Steelers vs 49ers game preview: Mason Rudolph is coming

Steelers vs 49ers game preview: Mason Rudolph is coming

The Steelers have gotten off to a rocky start, first they got rocked by the New England Patriots then they lost a heartbreaker to the Seattle Seahawks.  In that game, the Steelers lost their two time Super Bowl winning star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. This may have set the team back on paper but it has given us the chance to see what the rookie Mason Rudolph can do.  Here are some things to watch for when they square up against the 49ers who are coming off a decisive victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. Both teams have something to prove but all eyes are going on second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph and the Steelers offense that has really been struggling at the beginning of the season and now without Big Ben, the world is anxious to see what's going to happen with the second-year man from Oklahoma State at the helm.

Watch for James Connor and Jaylen Samuel to get a lot of touches as well as catching a lot of screen passes.  With this being Mason Rudolph's first NFL start the Steelers are going to try to make it as smooth as possible, which means keeping the ball on the ground with James Connor and Jaylin Samuel and let him pound the ball down the field.  Also, watch for Steelers defense to play with an energy that comes from helping their young quarterback. Look for the Steelers to be making life hard for Jimmy Garrappolo in the backfield trying to force some turnovers and rushed plays.

The 49ers on the other side of the ball are trying to show that they can be a force in this league.  Look for Matt Breida to play sharp as well as the man who gave the Bengals a big problem Raheem Mostert.  Jimmy Garrapolo is gonna look to make a statement himself as he continues to try and prove his worth in the league.  The biggest thing for the 49ers defense will be to try and make Mason Rudolph uncomfortable and force him to make mistakes.

Both teams have something to prove in this game but in my opinion, it really can go either way.  Only because Mason Rudolph is making his first start am I going to pick the 49ers in this matchup but honestly I believe it will be a close matchup. 

-By: Ryan Johnson