Niners Ride McCaffrey to Victory over Falcons

Week 7 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium after a brief two-game road trip, the (4-2) San Francisco 49ers would look to shake off their first road loss of the season while playing host to the upstart (3-2) Atlanta Falcons in primetime on Sunday Night Football. After finishing with an 8-9 record a season ago, second-year head coach Raheem Morris has the Falcons playing a much better brand of football so far this season as the team entered Sunday night's game coming off a pair of impressive wins over the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills, two teams that made it to their respective conference championship a season ago. Led by a red-hot running back in Bijan Robinson who tallied 170 rushing yards and a touchdown a week earlier, the head-to-head matchup against San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey would be one of the main storylines entering the game. Having trained with each other in the offseason, Sunday would be the first time both players would step on the same playing field in a game. 

Another storyline on the 49ers' side would be how the team would respond defensively without their leader and heartbeat in All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who was officially added to the team's Injured Reserve list earlier in the day after he suffered a broken and dislocated ankle a week ago. While no player would be able to step in and replicate the type of impact Fred Warner is capable of making, second-year linebacker Tatum Bethune made a good first impression in his first career start. When things were all said and done, Bethune tallied 10 total tackles setting a new career-high, including one tackle for loss. Needing to play inspired ball on defense, Bethune was one of several 49er players able to do just that as both he and fellow linebacker Dee Winters showed up to Levi's Stadium wearing a Fred Warner jersey. While Warner was unable to suit up with his squad, he made his presence very known by showing support to his 49er teammates on the field before the game while riding around on a mobility scooter and hugging them on their way into the locker room after the game. Warner was also shown multiple times on the Levi's Stadium jumbotron during the game which was sure to fire up the fans. 

In what's been a rough season for Kyle Shanahan's 49ers on the injury front, the team finally received some good news regarding tight-end George Kittle as the All-Pro returned to the field on Sunday. In his first game back in action since leaving in the first half of Week 1, Kittle failed to log a single reception in the entire game on two targets, but he still made his presence felt as his blocking prowess played a major role in why the running game was finally able to have some success. Behind Kittle's stellar blocking, running back Christian McCaffrey was able to surpass his season-high in rushing yards (69) by halftime. McCaffrey would nearly double that mark on Sunday night by finishing with 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, his most rushing yards in a game since Week 16 2023 and his seventh consecutive game with over 100 scrimmage yards. Sunday's game would also be McCaffrey's seventh career game with 100+ rushing yards and 70+ receiving yards, breaking a tie with Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk and Priest Holmes for the most in NFL history. CMC would also become the first player in NFL history with 50+ rush yards and 50+ receiving yards in 6 of his team's first 7 games. 

But before the 49ers took control of the ballgame on the ground and imposed their will in the trenches, things got off to a less-than-ideal start. While San Francisco was able to hold Atlanta's offense to a three and out punt on the game's opening-drive, the Falcons did manage to strike first with a field goal on their second possession and had an opportunity to add on more as San Francisco saw their second drive that was trending in the right direction go up in flames when quarterback Mac Jones had his pass intended for Jauan Jennings tipped into the air and intercepted. Their third possession would be a charm, however, as San Francisco found the end zone on McCaffrey's first of two touchdowns. The team would tack on a field goal after forcing Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to fumble the ball following a Bryce Huff strip-sack, giving the Niners a 10-3 advantage. Atlanta nearly got three-points back on their end just before the half following a big gain on a 38-yard completion to receiver Darnell Mooney down the sideline, but a key intentional-grounding penalty one play later would result in a pivotal 10-second runoff that ended the half and prevented the Falcons from even attempting a field goal try.  

With San Francisco opening the second half in possession of the ball, they would add another Eddy Pineiro field goal to increase their lead to 13-3. After holding the Falcons offense to their second-fewest rushing yards in a half this season thru the first two quarters, Atlanta would take advantage of a big 45-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Taking over near midfield, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson who had been held in check up to this point began to finally put his stamp on the game, catching a screen-pass and scoring on a 10-yard touchdown to make it a 13-10 ballgame. Atlanta would have a chance to take the lead or at least tie the game near the midway point of the fourth quarter, but coach Morris' decision to bypass a game-tying field goal attempt and instead go for it on 4th and 1 at the San Francisco 35 yard line would come back to haunt him as cornerback Chase Lucas read the play perfectly and caused a broken pass intended for Drake London, resulting in a pivotal turnover on downs. With rookie cornerback Upton Stout listed as a gametime-decision, his injured ankle would keep him sidelined for the game which led to Lucas being called upon to fill in. And fill in he did, making several key plays in coverage that helped keep London (4 receptions, 42 yards) and company at bay. 

Taking advantage of Atlanta's unsuccessful gamble, the 49ers marched 59-yards on 15-plays in just under 6-minutes, capping off the big drive with McCaffrey's second touchdown of the night from 4-yards out. Penix Jr. and the Falcons offense would give it one final shot at a last-ditch comeback with under 2:30 remaining in regulation, but another turnover on downs would seal the Niners' 20-10 victory. McCaffrey would lead both teams in rushing (129) and receiving (72), helping San Francisco put up their highest total in rush yards (174) since 2024 Week 8 vs the Dallas Cowboys. With the win, quarterback Mac Jones earned an extra $400K in incentives by winning four games as the 49ers' starting QB, improving his record to 4-1 as the team's starter. Jones would have his most pedestrian game yet on the season by throwing for only 152 yards, no touchdowns and 1 interception, but still found a way to help his team get the win. Jones' counterpart Michael Penix Jr. threw for 241 yards and 1 touchdown but did suffer the big fumble before the half. Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson was held to just 40-yards on the ground on 14 carries, but did have a strong night receiving with 52 yards and a touchdown on 6 receptions. Niners kicker Eddy Pineiro logged another strong outing in the win by going 2-for-2 on field goals from 55 and 43 yards, setting a San Francisco franchise record for consecutive field goals made to start a season with 17. 

Week 8 Preview: The (5-2) 49ers will head back on the road to pay a visit to the Lone Star State where they will face off against the (2-4) Houston Texans and head coach DeMeco Ryans who served two seasons under Kyle Shanahan as defensive coordinator of the 49ers from 2021-22. Coming off a 27-19 loss on the road to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, the Texans offense had a lackluster night both on the ground with only 56 rushing yards to show for and thru the air from quarterback C.J. Stroud who took a beating and was pressured virtually all game long. Robert Saleh's 49er defense will look to replicate that same success Seattle had against this Houston group. Stroud might also be without his top target in receiver Nico Collins who had to exit Monday's game after his head hit the turf on a play that has left him in the league's concussion protocol. Putting pressure on the Niners to keep up their winning ways are the division rival Rams and Seahawks who share a three-way tie with San Francisco for the top spot in the NFC West at 5-2 on the year. 

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Another Game Another Key Injury, 49ers Lose Warner before Falling to Bucs

Week 6 - The 2025 NFL season has been a rough one for teams around the league regarding injuries as some of the game's brightest players have fallen to the injury bug in the early going. But no team in all of football has had it worse than the (4-1) San Francisco 49ers in terms of both the amount of players they've lost to injury (27) and the star power of those losses as head coach Kyle Shanahan could virtually assemble a Pro Bowl team with the laundry list of injuries his team has already suffered only five games into the season. On Sunday while taking on the (4-1) Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, the 49ers who are already without former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, lost yet another one of their defensive captains and vocal leaders and suffered without a doubt their biggest blow possible when 4-time First-Team All-Pro and 4-time Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Warner needed to be carted off the field in the game's opening quarter after being rolled up on by a teammate making a tackle. Warner entered Sunday's game needing only five tackles to surpass Hall of Famer Patrick Willis for the 49ers' franchise record and tallied only one before suffering the injury at the 7:48 mark of the first quarter. 

The magnitude of both the player and injury was quite evident as players from both teams gathered near midfield to take a knee and hold a prayer for Warner as he was attended to by medical personnel before being carted to the locker room with what was later diagnosed as a broken and dislocated ankle. It would also come as a shock given how durable Warner has been over the years having missed only 1 game out of 122 career contests. He will now miss the rest of the season with 11 games remaining. Unfortunately, even after the brutal injury, the show would have to go on as there were still more than three and a half quarters to be played. Touted as being a heavyweight matchup for the NFC's top-seed, Sunday's meeting between the 49ers and Bucs would mark the first time in NFL history that two teams would meet six weeks into the season with all of their games decided by 5-points or less. Ironically, the two teams who have only known one-score games this season would ultimately take part in a game that was decided by double-digits. 

San Francisco's defense which hadn't allowed any first quarter points all season, got off to another promising start to begin the game as quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers were held to a punt on the game's opening-drive. After a pair of runs on first and second down on the 49ers' ensuing possession, QB Mac Jones had his first pass attempt of the afternoon intercepted on a play that saw the quarterback and receiver clearly on the wrong page. A week after a career-night for 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne, the QB-receiver duo was out of sync which allowed the Bucs to setup shop at the San Francisco 12 where they would score two plays later with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by running back Rachaad White, ending the Niner defense's scoreless first quarter streak. Jones and Bourne would redeem themselves on San Francisco's next drive as the two connected on the very next play with a 41-yard pass that helped the 49ers get on the board with a 52-yard Eddy Pineiro field goal. After exchanging punts, Jones and Bourne were back at it to open the second quarter, this time connecting on a 56-yard reception. Still seeking their first rushing touchdown of the year, Christian McCaffrey finally broke through on third down with a 1-yard score to give San Francisco a 10-7 lead. 

The 49ers' lead would be short-lived as the Bucs took advantage of Warner not being on the field and began to pick apart the 49er secondary, scoring touchdowns on three of their next four full possessions after the heart-wrenching injury took place. One of the league's leading MVP-candidates in the early going, Baker Mayfield led his team on back-to-back touchdown-scoring drives to end the first half as San Francisco was only able to answer with field goals, leading to a 20-16 halftime lead for Tampa Bay. The Niners nearly suffered another freak injury before halftime when kicker Eddy Pineiro had his foot stepped on by a teammate just after drilling the field goal that sent the team into the half. Despite trailing at the half, it would be only the second career game with 200 passing yards thru the first two quarters for 49ers QB Mac Jones. Sunday would also mark the first time in his career that he would log back-to-back 300 yard passing games as Jones threw for a season-high 347 when it was all said and done. Adding a fourth field goal by Pineiro to open the second half, Tampa Bay again did them one better by finding the end zone. One of the bigger plays that likely did the 49ers in was a pivotal 3rd and 14 that saw Mayfield avoid being sacked by two defenders before breaking another tackle and eventually lunging forward for the first down on a back-breaking 15-yard run. Instead of setting up a punt, the Bucs converted for a new set of downs and scored two plays later on a 45-yard bomb to Tez Johnson. 

After a failed two-point conversion and a missed field goal on Tampa Bay's ensuing possession, the 49ers still had a chance trailing by 8-points with just under 9-minutes to go. But with a second Mac Jones interception on the day and a turnover on downs on San Francisco's final two possessions, the 49ers would fall 30 to 19, allowing their highest point total of the season. Unable to force any turnovers of their own on defense, the 49ers' drought of consecutive games without an interception has now reached 13 games, the longest such streak in NFL history. In a game that was full of lots of negatives, the 49ers did have a few positives on Sunday including the first career sack of rookie first round pick Mykel Williams and the return of second-year safety Malik Mustapha who made his season debut after recovering from an ACL injury suffered at the end of last season. Entering the game with a career record of 0-4 against the 49ers, Baker Mayfield finally got off the schneid with the win on Sunday, improving his MVP campaign by throwing for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win and sacked only once, despite losing his top target Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury in the first half. Elsewhere, the 49ers' offensive-line which has been problematic this season, would let quarterback Mac Jones down on Sunday as he was sacked six times on the afternoon, tying a career-high. 

49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne had another stellar day at the office Sunday, tallying a career-high 142 receiving yards for the second consecutive week, giving him back-to-back games of 100+ yards after only one such game in his previous 114 career games. Meanwhile, Bourne's teammate and fellow receiver Jauan Jennings had another rough day at the office after missing action in Week 5 due to an injury, catching only one pass for 7 yards. Jennings was called for several penalties on Sunday and even got into a shouting match on the sideline with coach Shanahan. Jennings revealed in the locker room after the game that he played through five broken ribs which would explain his poor performance. But the biggest elephant in the room after the game were the worries that surrounded Fred Warner. Team reporters described the somber 49ers locker room after the game as the most depressing they've ever felt it outside of the Super Bowl loss in overtime two seasons ago. And understandably so, the loss of Warner is sure to change the way John Lynch will approach the NFL trade deadline as they will likely need too much to now fill the voids of both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. The truth is there is no replacing the type of player or leader that Fred Warner is and there isn't a Fred Warner-type player out there on the market. Baker Mayfield also opened up his postgame presser by sending thoughts and prayers to Warner. 

Week 7 Preview: The (4-2) 49ers will return home to Levi's Stadium in Week 7 where they will play host to the (3-2) Atlanta Falcons for a Sunday Night showdown. With head coach Kyle Shanahan having to now plan for life without the league's best linebacker with Fred Warner out, some good news should be on the horizon as the team is expected to get both George Kittle (hamstring) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) back in the lineup this week on offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy could also be eying a return soon as he recovers from a toe injury that has kept him out of all but two games this season. The 49ers will have their hands full come Sunday with Falcons running back Bijan Robinson who trained with fellow running back Christian McCaffrey in the offseason. Robinson is coming off a spectacular game in which he logged 238 scrimmage yards, the most ever in a single game in Falcons franchise history after 170 rushing yards and another 68 yards receiving. Atlanta is equally as daunting on the defensive side of things as their defense has allowed the fewest total yards per game and passing yards per game in the NFL this season.

With coach Shanahan yet to announce a starter at quarterback, regardless of who is under-center on Sunday, the 49er offensive-line will have to do a much better job of keeping their QB on their feet as Mac Jones was sacked too many times last week and will face another tough bunch to face this week coming off a four-sack night against Buffalo's Josh Allen. The Falcons are riding high with a two-game win streak after pulling off the Monday Night upset over the Bills on Monday night, 24-14.  

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Key Safety the Difference in 49ers Loss to Denver

Week 3 - In what was expected to be a game highlighted by stellar defense, it was the sluggish offense that stole the show for both the San Francisco 49ers (1-1) and Denver Broncos (1-1), and not in a good way. With both teams coming off their first wins of the season in Week 2, fans of both teams had hoped for another step in the right direction for the offense in Week 3, despite going up against a pair of good defenses. Unfortunately for all who sat thru the Sunday Night tilt, that was not the case as boo's were heard in Denver and were echoed from 49er fans on Twitter from fans frustrated with the offense of both teams. Even with quarterback Russell Wilson no longer in the NFC Western division where he tormented the 49ers for 10 long years with the rival Seahawks, San Francisco was not able to dodge the QB who has owned them throughout his entire career, boasting a 16-4 record against them. And while he was hardly a factor in this one, Wilson again reigned victorious over the Niners, this time with Denver.  

Coming out swinging was the 49er defense who forced a three and out punt on Denver's first possession, before the San Francisco offense followed suit with a 7-play, 75-yard touchdown-scoring drive on their second possession of the game. After a deep pass to receiver Brandon Aiyuk and a big run from running back Jeff Wilson, the 49ers smelled blood and capitalized with an early trip to the end zone as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo found Aiyuk for the easy score from a few yards out. Other than a Brandon McManus field goal to start the second quarter for Denver, there wasn't much to highlight in the first half for either team as the punters were on full display for much of the evening. Both teams would combine for 10 punts in the first half alone, the most in the first half of any game this season thru the first three weeks. Even worse, the game would feature nine three and outs by the Denver offense, the most of Russell Wilson's career. 

Looking to come out swinging in the second half the same way they opened the first, the 49ers were able to accomplish that feat on defense, but the offense failed to deliver their end of the bargain as Garoppolo fumbled the snap at mid-field, turning the ball over and giving Denver their best field possession yet. Luckily for them, the Broncos offense would fail to do anything with it as the San Francisco defense again came thru when it was needed. In what quickly turned into a game of field position as both teams took turns pinning each other back deep in their own territory, the 49ers ultimately lost that battle as a crucial mistake took place that would prove to be the difference on the scoreboard. Pinned all the way back at their own 2 yard-line, Garoppolo took the snap and backpedaled into the end zone, feeling the pressure and eventually stepping out of bounds for what would end up being a safety to make it a 7-5 game. Eying their first lead of the game, Denver would march across midfield for a 53-yard field goal that was missed wide-right by McManus. 

Exchanging punts on the next two possessions, the 49ers would increase their lead with a Robbie Gould field goal from 51 yards out to bring the score to 10-5, San Francisco. After another pair of punts, Wilson and the Broncos would embark on their best drive yet and their only touchdown-scoring drive of the evening, marching 80-yards on 13-plays. Capping the drive and giving Denver their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter, running back Melvin Gordon III rushed forward from a yard out. The key play of the drive came on a crucial 3rd and 10, as Wilson connected with Kendall Hinton for 27-yards and a first down, only after the Broncos QB escaped the pocket and dodged a sack like he's done so often against San Francisco throughout his career. Failing to convert on the two-point conversion, the 49ers found themselves trailing, 11-10 with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. 

In need of a score any way they could get it, San Francisco's next two possessions would go up in flames in the worst way, starting off with an interception as Garoppolo threw into traffic attempting to force the ball to Deebo Samuel as the ball was deflected and landed in the lap of a defender. With just over two minutes remaining, the Niner offense would get another chance after the defense forced another Denver three and out, but a 12-yard sack would again pin the offense back near their own end zone before a dump off pass from Jimmy G to Jeff Wilson ended in disaster as the 49er running back was tackled from behind, fumbling the ball in the process. With Denver recovering the football, San Francisco's late-game heroics would fall short. Despite having held the lead for more than three quarters and edging Denver in total yards 267 to 261, the 49ers were doomed by two fumbles, an interception and a safety, and while the defense played great, they were unable to force any turnovers of their own. 

Under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Denver had a good game plan on defense in not letting two guys in particular beat them in Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. That strategy would pan out as Deebo was a non-factor on the ground after being held to only 6 rushing yards on 5 carries, and Kittle who torched the Broncos for a career-best 210 receiving yards the only other time he faced them back in 2018, setting a franchise record for the most receiving yards in a game by a 49ers tight-end, was held to 28 yards receiving on four receptions. Although Deebo did have a team-high 73 yards receiving on 5 receptions as the main target of Jimmy Garoppolo who threw for 211 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception on 18 of 29 passes. Russell Wilson was held to just 184 yards passing and finished the game touchdown-less in the win for Denver. 

Week 4 Preview: The 49ers (1-2) will return home for another primetime battle against a division foe as they welcome in the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (2-1) for a Monday Night showdown. Having owned the Rams for the better part of 3 seasons now with six straight regular season wins over their division rival, the 49ers will look to avenge their loss in last year's NFC Championship when they blew a 10-point lead on the road in L.A. After dropping the season-opener on Thursday Night Football to the Buffalo Bills, the Rams have stringed together back to back wins against Atlanta and Arizona, and are the only team in the division at 2-1. In need of all the help they can get along the offensive-line as they go up against Aaron Donald and company, the 49ers will be without their All-Pro left-tackle Trent Williams who left Sunday Night's game in Denver during the second half. 

Expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks with what head coach Kyle Shanahan described as a high-ankle sprain, the absence of Williams was immediately felt in the third quarter of Sunday's game as the flood gates opened and Garoppolo was constantly under pressure from the moment he left the game. Hopefully an extra day before their Week 4 bout will allow for some additional preparation heading into the big game. Also on the injury front, the team will be without linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for up to 8 weeks with an MCL sprain, similar to the one suffered by RB Elijah Mitchell back in Week 1. If not for bad luck, the 49ers would have no luck at all it seems as Shanahan and company can not catch a break when it comes to the injury bug as they've already lost several key players in a matter of weeks to open the 2022 season. 

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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. 

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Niners Swim with the Fish in Beatdown by Miami

Week 5 - While it's still very early in the 2020-21 NFL season, one of the biggest surprises thus far might be what took place at Levi's Stadium on Sunday between the San Francisco 49ers (2-2) and the visiting Miami Dolphins (1-3). Even after taking into consideration the plethora of injuries Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team has suffered in the first handful of weeks, nobody would've foresaw the double-digit shellacking the defending NFC Champs would take on the chin in Week 5 at the hands of a rebuilding Miami team. With San Francisco getting two key cogs back in their lineup in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Raheem Mostert, both of whom missed the last two and a half weeks while nursing injuries, the Niners entered Sunday's game as 9-point favorites. But once the game kicked off, one would've thought it was Miami who was favored as they were in the drivers seat from beginning to end. 

In today's society, bullying comes in many forms and is not to be taken lightly and could even result in jail time in some cases. However, Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick must not have gotten that memo as he and his Dolphin teammates picked on San Francisco's Brian Allen time and time again in the first half of Sunday's game. With the 49ers missing three of their top cornerbacks in Richard Sherman (calf), Emanuel Moseley (concussion) and K'Waun Williams (knee), as well as Dontae Johnson inactive and Ahkello Witherspoon less than 100% with a hamstring ailment, the 49ers were forced to kick the tires on Allen who was promoted from the practice squad just one day earlier. Getting the first start of his career and seeing his first NFL action since 2018, those tires would fall off rather quickly as his day was cut short by coach Shanahan who spared Allen any further embarrassment just before halftime, but not before his name began trending on social media for all the wrong reasons. Following a three and out on San Francisco's opening possession, Fitzpatrick connected on a 47-yard pass on Miami's first play of the day on offense, targeting the inexperienced Allen, who if not for the receiver stepping out of bounds, would've likely surrendered a touchdown. Three plays later while facing a 3rd and 11, Allen would bail the Miami offense out with a horse-collar tackle that gave the Dolphins an automatic first down and another chance at the end zone. Fitzpatrick and company would turn that gift into a touchdown just two plays later as tight-end Adam Shaheen hauled in the 3-yard score. 

San Francisco's second possession would be equally as disappointing as their first as they made it to midfield before turning the ball over on downs after a failed 4th and 1 attempt. Continuing his dissection of Brian Allen, Fitzpatrick found Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker for a 28-yard pass down the right sideline with Allen in coverage. The big play would put the Miami offense in enemy territory as they scored their second touchdown in as many possessions just several plays later. Trailing 14-0, it wasn't until the second quarter that the 49er offense finally showed up and put some points on the board. Setup by a 37-yard run from Mostert, the Niners needed only three plays before fullback Kyle Juszczyk rushed 7-yards up the middle to find the end zone and record his first rushing touchdown in a San Francisco uniform. Unfortunately for the Niners, Brian Allen was still on the field and was made an example of by Fitzpatrick. After allowing a 19-yard completion to Miami's Preston Williams, Allen committed a pass-interference penalty that gave the Dolphins 22-yards and allowed them to setup shop inside the 5-yardline. Following a clipping penalty on the offense and a 49ers sack, Miami suddenly found themselves in a 3rd and goal situation from the 22. In need of a big play, Fitzpatrick knew just where to go and who to target as he connected with DeVante Parker in the end zone who blew by the struggling Brian Allen. Trailing 21-7, coach Shanahan had seen enough and had no other choice than to pull Allen in favor of the ailing Witherspoon as 124 of Fitzpatrick's first 168 yards passing came against Allen. 

But Allen wouldn't be the only one benched and kept out of the second half as QB Jimmy Garoppolo also saw his day cut short as he threw back to back interceptions before the half, which allowed the Dolphins to tack on a trio of field goals and take a 30-7 lead into the locker room. In need of a miracle and in hopes of providing the same immediate spark that he gave the team just a week earlier, C.J. Beathard took over at quarterback to start the second half. And just like he did in relief of Nick Mullens in Week 4 against the Eagles, Beathard was able to breathe some life into the San Francisco offense, finding Kendrick Bourne for a 19-yard touchdown. Sadly, Miami would answer with a touchdown of their own when Fitzpatrick fired a dart down the middle for a 32-yard score by Preston Williams. San Francisco's final three possessions would end in a field goal, turnover on downs and a fumble as Miami ran away with the 43-17 rout. The 43-points allowed by San Francisco would be the most by an opponent in the 6+ year existence of Levi's Stadium and Miami's highest point total since Week 7 of the 2015 season. The 43-point outburst would mark only the 5th time since 2000 that the Dolphins scored 40+ points in a game, the fewest such games in the NFL in that span. 

While the 49ers were touted to possibly having an even better offensive-line this season than they a year ago, Sunday saw the San Francisco o-line allow 5+ sacks in consecutive weeks for the first time since Weeks 14 & 15 of the 2014 season. It was just one of the many things that contributed to a career-low 15.7 passer rating for Jimmy Garoppolo, the lowest by a 49ers QB since Cody Pickett (7.5) in Week 10 of the 2005 season. In contrast, Fitzpatrick turned into Fitzmagic by dazzling to a 154.5 passer rating, just shy of perfection and completing 22 of 28 passes for 350 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers. Garoppolo and Beathard failed to combine for even half of that as the two tallied a combined 171 yards passing, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions and a fumble. The lone bright spot on offense would come from Raheem Mostert who collected over a hundred yards of total yards with 90 of those yards coming on the ground off of just 11 carries. 

Week 6 Preview - Falling to 0-3 at home to start the season, the 49ers (2-3) will have their work cut out for them in Week 6 as they welcome in the 4-1 Los Angeles Rams who's only loss came in the final seconds on the road against the Bills in Week 3. Two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance of their own, the division rival Rams appear to have shaken off the funk that lingered just a season ago following their best season in decades, and are looking a lot like the 2018 Rams that took the league by surprise and won the division. With Todd Gurley III gone from the backfield and playing elsewhere, QB and Bay Area native Jared Goff has looked much improved from his 2019-self and hopes to keep the Niners win-less at home as he enters the game having logged a passer rating of 100+ in four straight games. Crossing their fingers that they'll have Richard Sherman back and healthy enough to play cornerback on Sunday in hopes of avoiding another Brian Allen-like disaster, the chances don't seem likely that San Francisco fans will get their wish. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will also need a much better game from his offensive-line in Week 6 as they'll be up against the best pass-rusher in the game of football when they meet with the Rams' Aaron Donald who is coming off a monster performance in which he tallied 4 sacks, two more than the San Francisco defense produced as a whole. The heavyweight match-up will be on NBC's Sunday Night Football as the Niners make their second SNF appearance in three weeks. 

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49ers Win the West on Goal-line Stop vs Seattle

Week 17 - Entering Week 10 of the 2019 NFL season a perfect 8-0, the San Francisco 49ers welcomed into town their division foe and arch nemesis Seattle Seahawks who spoiled the party and handed Kyle Shanahan's team their first loss of the season in an overtime thriller. With Seattle getting the better of San Francisco over the last few years, the (12-3) 49ers would get a chance to exact revenge over Pete Carroll's (11-4) Seahawks team with a win that would clinch a first-round BYE and number one seed in the NFC. But as the Niners know as well as anybody, Seattle isn't exactly the easiest place to come out victorious unless you're the home team of course. In what would be an NFC West Championship between two bitter rivals, the game that was flexed into Sunday Night Football, would be a fitting end to what's been one of the most heated rivalries of the last 10 years between the 49ers and Seahawks, putting a bow on the last game of the decade in the NFL's 100th season.

Having not won in Seattle since 2011, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team would still enter the game as 3-point favorites before kickoff. Through the first half, the 49ers looked like shoo-ins to finally get off the schneid up north as San Francisco dominated through the first two quarters on both sides of the ball. Coming off NFC Special-Teams Player of the Week honors for his game-winning heroics against the Rams the previous week, 49ers kicker Robbie Gould would kick things off with a 47-yard field goal on the team's first offensive possession to put San Francisco ahead early on. No receiver on Sunday night would have a bigger game than 49ers rookie Deebo Samuel who scored the lone touchdown of the first half not through the air, but on the ground. Faking a handoff to the running back, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo tossed the ball in the backfield to Samuel who spun his way down the sideline and into the end zone for the 30-yard touchdown. Leading 10-0 at the start of the second quarter, the 49ers would again add to their lead with a second Robbie Gould field goal. Seattle's best-looking drive of the half would go up in flames when a 4th & 1 attempt was stuffed at the line by Niners rookie sensation Nick Bosa, causing the turnover on downs with less than a minute remaining. Having only allowed 3-points in the final two minutes of the first half all season long, the stout 49er defense once again held their ground before heading to the locker room.

After a quiet first half on offense much like in their first meeting against the Niners on Monday night, the Seahawks opened the second half on another level, scoring touchdowns on each of their first three drives of the second half. Unfortunately for them, San Francisco would answer two of those scores with a pair of touchdowns of their own. Following Seattle's first TD -- a 14-yard strike from QB Russell Wilson to receiver Tyler Lockett, 49ers running back Raheem Mostert responded with a score from 2-yards out. Orchestrating the longest drive of the game for either team, Wilson and the Seattle offense chewed up 8-minutes and 30-seconds while marching 75-yards over a 14-play drive that ended with a leaping touchdown at the goal-line from running back Marshawn Lynch. Playing his first down of NFL football in 441 days, Lynch would suit up in a Seattle uniform for the first time since the 2015 season after spending his previous two seasons with the Raiders before taking a break all of last year. With 5:51 remaining in the 4th quarter, the 49ers would take a 26-14 lead after Mostert's second rushing touchdown in as many drives. Hoping it would be the dagger, the game would be far from over as Russell Wilson continued to show why he's among the top candidates for league MVP.

In what would be a forgetful night in coverage for 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, the former third round pick in his third NFL season, was beat constantly in the secondary and allowed both of Seattle's touchdowns thru the air. The second of which, a 14-yard pass to rookie D.K. Metcalf, brought the Seahawks within five points with less than 4 minutes to play. And with San Francisco forced to punt following a three and out, Seattle would get one final chance and would have just under two and a half minutes to pull off the comeback. For San Francisco, the defense which has been among the league's best but has also had its fair share of close calls, would once again be called upon to win them the game. With the division on the line, the two teams would be locked in for one of the more wild final minutes to an NFL game this season. Marching down to the 12 yard-line, the Seattle offense would face a 4th and 10 that they would convert on a clutch reception by rookie receiver John Ursua who's one and only grab of the night gained his team the much needed first down. Out of timeouts and with the clock running, Wilson and company were in panic mode when one of their own linemen was slow to get back to the line to hike and spike the ball to stop the clock.

With the ball at the 1-yard line, the table was set for a story line fit for a Hollywood script when Marshawn Lynch grabbed his helmet and hurried to the line to set up for what figured to be a game-winning touchdown. But the storybook ending never materialized as "Beast Mode" was held in check and making matters worse, the Seahawks failed to snap the ball in time and were flagged for a delay of game penalty. Incomplete passes on the next two downs would set up a do or die 4th and goal from the 5 yard-line. Dropping back to pass, Wilson would fire a strike to tight-end Jacob Hollister who was stopped at the goal-line by 49ers rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw who kept the receiver out of the end zone for the game-winning tackle. After losing a game to the Atlanta Falcons just two weeks earlier in the same exact fashion, the 49er defense flipped the script and held their ground as the team stormed the field and celebrated the goal-line stand that clinched them both a division championship and a No. 1 seed for the first time since 1997 as San Francisco prevailed, 26-21. It would be a long time coming for the duo of coach Shanahan and general manager John Lynch who were each brought in on six-year contracts at the same time three seasons ago and promised to right the ship and get this proud organization back to their glory days.

When his career is all said and done, San Francisco's George Kittle will have set the bar pretty high for future 49er tight-ends. Kittle who missed the first meeting between the two teams, made his presence felt early and often in the rematch as he made several key blocks in the run game and hauled in 7 receptions for 86 yards to put him over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. Just a year after becoming the first 49ers tight-end in franchise history to record 1,000 yards receiving during his record-setting season of 1,377 yards, the most ever by a tight-end in NFL history, Kittle becomes the first 49er to do it in back-to-back seasons. But it was receiver Deebo Samuel who stole the show for the San Francisco offense as he caught five passes for 102 yards, while also carrying the ball twice for 33 yards and a touchdown. Raheem Mostert led all Niners with 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, giving him six consecutive games with a rushing TD which ties him for the most in 49er history in a single season. With Seattle's Russell Wilson entering Sunday night with a perfect 8-0 record in his career at home against the Niners, San Francisco finally ended their skid when they needed it most, all thanks to the stellar play by their own QB. Finishing 18 for 22 and throwing for 285 yards in his first ever visit to Seattle, Jimmy Garoppolo once again proved unfazed by the hostile environment on his way to an impressive passer rating of 118.8. And in his first full year at the helm of the Niners, Jimmy G finishes with 3,978 passing yards, the 4th most in franchise history, while joining Hall of Famers Steve Young and Joe Montana as the only 49er QB's to win 13 games and have a 100+ passer rating in a single season.

With the NFC's No. 1 seed clinched, the importance of a first-round BYE cannot be overstated as 26 of 34 teams to make the Super Bowl had a BYE, including teams in the last six Super Bowl's. And in the team's playoff history, San Francisco is 20-9 all-time when hosting a playoff game compared to just 5-10 when playing on the road. Having now played in five straight games decided by one-score, these quasi playoff games, though tiresome, could certainly pay dividends down the stretch for an otherwise inexperienced roster heading into the playoffs as Kyle Shanahan's team looks to take a week off and recover for the first time since their Week 4 BYE, while awaiting their next foe in the NFC as the Eagles host the Seahawks and the Saints host the Vikings.

Honorable mention - During the first meeting between these two teams, 49ers tackle Joe Staley was making a return after coming off a six-game absence following a broken leg suffered in Week 2. In what would go down as one of the worst games of his career as he was constantly beat by Seattle defensive-end Jadeveon Clowney who feasted on the 49ers o-line and had a monster night, Staley had a chance to get even with Clowney in the rematch. Not allowing a single sack all night, Staley would do just that, redeeming himself with arguably his best performance of the season and keeping Clowney at bey as he was virtually a non-factor, finishing the game with only one tackle. Like many of his 49er teammates, Staley is beginning to play his best ball at the best possible time as the playoffs are officially underway.


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49ers make Grated Cheese out of Packers in Sunday Night Beatdown

Week 12 - All season long, the San Francisco 49ers who are sitting atop the NFC standings at 9-wins and 1-loss, have been beaten like a pinata by the mainstream media for having an "easy schedule" and having not played anyone of note. But a Sunday night meeting against the 8-2 Green Bay Packers would provide Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team with yet another chance to silence the critics and put those claims to rest. With the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints both breathing down the Niners' neck in the race for the NFC's top seed, San Francisco would not receive any favors on Sunday in their hopes for home field advantage as both teams were in close games but walked away with wins as their opponents shot themselves in the foot, leaving the 49ers to fend for themselves if they wanted to maintain the NFC's no. 1 spot.

And though the game between the Packers and 49ers would go on to register the highest average total television audience delivery for a Week 12 Sunday Night Football game since 2015 (Denver vs New England), the game would turn into a one-sided affair that got ugly from the onset. Having gone four straight games without committing a turnover, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers would be in for a rude awakening as the stout San Francisco defense put an end to that mark rather quickly. On Green Bay's opening-drive, the 49ers would force a strip-sack fumble on Rodgers, snapping a streak of 39 consecutive drives without a turnover, the longest active streak in the NFL. Needing only one play to capitalize on the Packers' rare turnover would be running back Tevin Coleman who turned it into an early touchdown by reaching over the goal-line. Forcing and recovering the fumble would be the tandem of linebacker Fred Warner and defensive-end Nick Bosa who would each have a monster game for a 49er defense that shined in their only Sunday Night game of the year and one that had to be flexed into the Sunday Night slot.

Trailing 10-0, Packers first-year head coach Matt LaFleur who served alongside Kyle Shanahan during stints with the Texans, Redskins and Falcons, would elect to gamble early on in the second quarter with a 4th & 1 attempt that the 49er defense stuffed. Following a second Chase McLaughlin field goal, rookie receiver Deebo Samuel hauled in one of his two receptions on the evening and took it 42-yards to the house. Forcing their fifth three and out of the half on defense, the Niners, needing only 24-seconds, would have even more opportunity to widen their lead as QB Jimmy Garoppolo hooked up with tight-end George Kittle for a 22-yard completion that allowed them to settle for yet another field goal. By halftime, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers had only accumulated 60-yards of total offense and were held scoreless while staring at a 23-point deficit. And though they would open the second half with a touchdown on their first possession of the third quarter after a 13-play drive that chewed up over eight and a half minutes, the Niners would answer back in a fraction of the time with a two-play, touchdown-scoring drive that needed only 57-seconds. After getting on the board with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to receiver Davante Adams, the Packer defense gave it right back as Garoppolo found a wide-open Kittle who in his first game back after missing the last two weeks with broken bones in his ankle, caught the ball and ran 61-yards for the score.

It would be a welcoming sight for Niner players and fans alike who had feared the injury to Kittle was much more serious than the team initially led on as he finished his first game back with a game-high 129 yards on 6 receptions. LaFleur would pull the plug in the 4th quarter after electing to sit his starting quarterback who finished the game with a season-low in virtually every statistical category on offense. Trailing 30-8 and in full-on desperation mode, the Packers would again go for it on 4th down, but were left disappointed as they turned the ball over on downs. Niners running back Raheem Mostert would cap off the scoring with a 15-yard score up the middle as San Francisco increased their lead to 37-8, a score they would go on to win by in route to their first 10-1 record since 1997. Holding their opponent to 8 points or fewer for the fourth time this season, the 49er defense proved to be a thorn in the side of Rodgers who grew up a Niner fan and attended nearby Cal Berkeley. Finishing with only 104 yards passing on 20 of 33 attempts, the San Francisco defense would limit Rodgers to the fewest passing yards of his career in a game in which he completed 20+ passes, as the Packers' future Hall of Fame quarterback failed to complete a single pass beyond 10-yards. 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo finished with a clean 253 yards passing on 14 of 20 attempts, 2 TD's and 0 turnovers.

Both teams struggled mightily on third down and entered the fourth quarter without a single third down conversion. It wasn't until San Francisco's final drive where they converted their first third down conversion when they converted on three in a row. Green Bay on the other hand entered the fourth quarter 0-for-10 on third down with Rodgers under center and converted their one and only third down conversion on their final drive of the game with backup Tim Boyle at quarterback. With the 29-point win, the 49ers have now outscored opponents by 169 points this season, their largest point differential through 11 games since 1948 (+210). However, it came with a loss as defensive-end Demontre' Moore was lost for the season after suffering a fractured forearm in the win and will be placed on injured-reserve. The loss of Moore who was signed just two weeks earlier, is unfortunate news for a defensive-line that was without Dee Ford on Sunday with an injured hamstring and has already lost Ronald Blair for the season.

Week 13 Preview - After holding Green Bay to under 200 yards in total offense (198), San Francisco currently leads the league in total defense (248.0 opponent yards per game), something they have not done since 1997. That's a number they hope to duplicate in Week 12 as they prepare to face the Baltimore Ravens (9-2) and their MVP candidate at quarterback in Lamar Jackson. Coming off a dominant Monday Night win on the road in L.A. against the Rams, Jackson became the youngest player in NFL history with multiple 5-passing TD games in a season and the first player with 5 TD's in his Monday Night Football debut as Baltimore handed the Rams their largest defeat in the history of the L.A. Coliseum: 45-6. San Francisco will look to slow Jackson who has the Ravens atop the AFC North and riding a 7-game winning-streak. Despite being tied with the New England Patriots for the best record in the league, odds-makers don't like the 49ers' chances in Baltimore as they open up as 6-point underdogs and are the first 10-1 team in over a decade to enter Week 13 as an underdog. With how dominant the 49ers have been on defense this year, the lone weakness I've seen has been against the running quarterback (Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray), and Lamar Jackson is that to a tee. If they can contain Jackson and prevent him from beating them with his legs, I like their chances of pulling off the upset and putting an end to Baltimore's streak. Also, with having to face the gauntlet of Green Bay, Baltimore and New Orleans in consecutive weeks, the 49ers will become the first team to play three straight games vs opponents with .800+ win percentage 10+ games into a season in the Super Bowl era.


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49ers No Match for Manning on Historic Night

When the 2014-15 NFL Schedule came out in the offseason, many fans including myself had Week 7's Sunday Night Football match-up between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos circled on their calendar. Expecting to see a back and forth melee between interconference heavyweights, the game would turn out to be anything but. As if being 3 touchdowns shy of becoming the NFL's all-time passing touchdowns leader wasn't enough motivation for Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, he was given the task of facing a depleted 49er defense that's without a number of its key cogs. Despite San Francisco's defense entering the meeting 2nd in the league in yards allowed per game, they were no match for Manning on this historic evening.

By halftime, Manning had already eclipsed Brett Favre's all-time record of 508 passing touchdowns with three TD's in the first half alone which resulted in a number of congratulations on the video board from some of the game's greats including one from Favre himself. The 49ers had a chance to make a game out of it early on, but a number of key drops including one by Anquan Boldin on a would be touchdown reception would cause his team to have to settle for a field goal. The lone highlight for Colin Kaepernick and co. would come in the final minute of the first half as the 49ers QB sent his team into the locker room on a high note by connecting in the end zone with receiver Stevie Johnson who has become one of Kaepernick's favorite targets as of late inside the red zone. The touchdown would help pull his team within a 21-10 deficit and would be the only one on the day for Kaepernick. San Francisco's run game would also be ineffective as the tag-team of Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde combined for just 35 yards on 12 carries. As for Denver, running back Ronnie Hillman carried the ball 14 times for 74 yards and a pair of touchdowns on what would be a forgetful night defensively for the 49ers. 

In what would be just another day at the office for Peyton Manning who finished with 318 yards and 4 touchdowns, 8 of his 22 completed passes would be caught by Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas who racked up 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kaepernick didn't necessarily have a horrible game by any means, throwing for 263 yards and a touchdown, but an interception on an overthrow and several easy dropped passes would spell doom for the Niners QB who was sacked six times and sat out for much of the fourth quarter as did Manning. The game also marked the first time the 49ers had attempted 40+ passes since 2010 and was the first time under coach Harbaugh, ending a 67 game streak. With 49ers backup QB Blaine Gabbert taking over in the fourth quarter, the former first round pick taken 10th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, threw his first touchdown pass in a 49er uniform by connecting 20-yards out with rookie receiver Bruce Ellington who tallied his first career touchdown. Unfortunately by the, the game would be well out of reach as the 49ers fell to the Broncos, 42-17.

Following the loss, the 49ers dropped to 4-3 on the year while Denver improved to 5-1. With a BYE week in Week 8, the time off comes at a perfect time for a number of ailing 49ers including their leader on defense in Pro-Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis who sat out of Sunday night's game with a toe injury. One player they won't be getting back this season, however, is Daniel Kilgore who was carted off the field with a fractured left leg and will see his season come to an end. Another is cornerback Chris Cook who suffered a hamstring injury, further thinning out San Francisco's secondary. 

Week 9 Preview: Returning home in Week 9 following their BYE, the 49ers will host a division opponent for the first time this season inside their new home -- Levi's Stadium, as they welcome the (2-5) St. Louis Rams. Having beaten the Rams on Monday Night Football just several weeks ago, San Francisco will be on high alert on Sunday when it comes to St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher's trickery as the Rams pulled a number of tricks from out of their hat just two weeks ago in a win at home over the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. Needing to get back in the groove of things, the meeting should give the 49ers a chance to bounce back in the win column as they look to gain ground on the division-leading Arizona Cardinals (6-1). With both Frank Gore and Anquan Boldin feasting on the Rams throughout their careers, expecting one if not both, to have a big afternoon. 


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