The 49ers completely dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, putting ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, a die-hard Steelers fan, on notice.
"With the [49ers] that's a foregone conclusion," Smith said on The Pat McAfee Show Monday. "I expect them to be in the NFC Championship Game. It's just that simple. Whether it's going to be against the Cowboys or the Eagles remains to be seen but I think it will be the final 49ers against one of those teams."
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"San Francisco punked [the Steelers]. Let's just call it what it is. They punked them yesterday."
The 49ers probably would have "punked" just about anybody with the way they played on Sunday.
To say San Francisco was clicking on all cylinders might be an understatement.
Brock Purdy sliced and diced the Steelers in the passing game, Brandon Aiyuk made Patrick Peterson touch earth with his words, literally, and Christian McCaffrey showed everyone what he can do at his best.
San Francisco 49ers
The NFL's No. 1 defense last season picked up where they left off, led by three Drake Jackson sacks and two interceptions. The Steelers had three total feet of offense with 1:35 remaining in the first half.
Week 1 overreactions are definitely a thing, and Smith might just be a little depressed with how his Steelers played. But if the 49ers play like they did on Sunday, an NFC Championship Game -- or more -- could become reality.