Will 49ers’ winning ways carry over to home field?

SANTA CLARA >> Only one way exists to turn corporate-centric Levi’s Stadium into a true home-field advantage. As Year 6 kicks off today, that elusive route seems absolutely possible.

“You have to win,” 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said.

By opening with wins at Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, the 49ers are poised for Steelers at 49ers, today, 1:25 p.m., CBS their greatest win in Levi’s Stadium history, if they indeed get past the Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2) and their welltraveled fans.

“No matter where you play, no matter what stadium you’re in, in order to get the fans enthusiastic about coming to see you, especially at this stadium where it’s kind of hot and there’s not a lot of shade, you have to put on a good product,” Sherman said. “And that’s on us, on the team, on the players and on the coaches.”

Sherman, 49ers fans ruefully recall, enjoyed the NFL’S greatest home-field mojo while playing in Seattle before defecting to the 49ers last year. During his seven-year tenure with the Seahawks, he famously celebrated a 2014 Thanksgiving rout of the 49ers by eating a turkey leg on a postgame show.

The 49ers entered that game with a 7-4 record. Over the ensuing 34 home games, they went in without a winning record.

“I don’t think we’ve given our fans a lot to be excited about in the two years I’ve been here at home or the years prior,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.

The exceptions, as Shanahan noted, came in a 2017 Christmas Eve win over Jacksonville, as well as last year’s victories over Oakland and Seattle.

Here is how this home opener can trump any and all Levi’s Stadium dates: RATTLE NEW STEELERS QB >> The Steelers own a 4-19-1 all-time record with a firsttime starting quarterback, and one of those rare success stories was Ben Roethlisberger entering in Week 3 of the 2004 season to win at Miami 13-3.

Now comes Mason Rudolph in Week 3, after Roethlisberger’s season-ending elbow injury. Rudolph (6-foot-5, 235-pound) won’t light up the 49ers secondary like he’s still in the Big 12 at Oklahoma State.

But he could surprise, just as Nick Mullens did for the 49ers last season in notching the second-highest passer rating for a NFL debut (151.9).

“They’ve had a certain style to them with Ben Roethlisberger playing, and it just looks like on tape that (Rudolph) is capable of handling all that stuff, too,” 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. PROTECT GAROPPOLO’S BLINDSIDE >> Left tackle Joe Staley’s fractured fibula last Sunday vaults rookie Justin Skule, a sixth-round draft pick, into the lineup. Skule started 40 straight games at Vanderbilt, allowed only one sack last year in the vaunted SEC and made rookie strides in the past two months.

But protecting Jimmy Garoppolo’s blindside is a heavy responsibility, and the 49ers won’t rely solely on Skule. Receivers and tight ends will help chip edge rushers, and Shanahan’s system offers enough play-action snaps and misdirection to unsettle defenses.

Garoppolo put the Bengals in tough spots last Sunday. He threw three TD passes for the first time as a 49er, and his play-action game was buoyed by the team’s 259 rushing yards. ESTABLISH THE RUN >> While the 49ers ran at will on the Bengals, the Steelers allowed the Seahawks 151 yards and 4.6 yards per carry in a 2826 Pittsburgh loss. The 49ers would love to re-establish their ground game.

Outstanding blocking from linemen, tight ends and receivers paved the way last Sunday for Matt Breida (121 rushing yards, 10.1 ypc.), Raheem Mostert (151 all-purpose yards, 83 rushing) and Jeff Wilson Jr. (two rushing touchdowns). All three rushers arrived undrafted into the NFL, and their 238 rushing yards were the third-most by undrafted players since at least 1970.

Steelers running back James Conner is battling a knee injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice, and he’s averaging only 2.6 yards per carry.

TEST NEW STEELERS SAFETY >> The Steelers uncharacteristically traded away a firstround draft pick to acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins’ 2017 top pick (No. 11 overall). Fitzpatrick figures to start at free safety.

Will that be enough to rescue a pass defense that allowed three touchdowns with no interceptions against both Tom Brady (341 yards, 124.9 rating) and Russell Wilson (300 yards, 131.0 rating)?

MINIMIZE MISTAKES >> Penalties have nullified four touchdowns this season (two scored by George Kittle, two by Raheem Mostert). The penalties: holding (two), pass interference and illegal formation.

At some point, the 49ers will need those points. They don’t need penalties (20 so far this season) ruining their homecoming.

Something else to keep an eye on: long snapper Jon Condo’s debut. The 49ers ditched Colin Holba hoping for more consistency. So Condo’s snaps better be right where Mitch Wishnowsky wants them when he punts and, perhaps more important, when he holds for kicker Robbie Gould, who’s missed a field goal in each game thus far.