Week 3 vs. Steelers

The 49ers’ home opener had disaster written all over it when Garoppolo’s second pass of the game got intercepted. It was a screen to Matt Breida where the throw bounced in and out of Breida’s hands and into the waiting arms of Steelers defensive end TJ Watt. That was the first of four first-half turnovers by the 49ers in a game where they gave the ball away five times.

The fifth giveaway looked like a backbreaker with the 49ers trailing 20-17 with 6:53 remaining. Wide receiver Richie James ran in motion and had the snap bounce off of him as he went between Garoppolo and center Weston Richburg. Watt recovered that fumble and the Steelers needed a couple first downs to effectively ice the game.

The 49ers defense got the ball back though on a fumble by Steelers running back James Conner, and this time Garoppolo and the offense captialized.

With a first-and-10 on the Steelers’ 24, Garoppolo completed a throw to George Kittle for 9 yards, then pushed ahead for a yard on a QB sneak two plays later. He extended a play on a third-and-11 that fell incomplete thanks to a drop from wide receiver Dante Pettis, but Garoppolo extending the play on a rollout forced a defensive holding that gave the 49ers a new set of downs.

On a second-and-5 from the 5, Garoppolo threaded the needle between two defenders and hit Pettis for the game-winning score with 1:15 left. Garoppolo finished that game 23-for-32 for 277 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Both picks went off his receivers’ hands. Still, with the game on the line, the 49ers turned to their quarterback who made multiple plays on the final drive that helped win the game.