Sep 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) celebrates a touchdown pass with guard David DeCastro (66) and offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert (77) against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers took the sheet NFL teams have used for years to decide when to go for 2-point conversions and set it on fire.
Considering how easy their offense found the end zone on Sunday against San Francisco, there may be no going back.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 369 yards and three touchdowns, DeAngelo Williams tied a team record with three rushing scores and the Steelers overwhelmed the 49ers 43-18.
Pittsburgh (1-1) converted a pair of 2-point attempts in the first half to seize momentum and had little trouble with San Francisco (1-1). Antonio Brown caught nine passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns for the Steelers, who rolled up 453 total yards despite having the ball for only 23 minutes.
Colin Kaepernick threw for 335 yards and two scores. Torrey Smith had six receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown but the 49ers were no match for the Steelers' firepower.
Pittsburgh raced to a 26-point halftime lead and cruised, with Roethlisberger doing whatever he wanted while guiding an offense that looks to be among the league's best once again.
Despite an easy opening week win over Minnesota, San Francisco coach Jim Tomsula stressed he was "worried about them Steelers," a line he delivered in an intentionally thick Western Pennsylvania accent as a way of paying tribute to his roots.
Given 10 days to recover from a 28-21 loss to New England, Pittsburgh responded by looking every bit as explosive as offensive coordinator Todd Haley insisted it could be, even with All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Martavis Bryant suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
The Steelers did more than finish drives with touchdowns instead of field goals, they ended them with exclamation points. The offense stayed on the field following a pair of early scores, opting for two-point conversions rather than an extra point at the new distance of 33 yards.
Both times they converted with ease.
Pittsburgh did finally send Josh Scobee out for a one-point kick after Darrius Heyward-Bey's 35-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter and it smacked off the upright no good. When he did connect on one to push the Pittsburgh advantage to 29-3, the largest regular season crowd in Heinz Field history greeted it with a Bronx cheer.
The plodding 49ers simply couldn't keep pace. Two long drives -- a 17-play one in the first half and an 18-play one in the second -- netted just three points. Kaepernick was sacked five times and struggled to get comfortable until it was far too late.
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