NFC Divisional - Hosting their first ever playoff game in the six-year history of Levi's Stadium, the NFC's no. 1 seeded San Francisco 49ers put on a show and pulled off the win in dominant fashion in their first home playoff game since 2012. Facing off against the No. 6 seeded Minnesota Vikings who were coming off an upset win on the road against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, the dominant 49er defense proved to be too much for Minnesota's offense on Saturday. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was held in check virtually all afternoon long by a well rested San Francisco defense that received a week off thanks to the first-round BYE that saw the return of several key players. Having not won consecutive playoff games since 1987 when a No. 5 seeded Vikings team knocked off the No. 1 seeded 49ers on their way to an NFC Championship appearance, Kyle Shanahan made sure his team would not suffer a similar fate or be the ones that Minnesota ended that skid against.
Coming into the game, all the talk revolved around whether or not 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo could be trusted in what would be his first career start in the playoffs. As if Cousins who was coming off his first win in the postseason in two career starts, had some over the top advantage over his counterpart. And after a three and out forced by the San Francisco defense, Garoppolo would waste little time to prove that his postseason experience or lack thereof would be a non-factor as he completed 5-of-6 passes while hitting four different receivers during their opening-drive that ended in a touchdown pass to his favorite red zone target in Kendrick Boune. The Vikings would answer quickly with a touchdown of their own when 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon who has struggled mightily in the second half of the season, continued to have issues in coverage as he was beaten badly on two plays and penalized for pass-interference on another. But none worse than the 41-yard touchdown he surrendered on a pass to Stefon Diggs as Witherspoon fell to the ground, allowing his man to walk into the end zone for the easy score. With the game tied at 7-7 and Witherspoon clearly a liability in coverage, Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh made the decision to bench Witherspoon the rest of the game in favor of his backup Emmanuel Moseley.
Both teams would exchange punts before San Francisco made a second trip to the end zone on a touchdown by running back Tevin Coleman. Setup by a pair of big plays by Deebo Samuel, Coleman sprung forward for the go-ahead touchdown. Looking to add to their lead following another Vikings three and out, Garoppolo's lone mistake on the afternoon would come in the form of an interception as he was picked off by Minnesota linebacker Eric Kendricks. Taking over in the red zone, Cousins and company would again fail to get much of anything going and were forced to settle for a field goal. Hanging onto a 14-10 lead at the half, the 49ers would turn things up on defense and pitch a shutout in the second half. Opening the third quarter with the first of two Robbie Gould field goals on the afternoon, San Francisco's Richard Sherman would come up with his third career postseason interception on third and long when he stepped in front of a Kirk Cousins pass intended for Vikings receiver Adam Thielen. Hoping to shake off his first career playoff interception, Cousins would fail to find an answer for San Francisco's defense the rest of the way as three of their next four possessions would end in three and out punts and the other two ending on turnover on downs.
Dialing up eight consecutive run plays on offense following the Sherman interception, Tevin Coleman would find the end zone again to become the first 49er with two rushing touchdowns in a playoff game since Frank Gore in 2013. With one last field goal at the start of the fourth quarter to increase their lead to 17-points, the 49er defense would do the rest as a sack party would ensue. Niner defensive-end Dee Ford who might've benefited most from the BYE week and returned to the field after missing five of the last six games due to a hamstring injury, was one of five players to record a sack, with rookie sensation Nick Bosa leading the way with two quarterback sacks on the day. Having already been named to the Pro Bowl and the odds on favorite to win this year's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, Bosa becomes the first 49ers rookie to tally two sacks in a playoff game since Dana Stubblefield in 1993. Helping his team set a franchise playoff-best with only 147 total yards allowed, the 49er defense smothered their way to a 27-10 victory and held Vikings running back Dalvin Cook to only 18 yards rushing on nine carries. Meanwhile, Niners running back Tevin Coleman rushed for 105 yards on 22 attempts. Completing 21 of 29 pass attempts, Cousins threw for 172 yards compared to Garoppolo's 131, but threw the ball ten more times and needed ten more completions than his counterpart. While it was a rather pedestrian performance in the passing game for Garoppolo, the dominant defense and efficient rushing attack was plentiful to secure the win over Minnesota which gave the 49ers five wins in six playoff meetings against the Vikings, all of which in the Divisional-round which sets a record for the most wins vs a team in one playoff round.
NFC Championship Preview - The San Francisco 49ers will be making their first trip to the NFC Championship since 2013 when the team made it to three consecutive NFC title games under head coach Jim Harbaugh and their first time hosting since 2012. Standing in between the 49ers and a trip to Miami is Aaron Rodgers and the No.2 seed Green Bay Packers. After serving up a 37-8 beating on Sunday Night Football back in Week 12 which saw one of the worst games statistically of Rodgers' career, Shanahan and the 49ers know that what happened in the Week 12 blowout victory means little to nothing heading into this one, with the exception of what they know they need to do in order to punch their ticket to Super Bowl XLIV. Having grown up a huge 49er fan in nearby Chico, California, the future Hall of Fame quarterback Rodgers is not to be taken lightly and has his sights on revenge for both the earlier meeting this season and the two Divisional-round losses the 49ers have served him in the past. Since their Week 12 loss to San Francisco, the Packers, who like the Niners finished the regular season 13-3, have not lost a game. One way the 49er defense can change that is by duplicating what they did in the previous match-up when they held Rodgers in check on third down (0-for-10) and prevented him from completing a single pass beyond 10-yards. Despite escaping with a few close wins, Green Bay has been rolling ever since their last trip to Levi's and will be seeking, "redemption" as Packers head coach Matt LaFleur described it during his post-game speech in the team locker room following their close 28-23 win at Lambeau over the Seattle Seahawks.
Spread - According to Las Vegas sportsbooks and odds makers, San Francisco opens as 7-point favorites with the over/under at 45.
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Week 1 - Football season is officially upon us. And one team that was expected to make vast improvements a season ago before having their new franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo stripped from them some three weeks into the league year due to a knee injury, were the San Francisco 49ers. But the injuries didn't start or end with Jimmy G as the 49ers were ravaged by the injury bug which saw 13 players land on the injured reserve list including running back Jerick McKinnon who signed a big deal at the beginning of last season and has yet to play a single snap with his new team. Heading into the 2019-20 NFL season, the 49ers hope to have much better fortune on their side as it'll likely be needed in the competitive NFC Western division.
A season after forcing the fewest takeaways in NFL history with seven, the 49ers brain trust of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan made bolstering the defense a point of emphasis in both free-agency and the trade market, as well as in the draft. And with only two interceptions to their name in all of 2018-19, it would only take one week for the newly revamped 49er defense to surpass that mark to begin the new season. Opening the year on the road and facing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that welcomed a new head coach in Bruce Arians whom the Niners are quite familiar with dating back to his days with the division rival Arizona Cardinals from 2013-17, San Francisco would look to avenge a 29-7 Week 12 loss suffered in Tampa Bay a season ago. And with the way the game started, the 49ers had to have likened their chances early on. With the game time temperature in the 90's and the humidity a factor, coach Shanahan had his guys well prepared as his team worked out during the week in a sauna tent to simulate the sticky conditions.
Unfazed on defense, the 49ers forced a three and out on Tampa's opening possession and helped Jimmy G and company set up shop with prime field position thanks to a big play on special-teams by Mark Nzeocha who blocked a punt by ex-49er Bradley Pinion. Taking over at the Tampa Bay 33-yard line, the 49er offense would begin to march before having a George Kittle touchdown wiped off the board due to a penalty. It would be one of two San Francisco touchdowns nullified in the first half and three in total. Settling for a Robbie Gould field goal, the 49ers would take a 3-0 lead. The Bucs would also have a pair of touchdowns called back in the first half, both on a drive that ended with a fumble inside the red zone as 49ers linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball loose from the hands of tight-end O.J. Howard. The first forced turnover would be a sigh of relief as the San Francisco defense was dealt a blow a few plays earlier when the newly acquired Kwon Alexander was ejected from the game after being penalized for an illegal hit on Tampa quarterback Jameis Winston. As fired up as anyone after signing a new four-year, $54 Million contract and facing his former team, Alexander appeared to be poised for a big game after tallying three tackles and nearly coming up with an interception in the opening quarter before his departure.
Pinned deep near their own end zone, Garoppolo would make a mistake of his own when he threw a pass near the sideline intended for the running back Tevin Coleman who was lined up outside and beaten on the play that Vernon Hargreaves II took to the house for an easy pick-six. After cutting into the deficit with another Gould field goal, San Francisco found themselves a golden opportunity to take a lead when Mark Nzeocha added an interception to his already stellar afternoon resume. But the ensuing possession which saw the 49ers reach field goal range with under a minute remaining in the first half, ended as rookie receiver Deebo Samuel fumbled the ball after running into his own teammate which jarred the ball loose. Thankfully, whatever Shanahan said to his team in the locker room at the half, helped awaken the offense as Garoppolo found a streaking Richie James Jr. who freed himself for a 39-yard touchdown reception to give his team a 13-7 lead. Inspired by their first touchdown of the season, the 49er defense would get in on the fun as Richard Sherman made a house-call two plays into the Bucs' ensuing possession as he intercepted a pass from Winston and returned it for a touchdown. His first interception as a member of Niners would be a memorable one as it was also the fourth touchdown of his career.
Tampa would answer with a touchdown of their own the very next drive as Winston capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin. Looking to make it a two-possession game again, Robbie Gould who missed only one field goal all of last season, attempted a 57-yarder that doinked off the middle crossbar and bounced out. Living dangerously, Bucs coach Bruce Arians would make a gamble of his own after his team took over near midfield before marching in the red zone as he elected to go for it on a 4th & goal from the 2-yard line. Bending but not breaking, the 49ers got the much needed goal-line stop as second-year cornerback Tarvarius Moore jumped out in front of a pass intended for Godwin to force the turnover on downs. After exchanging field goals, the 49er defense came through one final time to put the icing on the cake and seal the win with a pick-six interception by Ahkello Witherspoon as Bosa applied the pressure on the quarterback that led to the errant throw, their second pick-six and third interception on the afternoon as San Francisco made out with the 31-17 win. While the offense wasn't very impressive in their first bit of action, the defense was every bit as good as projected as Tampa Bay was out-sacked three to one, including sacks from newcomers Dee Ford and rookie Nick Bosa.
In his first regular season game since the knee injury suffered at Kansas City in Week 3 last year, Garoppolo completed 18 of 27 pass attempts for 166 yards and a touchdown to go along with the interception. The ever so reliable George Kittle led both teams with eight receptions for 54-yards receiving and Raheem Mostert who split the carries with Matt Breida following an injury to Tevin Coleman, led the 49ers in rushing with 40 yards on nine carries. As for the defense, Winston was held to 194 yards passing on 20 of 36 attempts. In a game plagued by 19 penalties in all, 11 by San Francisco, the 49ers prevailed to win their first road game since December 31, 2017, snapping an 8-game road losing streak.
Week 2 - Continuing their season on the road in Week 2, the 49ers will head north to face the (0-1) Cincinnati Bengals who are coming off a 1-point loss to the Seahawks in Seattle. With Cincy nearly pulling off the upset win in Week 1, the 49ers will look to contain quarterback Andy Dalton who displayed an aerial assault of 418 yards passing and two touchdowns. A pair of players who will likely be sidelined for the meeting are the starting running backs as both Joe Mixon of the Bengals and Tevin Coleman of the Niners saw limited action in Week 1 after suffering ankle injuries. While coach Shanahan has already ruled Coleman out for Week 2 with a high-ankle sprain and called his running back, "week to week," the Bengals have not yet decided on Mixon's status as he'll likely be a game-time decision. Even with Coleman ruled out, I'd expect a much stronger performance from the Niners run attack in Week 2 than the one we saw in Tampa with Matt Breida carrying a bulk of the load.
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San Francisco 49er fans are excited for the 2019 NFL season, and rightfully so after the deals their team dished out in free-agency and the picks they made in this year's Draft. The glaring weakness the Niners faced entering the offseason was at defensive-end as San Francisco's defense saw very little production overall in 2018, most notably at the edge position. Aside from a few bright spots in defensive stalwart DeForest Buckner, newcomer Richard Sherman and rookie linebacker Fred Warner, there wasn't a whole lot to cheer for on a lackluster 49er defense during last year's 4-12 campaign. And after a season in which their team finished in the bottom third of the league in generated sacks (37), general manager John Lynch & head coach Kyle Shanahan who are entering their third year at the helm of the franchise, made pass rush their biggest point of emphasis during the offseason.
Following a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire Pro Bowl defensive-end Dee Ford who led the league with 8 forced fumble sacks, three more than San Francisco's entire defensive unit last season, and 13 total sacks, the 49er brain trust knew they weren't finished bolstering the position, especially when Ohio State's Nick Bosa was still on the board at pick No. 2. Regarded as the best overall player entering the draft, Bosa was passed on by division rivals Arizona who possessed the first overall pick and chose to go in a different direction by selecting a quarterback. The decision to select Bosa was an easy one for the 49er front-office as he was the guy they had coveted all along, but were afraid wouldn't be available beyond pick No. 1. It just so happened that Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury's love for Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray worked out perfectly for San Francisco and allowed Bosa to fall into their lap. Having missed nearly all of his Junior year while battling injury and undergoing core muscle surgery, the Niners will depend on Bosa to stay healthy in order for their new-look defense to produce to its full potential. If the Niners can steer clear of the injury bug in 2019, their first two picks of this year's draft should make as big an immediate impact as any in the league.
Another department of need entering the offseason was at the receiver position and the 49ers made sure to add to their receiving corps with back to back picks in the second and third rounds during day 2 of the NFL Draft, selecting Deebo Samuel, second round, 36th overall out of South Carolina and Jalen Hurd, third round, 67th overall out of Baylor. Samuel, who's known for his play-making ability both in and out of the slot as well as returning kicks, was one of the top receivers in the draft after tallying an 11-touchdown, 62-reception season last year for the Gamecocks and made an instant fan out of coach Shanahan during the Senior Bowl which was partly coached by the 49ers staff. The two became quite familiar with one another and look to build on that relationship in the pros. But like most players the 49ers have acquired since the end of last season, Samuel has also had his fair share of injuries in the past, which seemed to be a theme for many of their additions this offseason. And while Samuel doesn't resemble the big bodied receiver that the Niners have been seeking for quite some time now, their third round selection certainly fits the bill. Hurd, a former running back at the University of Tennessee, stands at 6-foot-5 with 226 pounds and is an interesting specimen who provides plenty of versatility, but will likely be a project for Shanahan considering his raw talent. Either way, I don't think there's a receiver that Shanahan has drafted in his three years with the team that he hasn't liked in the NFL.
One of the more questionable picks in the draft, was who the Niners took in the 4th round, 110th overall. Needing a punter with Bradley Pinion now a member of the Buccaneers, Lynch & Shanahan got themselves a good one in Utah's Mitch Wishnowsky, but seemed to have reached for him considering the round they took him in. Recipient of the Ray Guy Award during his sophomore year in 2016, an award given to the best punter in college, the Aussie native will try to make pundits forget about his draft position and duplicate the success the 49ers had on special-teams when Andy Lee was punching his ticket to the Pro Bowl every other year. Hoping to strike gold at the linebacker position like they did with Warner in last year's draft, San Francisco selected Dre Greenlaw 148th overall out of Arkansas in the 5th round. With a trio of picks in round 6, Kaden Smith (176th), tight-end out of Stanford, Justin Skule (183rd), offensive-tackle out of Vanderbilt, and Tim Harris (198th), cornerback from Virginia, rounded out the 49ers' 2019 Draft class. Considering how needy San Francisco was for a defensive back, holding off until their final pick in the draft to select one came as a surprise to many.
Like Bosa and Samuel, Hurd, Greenlaw and Harris have all had a history of injuries during their collegiate careers, but the fun doesn't stop there. Free-agent acquisitions Kwon Alexander, a linebacker formerly with Tampa Bay and Jason Verrett a former Charger, are both coming off of season-ending injuries. Alexander who agreed to a hefty four-year, $54 Million deal, suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 with the Bucs last year and Verrett who signed a one-year contract for a modest $3.6 Million, was plagued with a torn Achilles tendon on the first day of training camp last year to go along with the myriad of other injuries he's had since entering the league as a 1st round pick in 2014. With both players having made the Pro Bowl -- Alexander in 2017 and Verrett in 2015, staying on the field would pay dividends for their new team, but will be a huge challenge, especially for Verrett who missed 43 of the last 48 games while a member of the Chargers with just about every injury under the sun. However, the signing remains a low-risk, high-reward deal for San Francisco hence the one year offer and figures of the contract.
Another piece the 49ers added this offseason via free-agency and a guy who was drafted by coach Shanahan during his time in Atlanta, is former Falcons running back Tevin Coleman who agreed to a 2-year deal worth $10 Million. Formerly one half of the 1-2 punch the Falcons featured at running back alongside Devonta Freeman, Coleman brings his familiarity with Shanahan's system to the Bay Area and also adds depth to the position that also includes running backs Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and the return of Jerick McKinnon who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews was also signed to strengthen the wide-out position and looks to find the spark he had during his first two seasons in Philadelphia when he tallied a combined 16 touchdowns and was on the doorstep of the 1,000 yards receiving plateau in his sophomore season when he fell just three yards shy. While the Niners decided to bring back a pair of former first round picks in free safety Jimmie Ward and defensive end Arik Armstead, some weren't as lucky as the team would bid farewells to OT Garry Gilliam, DE Cassius Marsh and LB Brock Coyle who were all released.
Having missed the playoffs for the past five seasons, 2019 will be a season in which the Niners will need to see major improvements on the field and in the win column before the seats of Shanahan & Lynch potentially begin to heat up, whether fair or not. A victim of overseeing a depleted roster due to countless injuries a season ago, coach Shanahan will be depending on a much healthier roster this upcoming season, most importantly at the quarterback position. And if QB Jimmy Garoppolo can make a full recovery and bounce back like all signs appear to indicate, then year three should be Shanahan's best yet at the helm of the 49ers. Though the hole at quarterback was a major concern a season ago with Jimmy G. out, it wasn't the only one as the woeful defense forced only seven takeaways in 2018, the fewest by a team in NFL history by a total, four fewer than the previous mark of 11 by the 1982 Baltimore Colts. San Francisco's new-look defense plans to throw that dubious record book out the window as they now feature one of the better pass rushing attacks in the league on paper with the additions of Bosa and Ford. The tandem should be a day and night difference from what they had a season ago alongside Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner.
With 49ers rookie mini-camp underway this week, full team training camp is slated to begin on July 25 for both rookies and veterans alike and will showcase plenty for us to keep an eye on as competitions are formed, guys get cut and roster spots are earned. The 49ers open the 2019 NFL regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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