.
"We’ve just got to convert on third downs. We have too many three and outs," Conner said. "It’s tough to run when we’re not converting on third downs. There are no worries."
But the 49ers have done a good job of stopping the run in their first two games. They have allowed opponents just 3.2 yards per rushing attempt despite allowing opponents to convert 14 of 29 third-down attempts.
Creating some kind of running game -- even if it's on end-arounds or designed scrambles by Rudolph -- would help, as well.
"I like to throw the ball," Rudolph admitted. "(But) I'd like to run the ball with the offensive line we have, too. They lead the way well, whether it's run blocking or protection."
Rudolph will have a new receiving corps to throw to. While JuJu Smith-Schuster will be out there, he'll be working with James Washington and rookie Diontae Johnson instead of Donte Moncrief and Ryan Switzer.
THE HISTORY LESSON
The last time the Steelers visited San Francisco, the 49ers put on a lights out performance, literally.
The Dec. 19, 2011 game was first delayed because the stadium lights inexplicably went out. Then, in the second quarter, with the 49ers leading 6-0, they went out again, further delaying the game.
Both teams entered with 10-3 records, but for the Steelers, Roethlisberger was playing on a balky ankle, sprained the week before in a win over the Browns.
With Roethlisberger largely immobile, the 49ers sacked him three times, forcing one fumble, and intercepted him three others and generally shut down the Steelers offense.
But the Steelers defense kept them in the game, forcing the 49ers to settle for two David Akers field goals in the first half.
The Steelers trimmed the lead to 6-3 on a 51-yard Shaun Suisham field goal midway through the third quarter, but Alex Smith immediately answered, giving the 49ers a 13-3 lead with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vernon Davis.
The Steelers drove to the San Francisco 30 on their next possession, but Isaac Redman was stopped for no gain and Roethlisberger threw back-to-back incompletions. Suisham then missed a 48-yard field goal attempt to give the 49ers good field position.
The Steelers forced a three-and-out, but Ray McDonald and Aldon Smith sacked Roethlisberger on the Steelers' next possession, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Justin Smith at the Pittsburgh 17.
The defense held, but Lawrence Timmons was penalized for illegal leaping -- using another player to propel himself into the air -- on a field goal attempt by Akers, giving the 49ers an automatic first down.
Two plays later, Frank Gore scored on a 5-yard run to make it 20-3.
After that, Roethlisberger threw his third interception and then fumbled on another sack -- though he recovered the loose ball -- to seal the win for the 49ers.
Roethlisberger was 25 for 44 in the game for 330 yards, but no touchdowns and three interceptions, fumbling twice. Jerricho Cotchery led the team with five catches for 93 yards.
The 49ers had just 287 yards of total offense in the game -- including 187 yards passing from Smith -- but did not turn the ball over or allow Smith to be sacked.
THE MAIN MATCHUP
The Steelers defense has taken on a whole new look in the past couple of years. With the addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick earlier this week in a trade with the Dolphins, the Steelers now have eight starters on defense who were first-round draft picks.
But the focus of this game could be this year's first-round pick, Devin Bush.
Bush has struggled with some pass coverage in the team's first two games. But the 49ers like to run the football. And they do it a lot -- 74 times in their first two games compared to 53 pass attempts.
It's led to 72 total points and an average of 414.0 yards per game, including 178.5 on the ground. The 49ers are averaging 6.79 yards per play on first down this season, the best in the league.
Bush has 18 tackles in the Steelers' first two games, but he's given up some passes in coverage, including being in primary coverage twice last week on touchdown catches by tight end Will Dissly.
The 49ers have one of the league's most dangerous tight ends in George Kittle, but they also want to run a lot. And they'll do so with speedy backs Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson. All are under 200 pounds.
They have eight runs of more than 10 yards already this season. And they've done it with four different running backs. Tevin Coleman was acquired in the offseason, but he's out of this game with an ankle injury.
The 49ers will be without left tackle Joe Staley, their best offensive lineman. He suffered a broken leg in last week's loss to the Bengals. Rookie Justin Skule will start in his place.
"You're right, this could be a big week for him," Stephon Tuitt said when I asked him about Bush, because of the speed of the San Francisco running backs.
"They run a lot of outside zone stuff and their running backs are smaller, faster running backs. We've all got to maintain our gap integrity and flow to the ball, but he's got the speed to make those plays."
The Steelers hope so. Bush figures to play a lot with Vince Williams out with a hamstring injury. And the Steelers have allowed 250 rushing yards in their first two games.
Bush is ready for whatever the coaching staff asks of him, though he knows he has to be better.
“They wouldn’t put anything on my plate they think I wouldn’t be able to handle,” Bush said. “I don’t think they’re trying to hold me back too much or give me too much at one time. There’s like a happy balance.”
The Steelers would be happier if it all came just a little more quickly.
This week would be a good place to start.
"He’s a young guy. He’s learning, but it’s not like it’s above his head. It’s not. He can do this," Keith Butler said. "He’ll get better and better as season goes along. It’s always tough. The game in the NFL is a lot faster than it is in college. It doesn’t matter where you play college, it’s still going to be faster. You have to think faster. You have to play faster. There’s a lot of things that happen faster that he’s got to adjust to.
"He will adjust to that because he’s got the speed to do it, and he’s got the intellect to do it too. So, we expect him to get better and better."
THE QUOTES
• "He aches for Ben, but at the same time he’s excited about having an opportunity to deliver for his teammates." -- Tomlin on Rudolph
• “I always knew he was a good player. I didn’t put a lot into him because we knew what direction we were going in and knew we weren’t going after a quarterback. Our quarterbacks coach looks at him a lot. Always shows me the highlight tapes. He knew he was a guy who was very smart, could run a system and also can make plays. Just watching him in the preseason and against Seattle, he can make some off schedule plays and he also seems like a quarterback who stays in the rhythm of the offense very well.” -- Kyle Shanahan, 49ers head coach on Rudolph
• "A week ago, I was on the couch, not knowing what was going to happen. Now I’m in this position. It’s wild." -- Devlin Hodges on now being the Steelers' No. 2 quarterback
THE TEN DATA POINTS
• The four quarterbacks who have won their initial NFL start with the Steelers are Roethlisberger (2004), Steve Bono (1987), Mike Kruczek (1976) and Ted Marchibroda (1956). Rudy Bukich (1960) led the team to a tie in his first career start.
• Tomlin is 32-17 in his career against the NFC, including 13-11 on the road.
• T.J. Watt ranks fourth among all NFL linebackers in sacks since the start of the 2017 season with 21. Ryan Kerrigan (27), Von Miller (24.5) and Khalil Mack (23) are the only players ahead of him.
• Chris Boswell needs four field goals to match Norm Johnson (105) for fifth place on the team's all-time field goals made list.
• The Steelers are 28th in the league in total offense, averaging 284.5 yards per game and 29th in defense, allowing 445 yards per game.
• The Steelers have committed 11 penalties, tied for the fewest in the league. The 49ers are tied for the second-most in the league with 20.
• The Steelers are 16-11 in games started by someone other than Roethlisberger at quarterback since he joined the team in 2004.
• The Steelers will try to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2013, while the 49ers will be trying to get to 3-0 for the first time since 1998.
• The 49ers have 17 passes defended in the first two weeks. The Steelers have three.
• More than a quarter (26.4 percent) of San Francisco's passes this season have had Kittle as a target.
FANTASY CORNER
After a strong week one, injuries derailed me last week. But we'll keep moving on. Here's this week's lineup using DraftKings.com's salary totals. Today's lineup will feature the 15 Sunday and Monday games with a $50,000 salary limit. -- Matt Sunday
Quarterback: Kyler Murray ($5,800) -- I love the rookie in this game against the Panthers. He's thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his first two games and should do so again this week at a nice price.
Running backs: Frank Gore ($4,400), Nick Chubb ($6,500) -- Gore should be the main ball carrier for the Bills against the Bengals. Chubb could draw some additional third-down looks this week, which is a good thing.
Wide receivers: Odell Beckham ($7,700), Kenny Golladay ($6,600), James Washington ($3,500) -- Beckham and Golladay are the clear No. 1 receivers on their teams and should be peppered with targets. And Golladay has a great matchup with a bad Eagles secondary. Washington is worth taking a shot on this week. He'll get plenty of snaps over Donte Moncrief, who will be used only if necessary. Moncrief has been benched.
Tight end: Travis Kelce ($7,100) -- Should be plenty of points scored in this one and I love both tight ends in this game, as you can see from my flex play.
Flex: Mark Andrews ($4,600) -- See above
Defense: New England ($3,800) -- The big money defenses this week are Dallas and Chicago. But I'll take the Patriots for a good deal less than than the Cowboys against a putrid Jets offense.
Dale Lolley (1-1): As mentioned above, there is a lot of history working against the Steelers in this game. So it's tough to pick them. Since the Ravens travel to Kansas City and the Browns host the Rams, a loss here wouldn't be a killer. But Rudolph has to show he's not overwhelmed by the experience. I do think he'll do that, but the 49ers defense has been opportunistic, picking off four passes already this season after getting just two all of last season. It wouldn't hurt if the Steelers got their first interception in this game. And that might come, too. The Steelers will pull out all of the stops on offense. They'll run end arounds. They'll run trick plays. But this looks like a 49ers' win, even though teams that don't have 3-0 talent don't usually get to 3-0. 49ers, 23-20
Christopher Carter (0-2): It's getting close to a must-win. Rudolph being used to playing on the west coast might help, but this isn't going to be the same brand of football the Steelers are used to showing. Fichtner will have to draw up plays to help direct Rudolph through the game, which may work in the Steelers' favor. They cannot afford another game with 70 or more snaps on the defensive side. Rudolph and company manage enough drives to buy the defense time to stay fresh, and they'll be the group forcing the turnovers that win the game. Steelers, 21-20.
Matt Sunday (1-1): I feel like this is where I should pick against the Steelers until they prove they can put something together. Kind of like the way I bet roulette ... If black hits? Keep betting black. I'm going with the Steelers, though. I've been a big fan of Rudolph since the first of three times I photographed him on Big 12 Conference sidelines. The Steelers' receiving corps has been anything but a positive through two games, but I'm thinking the "rookie" mindset of needing to move the ball will trump the desire to audible out of the play call to strike deep. Stick to the system and guide that sleigh to the end zone, Rudolph. Steelers, 33-27
Hunter Homistek (1-1): I liked what I saw from Rudolph throughout the preseason and in his second-half duties against the Seahawks. But the pressure of his first start, on the road, way across the country, against a team with four interceptions on the year ... that's tough. Add in that the 49ers have scored 31 and 41 points in their first two games and the Steelers have allowed 33 and 28, and all signs point to Rudolph needing to put up around or above 30. I don't see it. 49ers, 34-24
Dejan Kovacevic (0-2): Had this all been the same setup as the previous two weeks, oddly enough, I'd feel a whole lot more worried about the Steelers' state heading into this weekend. But the oddity here is that, with the unwanted switch in quarterbacks, the unexpected addition of Fitzpatrick ... there's been almost a fun, fresh feel to the team all week. I like that, about as much as I don't like the idea of a team as mediocre as the 49ers stretching out to 3-0. Steelers, 23-15
