49ers pull off Walk-off Winner over Cincy in OT

Week 14 - Looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to an inferior opponent in Week 13 and stay afloat in the NFC's Wild Card race, the San Francisco 49ers (6-6) continued their road trip to Cincinnati, Ohio where they'd take on Joe Burrow and the Bengals (7-5). No easy task by any stretch of the imagination given the many weapons on offense that the Bengals would feature, the 49ers were able to subdue Cincinnati's play-makers and were able to dominant thru the first three quarters. But as was the case in Seattle a week ago, San Francisco was unable to get anything going on offense in the 4th quarter when they needed it most, as their only scoring opportunity late in the game went up in flames. 

Neither team would have much to show for on offense to start the game, with both teams exchanging punts. It wouldn't be until San Francisco's second possession that also ended in a punt, when they would finally have a chance to score. After being on the wrong end of a forgetful day on special-teams a week ago versus the Seahawks, the Niners were able to capitalize on not one, but two miscues by the Bengals special-teams unit on Sunday. A muffed punt by Cincy return man Darius Phillips would allow the Niners to open up the scoring with a Robbie Gould field goal, which the Bengals would answer with a field goal of their own. After missing one of their biggest playmakers on offense a week ago in Deebo Samuel, the receiver turned Swiss Army Knife was back on the field in Week 14 making plays just like he was prior to his groin injury suffered against the Vikings just two weeks earlier. Taking a handoff 27-yards to the house, Deebo would give the Niners a 10-3 lead with another history-making touchdown to add to his remarkable season. The go-ahead touchdown would make Deebo the first wide-receiver in NFL history with a rushing touchdown in four straight games played and would also give him six rushing touchdowns on the year. No other receiver in the Super Bowl era has more than four in a season. 

Leading 10-6 with under two-minutes remaining in the first half, the 49ers were looking to add to their lead before halftime. Instead, that plan nearly backfired as the San Francisco offense was forced to punt after two passing plays that netted only 5 yards, a 10-yard holding penalty and an incompletion. Eating up only 45-seconds on the clock, the Niners were slated to give the Bengals the ball back with a minute left before disaster struck for a second time to Cincinnati's special-teams when Phillips muffed his second punt return of the afternoon. Pouncing on the ball, the 49ers would get another touchdown just before the half, as a taunting penalty against the Bengals turned a would-be 4th and 7 and likely field goal attempt into an automatic first down for the San Francisco offense. And on the very next play, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo knew just what to do with it, hitting tight-end George Kittle who made an acrobatic play for a 14-yard touchdown. 

Opening the second half with a field goal after holding Cincy to a three and out punt, Bengals kicker Evan McPherson would attempt to respond with a field goal of his own, but missed from 46-yards out. Clinging onto a 20-6 lead entering the fourth quarter, the 49er defense which had done a stellar job through the first three quarters, took a turn, specifically in the secondary as guys were suddenly left wide-open. Burrow and company would take advantage of these openings as Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase came up with big gains thru the air. Facing a 4th and 5 from the San Francisco 17 yard line, Burrow hit Chase in the back of the end zone for a touchdown as the rookie sensation had snuck by the 49er defense. Having been relatively quiet up to that point, the impressive touchdown grab would give him confidence and breath life back into Burrow and the Cincinnati offense. After a trio of punts, including two by San Francisco, the Bengals would tie the game with a 13-play drive that ended in another touchdown pass to Chase who beat the defender and left rookie cornerback Ambry Thomas in his dust for the 32-yard score. 

With the game tied at 20 a piece, the 49ers would get the ball back with just under a minute and a half remaining in regulation. Needing to go 79-yards to find the end zone, the 49ers were unable to strike pay dirt, but did march well within field goal range after a circus catch from George Kittle on third and 10 gave them 19-yards and a first down with 13-seconds to go. Setting up a potential game-winning field goal from Robbie Gould, the 47-yard attempt sailed wide-right as time expired. Sending things into overtime, the Bengals won the coin-toss and elected to receive. After a pair of big plays thru the air for gains of 26 and 23 yards, Cincy appeared to be destined for the end zone, but came up short after a big QB sack from the Niners' Nick Bosa. Settling for a field goal, the Bengals took their first lead of the ballgame in OT. Just like Burrow, Jimmy G would hit on a couple of big plays thru the air Jauan Jennings and George Kittle helped setup a wild finish. Marching down to the 12 yard-line, Garoppolo hit Brandon Aiyuk with a short pass before the second-year receiver sailed near the goal-line after being pushed out of bounds. Ruled out of bounds at the 1, the play went under review and was reversed to a walk-off touchdown. 

Playing strong football through the first three quarters, the 49er defense did a stellar job holding Bengals running back Joe Mixon to under 100 yards and out of the end zone, something no team has been able to do since Week 3, snapping Mixon's 9-game touchdown streak which set a franchise record. But no player on the field for either team had a better game than that of San Francisco's George Kittle. Hauling in his sixth touchdown reception on the season late in the third quarter, Kittle now has the most TD's by a 49ers tight-end since Vernon Davis' 13 in 2013 which set a record at the time. Sunday's game would also mark the 13th 100-yard receiving game of Kittle's career, finishing with 151 yards and a touchdown while catching 13 of 15 targets. With his career far from over, no other 49ers tight-end has more than 9 100-yard performances since 1950. Both QB's did a great job slinging the rock as Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns to Joe Burrow's 348 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

Week 15 Preview - Returning home to face and fend off another team vying for an NFC Wild Card spot, the San Francisco 49ers will play host to Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons (6-7). In a log jam with four other teams, the Falcons will need to continue winning if they want to sneak into the playoffs. Featuring a Swiss Army Knife of their own in receiver turned running back Cordarrelle Patterson, the Falcons' offensive weapon who has a total of 10 touchdowns on the year, including one in last week's road victory at Carolina, will look to add to that mark and keep the 49er defense on its heels. San Francisco on the other hand will need a much sharper game from start to finish on defense, as the Falcons are one team you cannot let stick around late in a game, especially with QB Matt Ryan under center. The 49ers were upended and caught by surprise the last time they hosted the Falcons when a last-second touchdown pass from Ryan to Julio Jones spoiled their chances of clinching the division and number one seed back in 2019. Looking to avenge that loss, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan will face his former team and quarterback that he called plays for and helped to a Super Bowl appearance the year before landing in San Francisco. One player who can help them accomplish that is Nick Bosa who logged his 10th game of the season with at least 1 quarterback sack, the most such games by a 49er since Aldon Smith's 10 in 2012. 

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