49ers Play Spoiler in the Desert, Upset Cardinals

Week 16 - With the San Francisco 49ers (5-9) officially eliminated from playoff contention following their Week 15 loss to Dallas, the focus of Kyle Shanahan's team would turn to the division rival Arizona Cardinals (8-6) who are vying for a playoff spot as a potential Wild Card team. But with a change at quarterback for San Francisco who promoted C.J. Beathard in place of Nick Mullens, the hapless 49ers would look to redeem themselves and play the role of spoiler against a Cardinals team that would've benefited greatly with a win at home on Saturday, given the Chicago Bears (7-7) are hot on their heels. Making his first start since 2018, Beathard, who owned a career record of 0-3 versus Arizona entering Saturday's game, received some much needed help from an old college teammate who made his return to the lineup for the 49er offense. 

Having been sidelined with a foot injury since Week 8, San Francisco's Pro Bowl tight-end George Kittle returned to the lineup in a big way on Saturday, hauling in four passes from his former college teammate at Iowa, for a game-high 94 yards receiving. Despite their first time playing together in an actual game in nearly two years, Beathard and Kittle were able to rekindle their old chemistry which was a welcoming sight among 49er fans. Outscoring opponents 36-0 in the first quarter over their last four games, the Cardinals were quick to jump out to a 3-0 advantage after their first possession of the game, but the 49ers would succeed in putting an end to that first quarter shutout when Beathard hit running back Jeff Wilson Jr. for a 21-yard pass that he took to the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. In what would be the start of a busy day for Wilson Jr., the Niners' third-string running back would have a career day on Saturday before it was all said and done as he became the first 49ers running back since Frank Gore in 2009, to put up over 200 yards from scrimmage in a single game. And his early trip to the end zone would give the 49ers six consecutive games with a first quarter touchdown for the first time since 2002. 

After taking a 7-6 lead into the half, the 49ers would continue to go with a steady diet of Wilson Jr. on the ground, but a pair of missed field goals and a missed extra-point by kicker Robbie Gould, including one to open the second half, would make things a lot closer on the scoreboard than they should've been. Luckily, after forcing a three and out on Arizona's first possession of the second half, the offense would be able to add to their score without the help of Gould, as Beathard found fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 9-yard touchdown pass to go up, 14-6. Opening the fourth quarter with a touchdown by Arizona, the Cardinals would fail to tie the game on a two-point conversion attempt as QB Kyler Murray's pass attempt was incomplete. After a failed fourth down attempt on Arizona's next possession led to a turnover on downs, the 49ers took advantage of the gutsy gamble by Cardinals head coach Cliff Kingsbury inside his team's own territory, as Wilson Jr. broke for a 34-yard run that allowed the 49ers to setup shop just shy of the goal-line. One play later, Beathard would again find Juszczyk inside the end zone for a touchdown. Trailing 20-12, Murray and company would march all the way to the red zone before a pass was lobbed into the end zone and intercepted by San Francisco's Ahkello Witherspoon. 

Despite their struggles, the Cardinals would still get one last-ditch attempt to tie the game, down 20-12 following Gould's second missed field goal on the afternoon. However, the 49er defense would manage to hang on as Arizona's fourth quarter comeback attempt came up short on a failed fourth down conversion. In what was an all-around stellar performance defensively for San Francisco, the 49er defense did exceptionally well in coverage as they were able to keep both DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald in check, as the duo combined for 14 receptions but were held to only 76-yards receiving. Also, Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake who was the last running back to rush for over 100 yards against the 49er defense when he did so in his Cardinals debut in Week 9 of the 2019 season, was also held in check for the most part as he was limited to only 45 yards rushing on 18 carries. C.J. Beathard finished with a quiet 183 yards passing, but managed to throw a trio of touchdown passes and avoided the costly interceptions that had doomed the 49er offense the past few weeks with quarterback Nick Mullens under center. Jeff Wilson Jr.'s 204 total yards from scrimmage were the most since Frank Gore compiled 246 total scrimmage yards in Week 2 of the 2009 season. Having played their last two home games at State Farm Stadium and coming up short in both affairs, the 49ers were finally able to pull out a win in Arizona, this time as the road team. 

Noteworthy: Earlier in the week, three 49ers were named to the NFC's Pro Bowl team: fullback Kyle Juszczyk, tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Fred Warner. Also, defensive-lineman Kerry Hyder was one of three 49ers to log a quarterback sack on Saturday, giving him a career-high 8.5 sacks on the season. 

Week 17 Preview - Staying in Arizona, the 49ers will finish their 2020 regular season when they play host to the division rival Seattle Seahawks (11-4). Coming off a victory over the Los Angeles Rams which clinched an NFC West title for Pete Carrol's Seahawks for the first time since 2016, Seattle will try to avoid an upset loss to San Francisco as they still have eyes on a top seed in the NFC's playoff picture. Unlike last year's heavyweight meeting between these two teams which took place on the final week of the regular season and was the final game of the regular season on NBC's Sunday Night Football which was won on a goal-line stand by San Francisco and determined the winner of the division as well as the NFC's number one seed, this time around the game will have much less meaning and far less drama. Nonetheless, Russell Wilson and company will try to continue their stride into the playoffs, while coach Shanahan's 49ers hope to finish the regular season strong with a little winning streak of their own to closeout the season and build upon come 2021. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Turnovers Galore End Niners Season

Week 15 - Taking a trip to the lone star state, the San Francisco 49ers (5-8) would go toe to toe with the Dallas Cowboys (4-9) in a must-win game. Initially scheduled as a primetime match-up on NBC's Sunday Night Football, the meeting was eventually flexed out of the late spot for a 10am start time in favor of the Cleveland Browns-New York Giants game. With both teams at or near the bottom of their respective division and playing without their starting quarterback, what was one of the more anticipated match-ups on the schedule for both teams at the start of the season, quickly lost its flare as injuries and poor play decimated what had the potential of being one of the more exciting games of the year between two old rivals. Instead, fans would be treated to a duel between two struggling teams led by backup QB's. Facing a do or die scenario, San Francisco saw their playoff hopes evaporate on Sunday following another turnover-filled performance that officially eliminated them from postseason contention. 

Having struggled virtually all season long in the turnover department, Sunday's game was no exception as the 49ers shot themselves in the foot right out the gates. After forcing a three and out on defense during Dallas' first offensive possession, punt-returner Richie James Jr. fumbled the ball away at the San Francisco 22 yard line. Even with an offense that has struggled mightily this season in the absence of both QB Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys made the most of the second chance opportunity as Tony Pollard scored several plays later to give Dallas an early lead, igniting what would go on to be a big day for the Cowboys' backup running back. The Niners' second possession would end in a similar fate as Mullens' recent struggles of protecting the ball and avoiding turnovers bit him once more when he was sacked and fumbled the ball. Wasting little time to capitalize on yet another 49er miscue, QB Andy Dalton found receiver Michael Gallup for a 3-yard score to put the home team on top, 14-0. Seeking their first winning streak of the season, Dallas would enjoy a hot start, but San Francisco would eventually chip away at their lead. A 13-play, 85-yard drive would end in a 49ers touchdown as Mullens connected in the end zone with tight-end Jordan Reed. 

After a Greg Zuerlein field goal made it 17-7 Dallas, the 49ers embarked on another 13-play drive that ended in the offense finding pay dirt. Having been one of the lone bright spots in the 49ers' dismal year, rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk continued his torrid pace with a 2-yard touchdown to pull San Francisco within a field goal. Trailing 17-14 at the half, the Niners would force another Dallas three and out before tying the game on a Robbie Gould field goal. But just when the 49ers offense began piecing things together, the defense gave in as a 45-yard connection from Dalton to rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb setup a touchdown on the very next play when Dalton Schultz hauled in one of his two receptions on the day for a 12-yard score. San Francisco would answer right back with another long drive capped off by Texas native Jeff Wilson Jr. who plowed into the end zone from a yard out. With the game tied at 24-24, the Niners would have a chance to take their first lead of the day after both teams exchanged punts, but Mullens' turnover woes would rear their ugly head once again as he was intercepted on a pass intended for Reed, which the Cowboys would turn into another field goal. 

Following another pair of punts, Mullens would be intercepted for a second time as he threw into traffic to commit another costly turnover which Dallas would be sure to make him pay this time around as Tony Pollard broke for a 40-yard touchdown just two plays later. Down by 10-points with under a minute remaining, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers quickly found themselves in a battle with the clock. Electing to go for a field goal on 2nd down, the 400th made field goal of Gould's career, the Niners made it a one-score game as they lined up for the onside-kick. With Dallas seeking their first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2008, Cowboy fans would witness that drought come to an end as CeeDee Lamb recovered the onside-kick attempt and took it 47-yards to the house, while receiving a pair of nice blocks along the way. San Francisco would get one last touchdown on the final play of the game. With many Niner fans calling for the end of the Nick Mullens experiment and the switch to C.J. Beathard, those fans got their wish late in the fourth quarter as he entered the game in relief of Mullens, and launching a 49-yard pass into the end zone that Kendrick Bourne leaped into the air and came down with to make it a 41-33 final score. 

Stringing together their first winning-streak in 21 games dating back to last season, the Cowboys ended the 49ers' playoff hopes while also keeping their own alive in the putrid NFC Eastern Division that is led by 6-8 Washington. Losing the turnover battle, 4-0, San Francisco continued to make things hard for themselves as they've now suffered 2+ giveaways in eight straight games, their longest streak since 2008. The culprit behind a lot of those turnovers is Mullens who has now allowed 14 turnovers (11 interceptions, 3 fumbles) in eight starts. While Mullens threw for more yards than Dalton, 219 to 209, he committed a whopping three turnovers to Dalton's zero as both QB's threw for a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, C.J. Beathard threw for an even 100 yards and a touchdown on 5 of 7 pass attempts. While the Cowboys relied heavily on Pollard who rushed for 69 yards and 2 TD's and caught six passes for another 63 yards, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. split the bulk of the carries for San Francisco, rushing for 68 and 60 yards, respectively. While Kendrick Bourne led all wide-outs in receiving yards with 86 yards on four receptions to go along with his touchdown, rookie Brandon Aiyuk was the real story for San Francisco as he caught a game-high 9 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, while passing teammate Deebo Samuel (57 in 2019) for the most receptions by a rookie in 49ers franchise history. This after Aiyuk missed three games this season, including the season-opener. 

Week 16 Preview - With their season over now as the 2020-21 NFL Playoffs will be played without the reigning NFC Champions, the 49ers (5-9) will return to their home away from home in Glendale, Arizona, this time as the away team when they take on the division rival Arizona Cardinals (8-6). Facing off for the first time since Week 1 which the Cardinals edged the Niners by a narrow 24-20 outcome, San Francisco will try to play the role of spoiler against a Cardinals team that is vying for a playoff spot. Or the 49ers can show some appreciation for the Cards allowing them to play their home ball at their stadium for the past two games, by rolling over and letting them win. While that seems like a fat chance given Kyle Shanahan's team will likely give it everything they've got come kickoff, it might not be the worst of decisions either seeing as the Niners are now jockeying for position in next year's NFL Draft. With gameday slated for Saturday, it wouldn't be the biggest surprise if C.J. Beathard is in under center to start the game at quarterback for San Francisco in place of the struggling Nick Mullens, opposite of Arizona's Kyler Murray. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Costly Turnovers spell Doom for 49ers

Week 14 - Hanging onto a sliver of hope in the NFC's Wild Card Playoff picture, the San Francisco 49ers (5-7) would take a second crack at winning a home game away from home while having to host the Washington Football Team (5-7) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. For whatever reason, history would not be on the side of San Francisco as teams having to play their "home" game at another team's stadium, boasted an overall record of 1-5 since the 1970 merger entering Sunday's bout. And like many of those other teams who failed before them, the 49ers would resemble anything but a team playing focused and comfortably at home. 

With the main headline entering Sunday's game being the return of Washington quarterback Alex Smith playing against his former team, the likely favorite to win this season's Comeback Player of the Year Award, was not around very long as he was forced to depart Sunday's game early with a leg injury. Unrelated to the devastating lower leg injury that took place just over two years ago that nearly ended Smith's playing career and even worse, his life, Smith's injury was later described as a calf strain. Taking over under center for Smith just before halftime would be second-year QB Dwayne Haskins. But regardless of who Washington had out there playing quarterback, the offense was ineffective and had little to show for as San Francisco jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter following a rushing touchdown from Jeff Wilson Jr. Washington would narrow the deficit with a pair of field goals, but where their offense lacked, their defense surely made up for it as the 49ers' turnover bug continued to bite them. Having suffered 2+ giveaways in six straight games entering Sunday, the Niners had yet another setback with two more in the first half to make it seven straight games of at least 2+ giveaways, their longest such streak since 2008. 

The first big blow to the 49er offense would be dealt by Washington's rookie and 2020 first round pick (2nd overall) Chase Young who had himself a game to remember on Sunday. After already logging a sack on the quarterback and forcing a fumble on the running back, Young scooped up a fumble recovery which he returned 47-yards for a touchdown as Washington took a 13-7 lead into the half. With another field goal to open the second half, the Washington Football Team relied on their defense and the mishaps of the 49ers offense to supply most of their scoring. Trailing 16-7, QB Nick Mullens and the 49er offense embarked on an 11-play drive and made it as far as the Washington 24-yardline before Mullens made an errant pass that was intercepted and returned 76-yards for a pick-six touchdown. With 23 unanswered-points scored by Washington, the 49ers found themselves playing from behind and down two-scores with only a quarter remaining. Their ensuing possession, another 11-play drive, would end much better for the San Francisco offense on their second time around as fullback Kyle Juszczyk hauled in a 6-yard touchdown reception, followed by a successful two-point conversion from Mullens to receiver Kendrick Bourne. 

Unfortunately for San Francisco, their final three possessions would end in a pair of punts and a turnover on downs as Washington prevailed over the Niners by a final score of 23-15. Having soared near the top of the league in quite a few defensive categories including points allowed and rushing yards allowed, the Washington defense once again stood on its head when they needed it most, seeing as their offense was virtually nonexistent all game long. San Francisco's defense was also stout in the loss, allowing only 193 yards of total offense compared to the 344 yards allowed by Washington, but their inability to force the costly turnovers like those committed by Nick Mullens and the 49er offense, proved to be the major difference on Sunday. For Washington, the defense would score multiple touchdowns in a game for the first time in over 20 years (1997), as the team won on the road without scoring an offensive touchdown for the first time since 1992. With Washington's win coupled with a Giants loss suffered at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, first-year head coach Ron Rivera witnessed his team capture first place in the NFC East as they try to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to make the playoffs after starting the season with a 2-7 record. 

Meanwhile, San Francisco saw their playoff hopes take a major hit as they fall to 5-8 on the year and will be without their dynamic receiver Deebo Samuel for the remainder of the season after he reinjured his hamstring in the first half of Sunday's loss. Samuel finished the game with 1 rush for 9 yards and 0 receptions. Neither Alex Smith (57 yards) nor Dwayne Haskins (51 yards) had much success in the passing game as both QB's failed to throw for 60 yards, but they were able to avoid the costly turnovers that eventually spelled doom for their counterpart in Nick Mullens. The 49ers QB threw for 260 yards and a touchdown, but his costly interception and fumble, both of which leading to Washington touchdowns, dug too big a hole for the San Francisco offense to climb out of. The lone bright spot on the day would be that of Brandon Aiyuk as the 49ers' rookie receiver continued to shine, making a game-high 10 catches for 119 yards.

Week 15 Preview - With division opponents in Weeks 16 & 17 to closeout the regular season, Week 15 will see the last of San Francisco facing foes outside of the NFC West as they make a trip to the lone star state to take on the Dallas Cowboys (4-9). Like the 49ers, Dallas has had to make due without their starting quarterback for most of the season as QB Dak Prescott saw his season come to an abrupt stop after suffering a horrific leg injury suffered back in Week 5. Clearly not the same team without their leader, Dallas is coming off a 30-7 victory against the Bengals in Cincinnati, their first win of the season by more than 3-points. And like their reunion with Alex Smith in Week 14, Week 15 will see the 49ers face off against another familiar face in Dallas' Aldon Smith. The former 49ers Pro Bowl defensive-end turned troubled individual has had somewhat of a resurgence in 2020, helping make plays for the Cowboys defense, while also keeping his nose clean. Unfortunately, this once proud rivalry will not have the same juice that it otherwise would have had both Prescott and 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo been healthy. Instead, both franchises are near the bottom of their respective divisions and could very well be fighting for draft position at this point. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers No Match for Bills on Monday Night

Week 13 - Riding high after an uplifting victory on the road against a division rival, the San Francisco 49ers (5-6) were in prime position to right the ship and improve their record to .500 on the year, while also receiving some help in the division as both the Seahawks and Cardinals suffered losses. However, what was supposed to be a home game on Monday Night Football for the 49ers at Levi's Stadium, would instead take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the Arizona Cardinals. Hoping to still make themselves at home, their Week 13 opponent would be the 8-3 Buffalo Bills who had other plans. While the 49ers have yet to play at State Farm Stadium this season to take on the division rival Cardinals, the Bills would be making their second trip to the desert this season and playing in a stadium that would bring back bad memories of a heartbreaking loss that took place just three weeks earlier. Anxious to avenge that loss at the hands of Arizona which came on the final play of the game, the team that stood in front of them on Monday night did not matter as quarterback Josh Allen and company would not hesitate to take it out on a short-handed 49ers team. 

Having grown up attending 49er games at the now demolished Candlestick Park and a native of Firebaugh, California, Allen's homecoming wishes of facing the 49ers in the Bay Area for the first time, were cancelled due to the strict restrictions put in place by Santa Clara County where the 49ers' new stadium lies, which has banned the play of contact sports for at least the next few weeks. But that wouldn't stop the Bills QB from having a coming out party on primetime television. Seeking their first win on Monday Night Football since 1999, Buffalo came out guns blazing on offense as San Francisco won the coin-toss and elected to differ. Moving the ball with ease, the Bills setup shop inside the red zone before being stood up at the goal-line by the 49er defense after a gutsy decision to go for it on 4th and goal. Taking over at their own 2-yard line, the San Francisco offense would also march their way to their opponents goal-line before being denied at the doorstep and held scoreless. The Niners would be gifted a second opportunity on the very next play as a bobbled handoff exchange from Allen to his running back ended up in the hands of San Francisco's Fred Warner. Though it would take them until third down, the 49ers would finally punch it into the end zone when QB Nick Mullens found rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the 2-yard touchdown. 

If there was anything the 49ers' touchdown did other than give San Francisco the lead, it was anger Allen and the Bills offense which went on a scoring surge of their own by orchestrating six consecutive scoring drives. Highlighting a first half which saw Buffalo take a 17-7 lead into the locker room, the 49ers were left clueless when trying to find an answer for slot receiver Cole Beasley who had a career-high in receiving yards by halftime before finishing with a game-high 130 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. While the 49ers did open the second half with a field goal to make it a one-score game, Buffalo answered with a touchdown to maintain their distance. The 49er defense suffered a mental breakdown when defensive-lineman Kentavius Street was called for a roughing the passer penalty that turned a would-be 3rd & 18 into an automatic first down. Making matters worse, the Bills would find the end zone two plays later. Looking to string together consecutive scoring drives of their own, San Francisco would do no such thing as Nick Mullens had his pass intercepted as Aiyuk was unable to come up with the grab which he bobbled into the hands of a Buffalo defender. 

After another Bills field goal, the Niners finally struck pay dirt in the second half as a 49-yard reception by Aiyuk setup fullback Kyle Juszczyk who hauled in a touchdown reception from 6-yards out. A fourth and final Bills touchdown would make it a 34-17 ballgame with the 49ers in desperate need of a touchdown-scoring drive. They would march all the way to the red zone inside the 5-yardline before Mullens was intercepted for a second time on the evening when his pass was pried out of the hands of running back Jeff Wilson Jr. who collided with Buffalo's Tre'Davious White as he came away with the ball. After finally forcing a Bills punt, the 49ers were able to score with a garbage-time touchdown in the final minute when Mullens connected in the end zone with tight-end Jordan Reed. Falling by a final score of 34-24, the 49ers were unable to capitalize on the losses of several teams vying for Wild Card spots in the NFC playoff picture. As for the Bills who will accomplish back to back winning seasons for the first time since 1998-99 under the tutelage of head coach Sean McDermott, Buffalo won their first Monday Night Football game of the century behind a fabulous performance from QB Josh Allen. 

Becoming the first Bills QB to complete 80% of his passes while tossing 4 TD's in a game, Allen completed 32 of 40 pass attempts for 375 yards and 0 interceptions, meanwhile his counterpart Nick Mullens threw for 316 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions on 26 of 39 attempts. Aside from the aforementioned Cole Beasley who had a career-game receiving, wide-out Stefon Diggs also had a big night in the Buffalo receiving department, hauling in game-high 10 catches for 92 yards. Rookie Brandon Aiyuk led the way for San Francisco, catching five balls for 95 yards and a touchdown. Neither team had a monstrous game on the ground as Devin Singletary totted the rock 18 times for 61 yards for Buffalo, while both Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert shared the 49ers' workload to rush for 47 and 42 yards, respectively.  

Week 14 Preview - Continuing their stay at their home away from home in Glendale, Arizona, the 49ers (5-7) will play host to the Washington Football Team (5-7) in Week 14. Setting up a date against former 49er QB and first overall pick Alex Smith, Washington is riding high after handing the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss of the season which took place earlier on Monday before the Niners faced the Bills. In what was their first win over Pittsburgh since 1991, the Washington Football Team has been playing inspiring football as of late after long journeys by both Smith who suffered a gruesome leg injury two seasons prior which almost cost him his leg, and head coach Ron Rivera who has had his own battle with cancer. Any thought of an easy game the 49ers had against Washington several weeks ago, can now be thrown out the window as San Francisco will need to bring their a-game if they want to get back in the win column. One way they can avoid another loss, although easier said than done, is by steering clear of the turnovers as the Monday night loss saw San Francisco commit at least two turnovers for the sixth consecutive game, their longest streak since 2008. If they're unable to do that and unable to hand Washington a loss, they can all but kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

49ers Beat L.A., Complete Season Sweep of Rams

Week 12 - Coming off their BYE Week in Week 11, the San Francisco 49ers (4-6) got some much needed reinforcements as Deebo Samuel, Raheem Mostert and Richard Sherman all returned to the starting lineup after all missing extensive time as the Niners took a trip down south to face the division rival Los Angeles Rams (7-3). In a rematch of the Week 6 meeting which saw the Niners have their way with the Rams at Levi's Stadium, Los Angeles who entered Sunday in a tie for the division lead out west and a perfect record of 4-0 in their new multi-billion dollar stadium, was hoping some home cooking would do the trick in round two. Instead, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would get the best of his old pal and former colleague Sean McVay who's Rams fell at the hands of San Francisco for a second time this season and for the fourth time in as many tries. 

Since their Week 6 meeting, both teams have gone in opposite directions with the 49ers winning only one of four games and the Rams winning three of four. But as usual, strange things tend to happen when division rivals meet which was once again the case on Sunday. In what was a lackluster first half by both teams which featured a combined four first quarter turnovers and a total of five in the first half, each team struggled on offense as the defenses took centerstage. Making their presence felt early on, the aforementioned trio of Samuel, Mostert and Sherman each made a difference in the game's opening quarter. After a San Francisco three and out to open the game, the 49ers pounced on a Malcolm Brown fumble in enemy territory, but were unable to do anything with it as Niners QB Nick Mullens had his pass tipped into the air by defensive stalwart Aaron Donald and intercepted by the Rams defense. L.A. would strike first on a 48-yard field goal by Matt Gay, but the lead would be short-lived as the San Francisco offense wasted little time to answer with a score of their own. Thanks to receptions of 33 and 26 yards by Deebo Samuel, Raheem Mostert was able to put the Niners on the board and into the lead with an 8-yard touchdown. 

Seeing his first live action on the field since suffering a calf injury in Week 1, cornerback Richard Sherman provided a jolt on defense with his first interception of the season on an errant pass from Rams quarterback Jared Goff. Happy to have Sherman back in the lineup, the 49er defense didn't have long to celebrate the return of their veteran leader as the offense gave the ball right back one play later when backup running back Jeff Wilson Jr. fumbled the ball away. With both teams combining to exchange six consecutive punts, the 49ers would get another chance at adding some points on the scoreboard just before the half when the defense forced a fumble on the quarterback. But a 50-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the first half by 49ers kicker Robbie Gould would end up wide-right as San Francisco was forced to settle for their 7-3 halftime lead. With the Rams owning the best second half defense in the league, the 49ers knew they'd have to do much better than scoring only seven points in the second half if they wanted to escape L.A. with a victory. Two plays into the third quarter, San Francisco would get some much needed help on the scoreboard thanks to their defense as Goff was pressured in the pocket and threw a pass that was intercepted and taken to the house by rookie Javon Kinlaw, the first of his career. 

With another field goal at the 4:35 mark in the third quarter, the 49ers jumped out to a 17-3 lead. But things would begin to go sour as the Rams found themselves right back in it after a field goal and a fumble returned for a touchdown as L.A. scored 10-points in six seconds. Following a 49ers three and out, Rams rookie running back Cam Akers began to steal the show as he broke for a 61-yard run on L.A.'s first play of the drive before finding the end zone from a yard out just two plays later. Quickly erasing San Francisco's 17-3 lead, the Rams suddenly found themselves ahead, 20-17 at the start of the 4th quarter. After both teams exchanged punts, the 49ers would tie things up at 20-all thanks to Robbie Gould's 44-yard field goal with 3:15 remaining in regulation. Needing a stop on defense, the 49ers would get just that with 2:10 remaining. Facing a 3rd and 2, Nick Mullens connected with Deebo Samuel on a 24-yard gain that put them across midfield. Inching closer to victory with a series of short passes and runs, the 49ers were ready to put the game in the hands of Robbie Gould who was setting up for a 47-yard field goal to win it. Instead, he would receive a gift in the form of a 5-yard penalty on L.A.'s Jalen Ramsey who was whistled for offsides. Making things easier for the former Pro Bowl kicker, Gould split the uprights from 41-yards out for the game-winning field goal. With the 23-20 victory, the 49ers completed the season sweep of the Rams and improved to 5-6 on the year, while also dealing a blow to the Rams who fell to second place in the NFC West with the loss. 

While it wasn't a pretty win by any stretch of the imagination, the 49ers still managed to get the job done, mainly with their makeshift defense which forced the Rams to punt a total of seven times, the most punts by L.A. this season. Continuing their recent dominance of the Rams, the 49ers are now 5-3 against L.A. since 2017. An impressive record considering no other team has defeated the Rams more than twice in that span. While neither quarterback put up gaudy numbers on the stat sheet as Nick Mullens and Jared Goff threw for 252 and 198 yards respectively, one player who did outshine the rest on offense was receiver Deebo Samuel who caught a game-high 11 passes for 133 yards in his first game back after missing the previous three games with a hamstring injury. Most impressive: 83 of Deebo's 133 yards occurred after contact which are the most yards after contact by a wide-receiver in a game this season. 

Week 13 Preview - As if the 49ers haven't had enough issues to deal with this season with the countless amount of injuries and multiple failed Covid tests, the team is now being forced to play their next two home games elsewhere due to new Covid-related restrictions in Santa Clara County. The strict regulations which prohibit any and all contact sports for the next three weeks, were learned about on Saturday while the team was traveling to L.A. to face the Rams. Luckily, it was another division rival of the 49ers who were kind enough to lend a helping hand as Kyle Shanahan's team will be hosting each of their next two home games in the desert at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals. First up in the 49ers' new home away from home will be a tough assignment against the first-place Buffalo Bills (8-3) on Monday Night Football. Sitting atop the standings in the AFC East, Buffalo is coming off a 27-17 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers and will be anxious to try and avenge a loss just two weeks earlier in the same building when the Cardinals won on a last-second desperation touchdown pass from Arizona's Kyler Murray to DeAndre Hopkins. At 5-6 on the year, the 49ers are still hanging onto a sliver of hope in the playoff hunt and would benefit tremendously with a win against one of the AFC's best and will welcome any help they can get from team's facing those in their division. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Mistakes cost 49ers in Loss to Saints

Week 10 - In what was thought to be one of the more intriguing games this season after the absolute barnburner that took place in New Orleans just a year ago, this year's version of the 49ers (4-5) versus Saints (6-2) would be a far cry from the epic 48-46 win that the 49ers were able to escape the Superdome with a season ago. Given the laundry list of injuries the Niners have suffered in 2020, Kyle Shanahan's team would need to play a near perfect game in order to leave the Big Easy with an upset victory over Drew Brees and the Saints, and through the first quarter, San Francisco would manage to do just that. Unfortunately for them, they would be far from perfect during the other three quarters of play on Sunday. 

Putting together an impressive touchdown-scoring drive that spanned 13-plays to open the game, the 49ers took an early 7-0 lead on a short 4-yard pass from backup quarterback Nick Mullens to rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk. In what would be a forgetful game all around in the special-teams department for both teams, the Saints were first to make a gaffe when their defense forced San Francisco to punt on a three-and-out, only to witness return man Deonte Harris muff a fair-catch attempt that gave the 49ers the ball back and another opportunity to score. Cashing in on the Saints' miscue, the 49ers were able to get a field goal out of it to take a 10-0 lead. But Harris would redeem himself on the very next kick which he turned into a 75-yard return to setup the Saints with their first field goal to help put New Orleans on the board. San Francisco's woes on special-teams would then take effect as Ken Webster was unable to get out of the way after an aborted fair-catch call by Trent Taylor as the ball was recovered by the Saints. The head-scratching miscue would allow New Orleans to have another crack at tying the game. 

While the Niners' muffed punt didn't necessarily play a role in turning the tide, there would be a huge momentum shift on the same drive when San Francisco was penalized for a bogus "roughing the passer" call at the 8:42 mark in the second quarter that had everyone up in arms, including injured 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman who was following the game on Twitter and took to his social media account to express just how atrocious the call was. The would-be sack by Niners defensive-end Kentavius Street went from being a Saints 3rd and 18 deep in their own territory, to an automatic first down that breathed new life into the New Orleans offense and ultimately led to them capitalizing with a game-tying touchdown just three plays later. Hoping not to let the game slip away from their grasp, the 49ers turned the ball over on downs near midfield following a failed 4th and 1 attempt that allowed the Saints to take their first lead of the ballgame as Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara added to his busy day with his second of three touchdowns on the afternoon. Erasing a 10-point first quarter deficit, New Orleans suddenly found themselves heading into the locker room at the half with a 17-10 advantage and a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way. 

For San Francisco, it would certainly be a game of missed opportunities as their first possession of the second half ended in an interception that halted what was shaping out to be a successful drive. Instead, the Saints continued to add to their lead despite QB Drew Brees sitting out the entire second half with what x-rays would later reveal to be five fractured ribs and a collapsed long suffered on the negated sack by Kentavius Street. A second muffed punt by San Francisco would help put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter as the Saints rode their Pro Bowl running back to victory as he found the end zone for a third time. With New Orleans pouring in 27 unanswered-points, the 49ers finally stopped the bleeding when Robbie Gould converted on a 40-yard field goal attempt to make it 27-13. In need of some late-game heroics, San Francisco forced a fumble after stripping backup QB Taysom Hill of the ball, but a Nick Mullens interception on a jump-ball in the end zone would seal the victory for the Saints and wipe out any chances of the Niners pulling off the come-from-behind miracle. 

Having terrible luck all season long in keeping healthy running backs on the field, the 49ers lost another one on Sunday as JaMycal Hasty suffered a broken collarbone. While there was no one player that jumped out via the run game, it was the catching ability by Saints running back Alvin Kamara that led the way for New Orleans as he caught 7 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, compared to his 8 carries for 15 yards, though he did make them count with another two touchdowns on the ground. San Francisco's Brandon Aiyuk logged another solid performance by hauling in 7 catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Nick Mullens led all quarterbacks with 247 yards, but threw only one touchdown to his two interceptions. Before departing at the end of the first half, Drew Brees threw for 76 yards and a touchdown on 8 of 13 pass attempts. In spite of the win, the Saints had put up only 237 yards of offense, their lowest total in a win since Week 11 of the 1998 season. Also worth noting is the first career sack for 49ers rookie and first round pick -- Javon Kinlaw who finished the game with 1.5 sacks.

Week 11 - Receiving a much needed BYE Week in Week 11, the 49ers can only hope having a week away from the playing field will finally mean a week without any additional injuries suffered to the roster. However, they'll be keeping a close eye on defensive-end Arik Armstead who was placed on the team's Reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. When the team returns from the BYE, they'll head to southern California to take on the (6-3) Los Angeles Rams. Having already beaten the Rams this season in their Week 6 meeting, L.A. will have a chance to avenge the loss when they play host to San Francisco in their new multi-billion dollar facility -- SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Packers Beat 49ers' B-Team on Thursday Night

Week 9 - Meeting for the first time since a blowout victory in the NFC Championship that punched a ticket to the Super Bowl for the San Francisco 49ers (4-4), the Green Bay Packers (5-2) would stroll into the Bay Area seeking revenge after being embarrassed not once, but twice a season ago. But any hopes of a slugfest would be shutdown rather quickly for one team. Having been ravaged by injuries all season long, a new enemy would emerge and make its presence felt on the 49ers roster, or at least the threat of it. Entering Thursday night's game with 13 players on Injured Reserve -- tied for the most in the NFL, the Niners would be dealt yet another blow after receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for COVID-19. With teammates Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams all considered, "high-risk close contacts," all four players would be ruled out of Thursday's game on Wednesday. But after a pair of subsequent negative Covid tests submitted by Bourne, including one several hours before kickoff, the initial positive test would be deemed a false positive. Unfortunately for the home team, the damage was already done as those players would still be placed on the NFL's Reserve/COVID-19 list and ruled out by the league, leaving 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan with even less to work with against one of the top teams in the NFC. To say the 49ers would be undermanned in their Thursday night affair would be an understatement. But as the saying goes: the show must go on. 

In what would be the 70th match-up all-time between the two historic franchises, backup QB Nick Mullens would make his third start of the season in place of the ailing Jimmy Garoppolo who re-injured his high-ankle sprain in last week's loss to Seattle. Even with the countless holes on offense, the 49ers would still have a sliver of hope before kickoff as Mullens' only other start on Thursday Night Football came during Week 9 of the 2018 season when he made his NFL debut and threw a career-high three touchdown passes in a blowout win against the Raiders. The main difference in this one, however, would be a guy named Aaron Rodgers. After being stymied and constantly pressured by the 49er defense in both games last season, the ghostly defense of San Francisco's past would like nothing like the team Rodgers faced on Thursday and he admitted it in his postgame interview. But that wouldn't stop him from turning up the heat and taking advantage of the situation. While the game would remain competitive until the final minutes of the second quarter, Green Bay took an early 7-0 lead after their first possession and never looked back. 

Needing only six plays to march 75-yards, Rodgers struck first by connecting with his Pro-Bowl receiver Davante Adams for a 36-yard touchdown. It would be the start of a big night from both players as they each registered impressive numbers in the box score. Biting into Green Bay's lead with a Robbie Gould field goal on San Francisco's second possession to make it a 7-3 ballgame, it would be the closest the Niners would get after kickoff. San Francisco nearly tied the game on a touchdown reception by the recently promoted River Cracraft who came down with a catch in the end zone from 4-yards out that was initially ruled a touchdown, but was eventually overturned after review showed he failed to maintain complete control of the ball when falling to the ground, forcing Shanahan to settle for a field goal. The absence of Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams would be felt virtually all night long on the 49ers offensive-line as Justin Skule had a tough time trying to fill in for the sidelined Williams, but especially on a pair of plays that resulted in a Nick Mullens interception in the second quarter and on a sack-fumble in the third, both of which leading to scoring drives for the Packers. By halftime, Rodgers had tossed a trio of touchdown passes as Green Bay took a 21-3 lead into the locker room. 

With the Green Bay lead increasing to 34-3 at one point, the 49ers were able to fend off a complete massacre on the scoreboard as they pieced together a pair of touchdown scoring drives in the fourth quarter to make it a 34-17 final score. The first of which would come on a 41-yard touchdown pass to receiver Richie James Jr. who served as one of the lone bright spots on what was a dismal night for San Francisco after hauling in career-highs with nine receptions for 184-yards and a touchdown. Running back Jerick McKinnon would supply the only other score as he struck pay dirt from a yard out in the game's final seconds. Both Rodgers and Adams would tally impressive numbers for Green Bay's offense as the Packers QB threw for 305 yards, four touchdowns and no picks, one of those touchdowns and 173 yards going to Adams who hauled in a game-high 10 receptions. In comparison, Nick Mullens threw for 291 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Turning back the clock, the 34-points scored by the Packers were the most they put up on the road against San Francisco since December 13, 1959. 

Week 10 Preview - The 49ers' schedule will not get any easier in Week 10 when they make a trip to the Big Easy to face Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (6-2) who are coming off an impressive blowout win against Tom Brady and the Bucs, 38-3. Following one of the best regular season games of the year a season ago when the 49ers left the bayou with a thrilling 48-46 victory that went back and forth in Week 14, it's unlikely we'll see anything remotely close to that shootout with all of San Francisco's missing pieces. With 13 players on IR, 45 different starters and 71 players used -- all the most in the NFL this year, coach Shanahan will do his best to try and piece together a team that can hopefully compete much better than they did against Green Bay. The Niners might also see the recently traded Kwon Alexander on opposite ends next week as he recovers from a high ankle sprain that has caused him to miss an extensive period of time. Another familiar face on opposite ends and one that helped play a key role in San Francisco's wild win against the Saints last season, is receiver Emmanuel Sanders who missed the last two weeks after being placed on the NFL's Reserve/Covid list. Two players the Niners are hopeful of getting back to assist their offense and their chances of pulling off the upset against the Saints are running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Deebo Samuel as the two have been dealing with ankle and hamstring injuries, respectively. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

49ers Lose Kittle & Garoppolo in Loss to Seattle

Week 8 - Coming off an impressive two-game winning-streak and playing their most inspiring football yet this year, the San Francisco 49ers (4-3) appeared to finally begin hitting their stride following the sluggish 2-3 start that had many pundits declaring their season as good as over. But the one thing that has deprived the Niners in the first half of the season -- injuries, would rear its ugly head once again. Entering their meeting with the first-place Seattle Seahawks (5-1), the 49ers looked to continue their winning ways against their division rivals as they took a trip to CenturyLink Field for the first time since the thrilling Week 17 victory that secured both a division title and the number one overall seed in the NFC just a season ago. And with Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo boasting a record of 5-0 on the road versus NFC West opponents throughout his career, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan had to have liked his quarterback's chances of improving that record heading into Sunday's game, but things would take a turn as his depleted team suffered yet another blow on the injury front. 

Prior to the trio of injuries that would deplete the Niners offense even further, San Francisco came out swinging on defense and appeared to be thirsty for blood as they forced the Seattle offense to punt on each of their first two possessions. But an interception by Garoppolo on a pass behind his intended target, would setup their opponent and give Seattle new life on offense. The Seahawks would use that new life and turn it into a 46-yard touchdown by receiver D.K. Metcalf. The early score on the final play of the first quarter would be just the start to a busy afternoon by the second-year receiver that has quickly become one of Russell Wilson's favorite and most reliable targets this season. After a missed point-after by Seattle, the 49ers responded with a touchdown-scoring drive of their own that spanned 14-plays and over eight minutes long as rookie running back JaMycal Hasty scored his first career touchdown from 1-yard out to give his team a 7-6 lead. Not to be outdone, Wilson and the Seattle offense would march down the field and score on a second Metcalf touchdown in consecutive drives. With San Francisco trailing 13-7 at the half, the 49ers would find themselves in hot water and history against them as Seattle entered the game having won 59 out of their last 60 home games when leading by 4 or more points at the half. A stat that would not bode well for any visiting team, much less for a 49ers team that has struggled so mightily over the years at CenturyLink Field. 

Receiving the ball at the half and hoping to get off to a better start than they did in the first, the Niners would witness things go from bad to worse as they were held to a consecutive three and outs and were forced to punt as Seattle began to have their way. Scoring on a 2-yard touchdown by rookie running back DeeJay Dallas, the first of his career, Seattle would string together 17 unanswered-points as 49ers return man Dante Pettis fumbled on the ensuing kick return. Adding insult to injury, Jimmy Garoppolo would fall victim to a high-ankle sprain that would force him to leave the game, the same injury that caused him to miss two and a half weeks earlier in the year. One drive later, the 49ers would lose their Pro-Bowl tight-end George Kittle to a foot injury. With both Garoppolo and Kittle sidelined and off to the locker room, the 49ers would string together three consecutive touchdown-scoring drives in the fourth quarter with backup QB Nick Mullens under center. The first of which on a 1-yard score by running back Jerick McKinnon and the next two on touchdown passes from Mullens to Ross Dwelley and Brandon Aiyuk, respectively. Unfortunately, an unsuccessful on-side kick would allow Seattle to setup shop and score one final touchdown to put the game out of reach as the 49ers dug too big a hole to climb out of and lost 37-27. 

Russell Wilson who has been the league MVP up to this point and entered Sunday's game with 22 passing touchdowns on the year, tied for the most all-time through the first six games (Peyton Manning - 2013), added four more TD's and 261 yards in the win. Meanwhile, Garoppolo finished with zero touchdowns, one interception and 84 yards passing, to Mullens' pair of touchdowns and 238 yards in only one quarter. Seattle's D.K. Metcalf led all receivers with 12 receptions, 161 yards and 2 touchdowns. 49ers rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk logged another nice game after hauling in 8 catches for 91 yards receiving and a touchdown. Neither team got much from their run game as DeeJay Dallas led all rushers with 41 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries. San Francisco saw JaMycal Hasty tote the ball 12 times for 29 yards and a touchdown and got another 20 yards on three carries from Tevin Coleman who returned from a 5-game absence due to a knee injury before having to depart Sunday's game with another knee injury. 

Week 9 Preview - The 49ers will have a shortened week to get things back on track as they return home to welcome the Green Bay Packers to Levi's Stadium on Thursday Night Football. A rematch of last year's NFC Championship, this one will feature a totally different 49ers team as they continue to deal with the injury bug after recently learning that both Kittle and Garoppolo will be out indefinitely. But that won't stop Aaron Rodgers and company from attempting to avenge two blowout losses at Levi's a season ago, including one that allowed San Francisco to punch their ticket to last year's Super Bowl. Having started the season 4-0, the Packers find themselves at 5-2 following losses in two of their last three games, including a loss at home to the lowly division rival Minnesota Vikings. For San Francisco, backup QB Nick Mullens will be thrusted into the starting role and will one again be given a chance to shine and prove himself in Jimmy G's absence. Something he did quite well in Weeks 2 and 3 and again in the fourth quarter on Sunday when the Garoppolo injury had occurred. 

UPDATE: Due to Covid-19 protocols, the 49ers will be without wide-receiver Kendrick Bourne in their Thursday Night game against Green Bay, as Bourne was initially reported to have tested positive for the Corona Virus. Teammates Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams were also ruled out after coming into close contact with Bourne around the time of his positive test. However, it was later discovered that Bourne's positive test was a false positive, meaning he didn't actually contract the virus. Unfortunately, he along with Samuel, Aiyuk and Williams will still be ruled out with little to no time to prep for gameday, meaning San Francisco will be even more shorthanded come kickoff. 

Noteworthy - The lone transaction made by the 49ers before the November 3rd trade deadline, was a deal that sent linebacker Kwon Alexander and his expensive contract to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso and a conditional fifth-round pick. While the often injured Alexander served as the emotional leader and provided an energy boost to the 49ers defense during the team's Super Bowl run a season ago, his hefty contract and unreliable health were enough to will Niners GM John Lynch to ship him off once they were able to find a trade partner as the Saints take the remainder of his four-year, $54 Million dollar contract off of San Francisco's hands. Having missed the last three games, the 26-year old Alexander is nursing a high ankle sprain that New Orleans is confident he'll be able to recover from relatively quickly as they battle it out in the NFC South with their rival and Alexander's former team -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

49ers hang Historic Beatdown on Belichick, Patriots

Week 7 - Anxious to hit the road and continue their perfect record of 2-0 away from Levi's Stadium, while also hoping to string together a winning-streak with the San Francisco 49ers playing catch-up in the daunting NFC West at 3-3 on the year, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would take centerstage as he faced off against his former team in the New England Patriots (2-3). Filled with emotion, Jimmy G would not only answer the call, but he'd play a key role in one of the most lopsided defeats that his former team and former head coach have ever endured in New England. Coming off an ugly loss at home to the Denver Broncos, the Pats had not lost back to back regular season games at home since 2008. Unfortunately for them, coach Bill Belichick's team would witness that streak come to an end as Kyle Shanahan's 49ers who were coming off their biggest win of the season against the division rival Rams, were firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. 

Fired up for the big game, Garoppolo would connect on 4-of-4 pass attempts on San Francisco's opening-drive, but it was the Niners' ground attack that got them on the board early as fourth-string running back Jeff Wilson Jr. made the most out of his first career start with an early touchdown. Known as an offensive guru for often scripting the first 15-plays on offense, coach Shanahan's team did something that the Patriots' last 32 opponents failed to do and that was score an opening-drive touchdown against them, snapping a streak that had stood since 2016. The Niners' second drive on offense wouldn't go as smoothly as Jimmy G air-mailed a pass that was intercepted and cashed-in for a New England field goal. After answering with a field goal of their own, the Niners defense began to torment Patriots QB Cam Newton as linebacker Fred Warner made a shoestring catch for an interception on the first play on the the Patriots' ensuing possession. Making quick work of the turnover, Garoppolo would share the wealth by handing the ball off to fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 4-yard touchdown. Following a New England three and out, Jeff Wilson Jr. would be off to the races for a second time, adding a 16-yard touchdown to his busy day in the backfield. Searching for a big play on offense to get the team going before the end of the first half, Newton would launch a deep pass into double-coverage that was picked off and returned 51-yards by San Francisco's Emmanuel Moseley. But just two plays later, Garoppolo would go for a home run pass of his own that was intercepted as time expired to end the half. 

After failing to score any points in the first quarter for a third consecutive game and only a field goal to show for, the Patriots found themselves trailing on the scoreboard 23-3 at halftime, and an even bigger deficit in yards as the Niners dwarfed New England in total first half yardage -- 301 to 59, the biggest difference in first half yardage in both the NFL this season and in the Bill Belichick era. The Pats would show at least a slight glimmer of hope as they opened up the second half with a field goal to make it a 23-6 ballgame, but their defense continued to struggle at finding an answer for the 49er offense. A pair of big passing plays from Garoppolo to receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who had his best game yet during his rookie campaign, would setup another trip to the red zone. With only one rushing touchdown to his name entering the game, Jeff Wilson Jr. tallied his third touchdown of the day with a 7-yard score. Unfortunately, the Niners running back would get shaken up on the play and would have to be carted to the locker room after sustaining what team doctors confirmed to be a high-ankle sprain. Cam Newton would then see his day go from bad to worse as he was intercepted for a third time on a pass that was tipped by the intended receiver Julian Edelman and ended up in the hands of San Francisco's Jamar Taylor. 

Having seen enough of his struggling starter, coach Belichick would pull Newton from the game as he elected to go with backup QB Jarrett Stidham in the fourth quarter. But even then the Pats failed to steer clear of the turnover bug as Stidham was also intercepted by Jamar Taylor. It wouldn't be until the 3:06 mark of the 4th quarter that the 49ers finally called upon their punting unit for the first time on Sunday. But by then, the game was too far out of reach as San Francisco ran away with the 33-6 victory. Improving to 4-3 on the year, the 49ers would hand the Patriots their largest loss at home in the Belichick era (since 2000) and their second largest loss of any kind under Belichick. Falling to 2-4, New England would record their first sub-.500 record at the end of October in nearly two decades as they suffered their first three-game losing streak since 2002. Held to under 100 passing yards for the game, Newton connected on 9-of-15 pass attempts for 98 yards and three interceptions before being benched. Newton's only highlight would be that he became the first player in NFL history to reach 30,000+ passing yards and 5,000+ rushing yards in a career. 

As for Jimmy Garoppolo, the Niners QB completed 20-of-25 passes for 277 yards and two interceptions, while on his way to becoming one of only two former Patriot QB's to have been drafted by and start a game for Bill Belichick, to later defeat him as the future Hall of Fame coach entered the game with a record of 7-1 against his former QB's. Tallying nearly 200 yards on the ground, Jeff Wilson Jr. led all running backs with 112 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. Rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk led all receivers with six receptions for 115 yards receiving for his first 100-yard performance. And finally, tight-end George Kittle who finished the game with five receptions for 55-yards, set a 49ers franchise record for the most career receptions through a player's first 50 games. In spite of the win, the 49ers unfortunately lost another pair of weapons on offense in Jeff Wilson Jr. (ankle) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring), both of whom are expected to miss multiple weeks. 

Week 8 Preview - Looking to gain ground in the NFC Western Division standings, the 49ers will have a golden opportunity to do just that when they pay a visit to Seattle to take on Russell Wilson and the 5-1 Seahawks. Coming off their first loss of the season, an overtime thriller in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll will look to stave off a second straight loss when the two teams meet on Sunday. Heading to Seattle's CenturyLink Field for the first time since the nail-biting victory in Week 17 that won the 49ers both the NFC West and the conference's number one overall seed, Kyle Shanahan is hoping for a similar outcome in Week 8, minus the near heart attack and late-game heroics. With both teams banged up, the Niners will need production out of the backfield from the next man up in running back JaMycal Hasty who has been a nice jolt for the offense when called upon as he's tallied 103 yards rushing on 20 carries this season (5.2 yards per carry). Like always when facing Seattle, the 49ers will need to contain the always dangerous and shifty Russell Wilson who they always seem to struggle against and keep in the pocket. But if Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can get a repeat performance out of his unit like we saw in each of the last two weeks, the 49ers might be flying home with a three-game winning streak on their hands. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Niners End Skid with Big Win over rival Rams

Week 6 - A week after being embarrassed at home by the rebuilding Miami Dolphins and suffering a pair of bad losses to inferior teams, the San Francisco 49ers (2-3) entered their Sunday Night meeting with the rival Los Angeles Rams (3-1) as 3-point underdogs, despite being the home team. The game would also feature a pair of friends and former colleagues turned rival head coaches between Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, two of the brightest young play-callers in the league and two guys from the Bill Walsh coaching tree. Seeking their first home win of 2020 at Levi's Stadium after a disappointing 0-3 start, Shanahan's 49ers would turn back the clock both in the win column and in their wardrobe as they donned their throwback all-white uniforms which paid homage to the magical 1994 Super Bowl-winning season. And after a very sluggish start on both sides of the ball in their previous game, San Francisco got things going right out the gates thanks to one Deebo Samuel whom the Rams defense saw a steady diet of on the Niners' opening-possession. 

After gaining 35-yards on a heads-up play by one of their most dynamic weapons on offense just two plays into the game, coach Shanahan dialed up the perfect play to award him for his efforts as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo pitched the ball to Deebo who found the end zone from 6-yards out. Needing only six plays to march 76-yards down the field, the 49er offense had already looked leaps and bounds better than they did just a week earlier following their first possession. One player in particular who also looked a lot better would be Garoppolo who's been nursing a high-ankle sprain, but showed little to no ill-effects under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. Following a trio of punts, the Niners offense would open the second quarter much like they did first, as Jimmy G found his Pro-Bowl tight-end George Kittle streaking to the end zone for a 44-yard score on fourth down. The Niners' second touchdown would awaken the Rams offense, at least momentarily as Jared Goff found his favorite target Robert Woods in the end zone for a touchdown on third and goal. After a blocked point-after by San Francisco's Dion Jordan, the 49ers found themselves leading 14-6 and wanting more with Los Angeles set to receive the ball to open the second half. 

The 49ers would get their wish and answer the Rams' touchdown-scoring drive with one of their own. Thanks to a healthy dose of running back Raheem Mostert, coupled with a pair of big receptions by receiver Kendrick Bourne, the Niners once again found themselves in the red zone. With their backs against the wall, the Rams gave up a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk on third and goal as San Francisco jumped out to a 21-6 lead which they would carry into the locker room at the half after forcing an L.A. three and out on the other end. Bouncing back from his forgetful performance just a week earlier, Jimmy Garoppolo became the first 49er QB with 200+ passing yards and 3+ touchdowns in a first half since Jeff Garcia in Week 14 of the 2003 season. However, Garoppolo and company would not be nearly as effective in the second half as they were kept out of the end zone the rest of the way. As for the Rams who were forced to play catch-up virtually all game long, L.A. did get a field goal to open the second half, but hit a major speedbump during their next trip to the red zone. Having been taken advantage of just one week earlier as the 49ers defense was without four of their top five cornerbacks in the secondary, Sunday night served as the coming out party for San Francisco's Jason Verrett. 

Plagued by a myriad of injuries throughout his career after a very promising campaign during his second-year in 2015 which berthed a Pro Bowl appearance with the Chargers, the former first-round pick looked a lot like his Pro Bowl-self against the Rams. Deciding to go for it on 4th and goal from the 2-yardline, Verrett intercepted a pass from Goff to end the threat and force the game's only turnover. For Verrett, the pick would be a long time coming as it was his first interception since 2016 and just the sixth of his career. While the turnover did hit the reset button on the Rams' attempt at pulling off a second-half comeback, they would eventually inch closer with a long touchdown pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds in the 4th quarter, but not before a Robbie Gould field goal to give the Niners a 15-point advantage. With the ballgame coming down to the final possession, the Rams suddenly found themselves in a battle against the clock as San Francisco possessed the ball at the two-minute warning. Without a timeout remaining and needing a stop on defense, Deebo Samuel spoiled the party and provided the final blow with a strong 11-yard gain to convert the game-sealing first down which allowed his team to milk the clock for the win. 

Improving to 3-3 on the year, Garoppolo is now 4-0 in his career against the Rams and has yet to lose two games in a row in his career. Rebounding from the ugly loss just a week ago which saw him benched in the second half due to his poor performance, Jimmy G has now gone 29 straight games to begin a career without consecutive losses, the fourth longest streak in NFL history behind Otto Graham (47), Dan Marino (33) and Andrew Luck (33). Garoppolo registered his best performance of the season by throwing for 268 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers, compared to Goff's 198 yards, 2 touchdown and 1 interception performance. George Kittle led all targets with seven receptions and 109 receiving yards to go along with his touchdown. After sustaining an injury in the second half which ended Raheem Mostert's night at 65 rushing yards on 17 carries, the 49ers received some tough yardage from undrafted rookie running back JaMycal Hasty who tallied 37 fourth quarter yards on nine carries. The Rams' Darrell Henderson logged a solid 14 rush attempts for a game-high 88-yards on the ground. 

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Niners' win, however, was how they were able to fend off the best defensive player in the league in Aaron Donald. If there was ever any one man in the NFL today that is capable of single-handedly dismantling a team's game plan on offense and required the undivided attention of an offensive-line, it would undoubtedly be the Rams' 2-time Defensive Player of the Year and 6-time Pro Bowler. With Donald coming off a four-sack outing in Week 5, the 49ers offensive-line which had struggled mightily as of late, was able to step up to the plate and keep the usual game-wrecker at bey in the 100th game of his career. Oddly enough, neither team recorded a single sack in the game. 

Week 7 Preview - For the first time this season, the 49ers will hit the road to take on a team not in the New York-New Jersey area as San Francisco makes a stop in New England to take on the Patriots (2-3). The meeting will showcase Jimmy G taking on his former team for the first time since they traded him to the Bay Area a little less than 3 years ago. With future Hall of Famer Tom Brady playing elsewhere, the 49ers will duel with Cam Newton under center. Even more bizarre than seeing someone other than Brady playing quarterback for New England, the Patriots find themselves with a losing record through their first five games of a season for the first time since 2001 and are coming off an ugly loss at home to the Denver Broncos in which they didn't allow a single touchdown on defense. While Newton might not be what he once was in the passing game and also lacks weapons on offense, he's still as dangerous as any with his legs, something that is always a cause for concern for the 49er defense when facing mobile QB's. The Niners will also need to do a much better job of pressuring the quarterback than they did in Week 6. As great a coach as there's ever been, one 49er received some very high praise when the Patriots' focus was shifted from the Broncos to the Niners during Monday's press-conference. Pats head coach Bill Belichick had some good things to say about San Francisco tight-end George Kittle whom the future Hall of Fame coach called, "as good as anyone I've ever coached." That's some very elite company considering Belichick has coached some of the best the game has ever seen in Brady, Randy Moss and even one of the most dangerous tight-ends in Rob Gronkowski. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Back on Top, Lakers Reign in Rollercoaster Season

For the first time since 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers are atop the basketball world as NBA Champions. After beating the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 in a best-of-seven series,  the Lakers claimed their seventeenth NBA title in franchise history, tying the arch-rival Boston Celtics for the most all-time. But unlike those 33 other titles won by Celtics and Lakers teams of the past, this year's champion was unlike any we've ever seen before. Even those teams that featured such all-time greats as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or even Kobe and Shaq just to name a few, never had to play through a global pandemic and go through the gauntlet of the unknown by competing in the NBA's bubble like these Los Angeles Lakers did. Having to sacrifice normal everyday life as well as time at home with their families and even home-court advantage, the purple and gold proved to be much more than just a team, but rather a band of brothers and a true family under first-year head coach Frank Vogel's tutelage. 

Spearheaded by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers proved to be the most resilient team in the league after fighting thru the untimely and tragic death of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, not to mention not one, but two stoppages caused by the novel corona virus and the social injustices that have plagued our country. Despite it all, the Lakers fulfilled their mission of bringing home another Larry O'Brien Trophy and concluded their 95-day stay in the NBA bubble as world champions. Even before the earth-rattling passing of arguably the most beloved Laker of them all in Kobe Bryant, the Lake Show were deemed 'championship or bust' this year, following the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Anthony Davis from the Big Easy to Tinsletown. The death of the Lakers legend in January would only add to the immense pressure of winning a title in 2020 as the team was suddenly left with a cloud of unfair expectations hovering over them. But never once did the team let those lofty expectations get the best of them, instead they used them to fuel their inner-fire and drive to a championship. Something not many of these Lakers had accomplished outside of James, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Quinn Cook and JaVale McGee. That meant first-time champions Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Alex Caruso and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, just to name a few, all needed to pitch-in and contribute. 

Title No. 17 was also very different from the previous sixteen in the fact that it was the first title the team won in Los Angeles under the reign of controlling owner Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Dr. Jerry Buss who passed away in 2013. With Jeanie picked as the chosen one out of Dr. Buss' six children to take the throne and oversee the Lakers franchise in his absence, Jeanie took what her father taught her about operating a franchise and ran with it, hand-picking Rob Pelinka as the team's general-manager and becoming the first female team owner to win a title in NBA history. After the team snapped its agonizing seven-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise-history, the team then put an end to its ten-year Finals drought in grand fashion. Since the turn of the millennium, the Lakers have now won NBA titles to start each of the last three decades with championships in 2000, 2010 and now 2020. Considering where the franchise was just two years prior, filled with turmoil both on and off the court and failing to attract the All-Star talent that the team and its fanbase has grown accustomed to signing over the years, this year's Lakers team was a far cry as they finally broke through thanks to the stellar work done by GM Rob Pelinka. 

After getting LeBron James to buy-in and make the switch from the Eastern Conference and his hometown team Cleveland Cavaliers during the summer of 2018 via free-agency before realizing the young crop of talent around him was not best suited to play alongside the king, Pelinka worked his magic by practically trading the farm for another superstar in Anthony Davis. Re-signing point-guard Rajon Rondo and bringing in center Dwight Howard for a second stint with the Lakers, often off the bench, as well as hiring a hungry, defensive-minded head coach in Frank Vogel, proved to be the active ingredients needed to get this team back to their title-winning ways. In his seventeenth NBA season, the 36-year old LeBron James who won his fourth career NBA title and fourth career Finals MVP, delivered on his promise to Laker fans that he'd help right the ship and get this once proud franchise back to prominence. With the Miami Heat making their first Finals appearance since 2014 when James was still a member of the team alongside close friends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, James nearly averaged a triple-double against his former team on his way to becoming the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises. 

Flying home to L.A. on Monday before being met by duel firetrucks on the tarmac and some several thousand fans, the Lakers had their fair share of fun and bubbly inside the team's locker room, but will have to wait on celebrating with the rest of Laker Nation and the city of Los Angeles, at least for now while L.A. County and the state of California still currently face strict social distancing guidelines that discourages large gatherings, something this Laker team will undoubtedly attract once they're able. As for the upcoming 2020-21 season ahead, not much is known regarding the NBA Draft, the NBA Summer League, whether there'll be fans in attendance or even whether or not it'll take place in another bubble. One thing that is known, however, is that the Lakers will need to strike a deal at the executives table with free-agent to-be Anthony Davis, who will certainly break the bank, most likely returning to the Lakers who can offer him a max-contract. Other notable Laker free-agents include Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris, as well as Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Avery Bradley whom all have player options.  

As for the legacy and ever expanding resume of one LeBron James, here's a piece I did pre-bubble on his bid for all-time greatness. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest