SANTA CLARA — The Niners wanted a recreation like that.
After back-to-back losses—a dud efficiency and a choke job—San Francisco performed a staff wholly inferior within the New England Patriots.
The Niners have been capable of get proper, and pull again some (only a bit) of that hype they squandered the final two weeks.
The expertise deficiency allowed the 49ers to fiddle (quite a bit) however win comfortably anyway. They’re now 2-2 on the season, which appears simply.
Right here have been the studs and duds of Sunday’s sloppy, chunky, altogether forgettable 30-13 win:
💪 STUDS
Fred Warner • LB
» Is anybody, at any place, enjoying in addition to Fred Warner proper now?
To not my eye.
The Niners’ linebacker is the perfect run-stopper within the recreation. He’s additionally the perfect protection linebacker within the sport, as he put into apply along with his 45-yard interception return for a landing within the first half.
Warner solely wanted the primary half to show he’s the perfect defensive participant within the recreation. His ankle damage saved him sidelined within the second half, although it required a number of 49ers staffers to maintain him off the sphere.
If his damage retains him sidelined longer than one half, the Niners are in huge, huge bother.
George Kittle • TE
» Capped off a 10-play, 80-yard drive to cap the second quarter. Extra importantly, he scored on a drive the place the Niners had two different touchdowns taken off the board by penalty (considered one of them Kittle’s — it was a foul name.)
Kittle’s strong-handed catch over three Patriots defenders within the again left nook of the top zone was the game-breaker. He stays a participant the 49ers merely can not do with out, as evidenced by the Niners enjoying him within the second half, at the same time as he had a rib damage.
Kevin Givens • DT
» Had 2.5 sacks within the first half, after having 5.5 in his profession coming into the sport. It helps going towards one of many worst offensive traces in latest NFL historical past, but it surely was a wildly encouraging efficiency with beginning defensive deal with Javon Hargrave occurring injured reserve. Givens will get the best of first refusal at Hargrave’s gig, subsequent to Malik Collins (who was immense on Sunday with 1.5 sacks as effectively.)
Jordan Mason • RB
» Took some time for him to get going, however when the practice began rolling down the tracks, it was downright unstoppable. Mason completed with 24 carries for 123 yards and a landing. His chunk runs within the second half (25 and 24 yards) ended any outlandish idea of a Patriots comeback.
Nick Bosa • DE
» I don’t care what the stat sheet mentioned after this one. He’s unreal. Every thing the Niners did with the move rush straight resulted from him profitable rep after rep after rep.
Sam Okuayinonu • DE
» The person they signed off the road is way, significantly better than the defensive finish they paid $20 million to this previous offseason (Floyd). It’s unusual how that occurs loads with the Niners.
📉 DUDS
Issac Guerrendo • RB, KR
» Not solely does he look a lot slower than his mix testing scores (and apply play) would suggest, however he additionally fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, organising the Patriots’ first (and solely) landing of the sport.
He’s a rookie, you wish to give him some grace, however I doubt we’ll see him for some time but.
De’Vondre Campbell • LB
» Even the Patriots might assault and exploit him. If not for the otherworldly play of Fred Warner, this might be way more apparent to informal viewers. However those that are locked on the Niners are locked in on No. 59, as a result of it merely retains getting worse. However you possibly can guess that opposing offensive coordinators know precisely the place they’re attacking week-in, week-out. Different groups will have the ability to do it even higher.
Leonard Floyd • DE
» One other recreation, one other no-show. Floyd is already trying like a bust for the 49ers, however they’ve so many accidents on the defensive position, they need to play him.
Floyd was credited with three quarterback hits and a pressured fumble on this recreation. The official scorer will need to have been watching one thing completely different. Whereas Floyd was a bit extra concerned within the second half, he was a non-factor within the contest.
Mitch Wishnowsky • P
» He doesn’t look proper. Nearly all of his punts Sunday had no carry or distance — they’re eminently returnable. Amid all of the Niners’ horrible particular groups play, this can be a ticking time bomb.
Kyle Shanahan within the crimson zone
» The Niners kicked subject targets of twenty-two and 26 yards Sunday.
That’s embarrassing.
It’s additionally an indictment of Kyle Shanahan’s play-calling close to the end-zone.
The 49ers did rating one first-half landing deep in Patriots territory, but it surely got here on a leap ball from Brock Purdy to George Kittle.
The sport was over earlier than halftime, so it actually doesn’t matter what occurred within the second half. (As evidenced by Warner not enjoying.)
That is the place the absence of Christian McCaffrey looms largest. Groups like to play man-to-man close to the end-zone — there’s much less floor to cowl and it permits them to blitz extra. McCaffrey, a mismatch towards any place you placed on him, neutralized a lot of that.
With out him — and with out Deebo Samuel within the backfield — the Niners’ playcalling is bland and something however incisive.
Simply because it was earlier than McCaffrey.
Initially Printed: September 29, 2024 at 4:31 p.m.
