SANTA CLARA – Alfred Collins’ locker is within the nook, the final one 49ers teammates move by en path to hitting the showers.
His 6-foot-5, 332-pound physique was stationed there after Sunday evening’s 20-10 win over the Falcons when pint-sized reporters dared to query how the 49ers are compensating with out injured stars, equivalent to Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Brock Purdy.
“There ain’t no dropoff here. We all work our butts off day in day out,” Collins, a rookie defensive sort out, stated. “We’re close. When you’re close to your brothers, you can be dangerous.”
Generally, 49ers groups develop cohesion by deliberately having an early-season layover between back-to-back highway journeys. Not this season. No layovers. As a substitute, a outstanding bond is surfacing among the many fill-in-the-blank-depth-chart 49ers (5-2).
“We like being overlooked,” Collins added. “Count us out if you want. Just turn on the tape and you’ll see what’s up.”
Listed below are 10 issues I noticed Sunday evening that it’s best to know:
1. TEAM (NFL?) MVP
Christian McCaffrey did his finest work within the seventh recreation of his comeback-player-of-the-year, offensive-player-of-the-year, maybe-even-MVP marketing campaign.
He ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns for the primary time this season, and of his 129 yards, 109 got here between the tackles for the third-highest such whole in his profession, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.
Certain, all 11 offensive gamers key such dashing assaults. However McCaffrey was bowled over when he heard coach Kyle Shanahan state beforehand that it additionally takes the 49ers’ protection “stepping up so that you have opportunities to run. You’re not super behind (in the score). I’ve never heard a coach say that, but that makes so much sense to me. To be able to run the ball is a huge team effort and our guys allowed that to happen today.”
McCaffrey turned the primary NFL operating again to provide a minimum of 50 receiving yards in every of the primary seven video games of a season, main the 49ers this recreation with 72 yards on seven catches.
His 201 scrimmage yards are the 49ers’ most in 5 years, since Jeff Wilson Jr.’s 204 in opposition to Arizona in 2020. The final 49er to hit that 200-yard mark and run for 2 touchdowns: Frank Gore, 2009.
2. MISSING-MAN KARMA
Per week in the past, the 49ers protection had solely 10 gamers on the sphere when Warner sustained his ankle harm. Sunday, the Falcons acquired caught with solely 10 defenders when McCaffrey made a 17-yard reception on third-and-13 to the Falcons’ 4-yard line, teeing up his second landing run from there.
“It’s absolutely embarrassing, and it’s my fault,” stated Falcons coach Raheem Morris, whose group was penalized three performs earlier for 12 males on the sphere.
McCaffrey practically got here off the sphere earlier than that third-down play however “I looked at him and said, ‘Go back as long as you’re not hurt,’” Shanahan recalled. “He knew the deal, he went back and it was a hell of a play.” McCaffrey recommended Shanahan’s play name and Jones’ throw on a play they rehearsed in follow a number of instances this previous week.
3. KITTLE’S IMPACT
George Kittle didn’t have a catch for the primary time within the 115 video games he has performed. He was focused twice in his return from a Week 1 hamstring tear. “I’d love to catch a football once in a while. But when you can run the ball 37-plus times, it’s a fantastic night,” stated Kittle, who performed 54 of 67 offensive snaps. (McCaffrey performed 50.)
The 49ers ran for 151 yards on 28 carries with Kittle on the sphere (1.4 yards earlier than contact). When he was out, they’d six carries for 12 yards and minus-2.1 yards earlier than contact.
“George obviously helps,” proper sort out Coltong McKivitz stated, “but (Jake) Tonges and Luke (Farrell) did a great job today too, and Juice (Kyle Juszczyk), too. George is just great to have back in the offense and having his aura.”
4. COLBY’S TRACTOR PULL
Kittle preferred seeing fellow Iowa product Connor Colby assist haul McCaffrey throughout the aim line for that 4-yard, fourth-quarter landing run. “Fantastic. That’s a good Iowa guy,” Kittle stated.
That’s additionally unlawful, as Colby was knowledgeable by offensive line coach Chris Foerster upon reaching the sideline after the rating. “I didn’t know. Heck, in college, we did that all the time,” Colby stated. “I pulled around and there wasn’t really a spot for me to turn up, so I just wrapped around the kickout block and tried to pick up what I could. Then I felt him kind of running against me. That’s when I, I wouldn’t say pulled him in, but I did. I assisted.”
He assisted extra uniquely when he caught a deflected Jones move, rambled seven yards (for a 1-yard web loss) and saved the 49ers in vary for an ensuing 55-yard discipline aim by Eddy Pineiro for a 10-3 lead.
5. WARNER’S PRESENCE
Warner made a shock look solely 5 days after ankle surgical procedure, drawing cheers each time the videoboards confirmed him sitting (ankle elevated) in a collection together with his spouse and son. One such time got here with the 49ers offense on the sphere within the second half, and Kittle playfully complained how a silent rely was nearly required.
Warner additionally made a shock go to Saturday to teammates. “He watched film with us. He didn’t give any pointers but he allowed us to learn and he just showed he’s still here, and to do that, he still cares and it’s not all about him,” stated Tatum Bethune, Warner’s substitute.
Bethune and fellow linebacker Dee Winters wore Warner jerseys to the stadium, with Winters supplying Bethune the No. 48 prime that Warner wore as a 2018 rookie; Bethune now wears No. 48.
“The rest of this season, man, I’m just thinking about Fred. Everything we do is for him,” Bethune stated. “He’s done a lot for us. He put his body on the line for us. We just want to show him it didn’t go unnoticed, we learned from him and we feed off him.”
6. BETHUNE ON BETHUNE
Bethune was stunned to be taught he made 10 tackles for a second straight recreation, noting he doesn’t listen and simply tries to maintain racking up as many as attainable.
“I just want to be Tatum Bethune,” he stated. “Fred’s done so much on this defense and made so many plays. I want to do the same thing. I don’t want to be Fred but I want to make plays the way he does… It’s inspiring. You don’t see linebackers do that around the league. I’m excited to learn from him for a year and a half. Now it’s my turn to make those plays, too.”
Linebackes coach Johnny Holland paid Bethune a go to within the locker room to reward his efforts, which included a late-game sack that Bethune coveted till it was nullified by Deommodore Lenoir’s illegal-contact penalty.
7. QUARTERBACK SHIFT CHANGE?
Brock Purdy may return from a three-game hiatus and begin Sunday’s recreation at Houston (10 a.m., Fox), until the 49ers give his proper large toe extra restoration time and journey once more with Jones, who has appreciated his 5 begins.
“They’ve meant a lot. Everybody has had my back, Brock included,” Jones stated. “He’s been so enjoyable to work with. I’ve been lucky to have wins. We’ve been lucky to have wins. That’s essential. Each win counts early within the yr and all you’re attempting to do is get to that quantity so you may get within the playoffs however acquired an extended solution to go there.
“We’re just taking it one week at a time,” Jones added. “My goal is to be prepared whatever role I’m in. I’m just looking forward to the challenge next week.”
8. RECEIVER WOES
It’s one factor to wrestle with out vast receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall, to not point out the yet-to-debut rookie Jordan Watkins. But it surely’s one other to see passes dropped and backfire at key moments.
Jones acquired intercepted on the 18-yard line on the 49ers’ second collection, when Jauan Jennings bobbled the throw. Maybe extra ghastly of a drop got here within the fourth quarter when Jones’ 40-yard bomb slipped by Demarcus Robinson’s fingers on the Falcons’ 25-yard line, on a heck of a third-and-3 name with the 49ers main simply 13-10.
The 49ers properly relied extra on their rushers in opposition to a Falcons defensive entrance that doesn’t boast the intimidating presence like Tampa did per week in the past with Vita Vea.
9. INTERCEPTION ISSUES
The 49ers prolonged their NFL document to 14 consecutive video games with out an interception. That streak spans 469 passes, they usually nearly snapped it Sunday however Lenoir as a substitute was known as for pass-interference. The New York Jets are the one different group with out an interception this season.
The Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud has been intercepted 3 times on 144 makes an attempt this season getting into Monday’s recreation at Seattle; he was intercepted 12 instances final season after simply 5 as a 2023 rookie.
10. CENTER’S ‘REVENGE WEEK’
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Jake Brendel’s served because the 49ers’ dutiful heart for seemingly each significant snap since 2022. Then got here a third-series hamstring harm Sunday and he was dominated out shortly, just like Kittle’s Week 1 exit.
In stepped Matt Hennessy, who performed for the Falcons from 2020 till the 49ers signed him off their follow squad late final season. Hennessy labored with Jones so much because the second-string heart in camp, making Sunday’s swap clean.
“It was funny, we were talking this week and I was like, ‘It’s your revenge week this week,’ because he was in Atlanta,” Jones stated. “Then sure enough, early in the game, he is like, ‘All right, here we go.’ And I was like, ‘Revenge Week.’ He did awesome. He was cool as a cucumber and just went out there and did his job.”
Hennessy relished serving to with the dashing assault’s revival, saying: “It snowballs a bit when you get the ground game going and you can just start throwing body blows. We got to that position tonight and tried to keep hammering it. Then it got pretty fun.”
