Entering Sunday's 2015 regular season finale, a few things were on the line for the San Francisco 49ers and their long-time rivals the St. Louis Rams. A win for the 49ers would mean they would avoid their worst finish since 2005 when the franchise finished with a record of 4-12. As for the Rams who could be playing football in southern California as early as next season while relocating from St. Louis to Los Angeles, a win would make it four straight victories in what's been a disappointing year for Jeff Fisher and company.
After being blown out, 27-6 in the first meeting between bitter foes, the 49ers kept it close and took a 7-3 lead after QB Blaine Gabbert connected with Anquan Boldin who broke free of a tackle and trotted into the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. Getting his second start in as many weeks at running back for the Niners was DuJuan Harris who had himself an all around nice game. Harris broke off a big gain in the second quarter that went for 48-yards and set up the first of Phil Dawson's four field goals on the afternoon. Leading 10-3, the Rams would quickly respond with scores on each of their next three drives. A pair of Greg Zuerlein field goals and a Tre Mason touchdown run from 4-yards out would put St. Louis ahead. Gabbert had a pass batted in the air and intercepted for a 42-yard return which set up the Rams' lone touchdown just two plays later. Trailing 16-10 at halftime, the 49ers would keep the Rams scoreless in the second half.
After inching closer with a field goal in the third, San Francisco tied it up with another in the fourth as the game was sent to overtime with both teams knotted up at 16. With San Francisco failing to score on the opening possession during overtime, St. Louis appeared to be on their way to a fourth consecutive victory as Zuerlein stepped up with a chance to win it with a 48-yard field goal. But after missing wide right from 52-yards earlier in the game, the day would go from bad to worse for Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein who had the potential game-winner blocked by second-year corner Dontae Johnson. The block would keep the Niners alive and give them one final chance to finish the season on top. With under five minutes to go, Gabbert completed a pass to receiver Quinton Patton who broke a tackle and nearly took it to the house before being stopped short of the end zone. The 33-yard reception would be all Phil Dawson needed in what could be his final game as a Niner, as he split the uprights one for the game-winning 23-yard field goal which led to hugs and high-fives all around. Gabbert threw for a career-high 354 yards and a touchdown, with 86 of those yards going to DuJuan Harris who led all receivers. The free-agent-to-be and journeyman who was signed to five different teams this season, rushed for a game-high 67 yards on 16 carries.
Unfortunately, one Niner would walk off the field a winner but would leave the stadium jobless. Despite the 19-16 overtime win, Niners head coach Jim Tomsula was relieved of his head coaching duties just hours after the game. In his only season at the helm, San Francisco finished 5-11 under the rookie head coach who spent a total of nine seasons with the organization, serving as the team's defensive-line coach. With the 49ers head coaching vacancy now the main focus of the offseason, who they nab next is anyone's guess at this point. But that hasn't stopped some of the early candidates from surfacing with such names as Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan, Hue Jackson and Adam Gase leading the pack, as well as the recently fired Chip Kelly who on Sunday was bounced from Philly after three seasons. As for some positive news, linebacker NaVorro Bowman added another nine tackles on Sunday to add to his league-leading 154 tackles and was named to the Pro Bowl. It might not be the last we hear of Bowman's name this year, however, as he's a prime candidate to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award after missing the entire 2014 season following his major knee injury suffered in the NFC title game two seasons ago.
2016 Preview - With the 2015 regular season in the books, the regular season opponents for 2016 have been announced as the 49ers will host the following: Saints, Buccaneers, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks. Meanwhile, they'll hit the road to face the following: Falcons, Panthers, Bills, Bears, Dolphins, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks. As for April's Draft, the 49ers sit in the top 10, owning the no. 7 pick.
Week 13 -With the 49ers in Chicago to face off with the (5-6) Bears, San Francisco head coach Jim Tomsula found himself going up against a former colleague -- Vic Fangio who served four seasons as the Niners defensive coordinator before landing the same job title in the windy city during the offseason, as well as Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase whom Tomsula beat out for the head coaching job. In what would be a struggle offensively for most of the game by both teams, the game would have to be decided in overtime.
After three and outs in each of San Francisco's first two possessions, the Bears took an early 6-0 lead on a pair of Robbie Gould field goals. Celebrating his 34th birthday, the rest of the day would be one to forget for the longtime Chicago kicker. Seeking their first 1st quarter touchdown of the season, the Niners would strike pay dirt in the form of a Jimmie Ward interception he took to the house. Playing in Chicago for the first time not far from Northern Illinois University where he played collegiately before being selected in the first round of last year's Draft, the interception marked the first of Ward's career, helping put his team on the board and end a first quarter touchdown-less drought that had reached 11 games. Kicker Phil Dawson would fail to tack on the ensuing PAT, however, as the 49ers suffered their first missed extra-point since 2003. With the game tied at 6, both teams would exchange rushing touchdowns as Matt Forte scored for Chicago, only to be matched by San Francisco's Shaun Draughn who scored his first touchdown in a Niner uniform.
The game would remain tied at 13 heading into the 4th quarter. It would be there where the Bears and 49ers would once again exchange rushing touchdowns, this time by a pair of unlikely recipients as both Ka'Deem Carey and Blaine Gabbert logged the first rushing touchdowns of their career, both capping six-play drives in the 4th quarter. Carey's would come first as he found the end zone from 4-yards out, followed by the longest rush of the season by a 49er -- a 44-yard scramble up the middle by Gabbert who showed athleticism on the play that nobody knew he had as San Francisco once again tied the game at 20 apiece. But Gabbert's late-game heroics were nearly erased on the ensuing kick as the 49ers special teams surrendered a 74-yard return to Deonte Thompson with under two minutes remaining. The return would put Chicago in position to win as Bears head coach John Fox called on Gould to kick his team to victory. But after missing his previous attempt in the third quarter, nothing was promised. And from 36-yards out, the Bears' Pro Bowl kicker shanked the kick wide left, spoiling his birthday and sending the game into overtime. It would mark the first game of Gould's career in which he missed a pair of field goals 41-yards or fewer.
With both teams going three and out on their first possession in overtime, Gabbert wasted little time on San Francisco's second drive as he aired it out along the left sideline where he found Torrey Smith all alone for the 71-yard walk-off touchdown. Prior to his game-winning reception which led to his 49er teammates mobbing him in the end zone, Smith had one catch for five yards. Gabbert threw for 196 yards on the day and led the team in rushing with another 75 yards as the 49ers pulled off the 26-20 overtime victory. Chicago's Jay Cutler threw for 202 yards in a losing effort as San Francisco claimed their first road win of the season and first of Tomsula's career. Niners receiver Anquan Boldin caught five passes for 37 yards, helping him reach 13,000 career receiving yards in what's been a stalwart career in the NFL and one that could very well result in a Hall of Fame induction one day.
Week 14 Preview -At 4-8 on the year, the 49ers will look to build their first winning-streak of the season when they pay a visit to Cleveland to take on the 2-10 Browns. Coming off a 37-3 shellacking by their inner-state rivals the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns are looking to bounce back at Home. Having endured quarterback trouble of their own this season, Cleveland has decided to name Johnny Manziel their starting QB heading into Sunday's game. While Manziel gives the Browns their best chance of winning games over fellow QB's Josh McCown who's now injured and Austin Davis, the former Heisman Trophy winner is coming off a 2-game absence as Cleveland coach Mike Pettine decided to discipline his young QB after videos of Manziel partying in his native Texas surfaced over the internet. The Niner defense will look to keep the duel threat quarterback at bey with another stellar showing on defense and build on their first road victory of the season.
After a long wait from 49er fans ready to put the tumultuous offseason behind them, football finally made its return on Monday night as San Francisco hosted the Minnesota Vikings. With the story heading into the game swirling around the return of two of the game's best at their respective position -- All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman and future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson, only one would come out victorious. Bowman, who saw his first regular season action since sustaining a left knee injury during the 2014 NFC Championship over a year and a half ago, looked like a man possessed with no cobwebs at all. As for Peterson, who hasn't played in over a year after serving a suspension stemming from a child-abuse case filed against him, the former NFL MVP looked rather rusty.
With all eyes on Peterson in the run game, it would be San Francisco's running back who stole the show. Making his first career start, second-year running back Carlos Hyde would make his starting debut a memorable one by putting up career-highs in almost every category. Hyde led the way for the 49ers offense, shouldering the load left by the franchises all-time leading rusher Frank Gore who departed during the offseason for Indianapolis. In it's first game without the future Hall of Famer Gore, San Francisco's run-game didn't skip a beat as Hyde rushed for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns on 26 carries, spinning and diving his way into the end zone on one carry, reminiscent of a Madden juke move. But before Hyde found the end zone to put his team on the board, the 49ers endured a special-teams nightmare in the first quarter. On their opening-drive, QB Colin Kaepernick and Hyde led the offense on a promising drive that sputtered near the red zone and went up in flames as kicker Phil Dawson had his field goal attempt blocked and nearly taken to the house. Luckily, Minnesota would fail to capitalize as Vikings kicker Blair Walsh shanked a field goal wide right from 44-yards out. The 49er special teams would later shoot themselves in the foot once again when former Australian rugby starJarryd Hayne fumbled his first career touch when called on to return a punt.
With a 7-0 lead heading into the half following the first of Hyde's two rushing touchdowns, rookie head coach Jim Tomsula addressed his team's sloppy play as the team played a much more fluid game during the second half, not committing nearly as many penalties as they did in quarters 1 and 2. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick didn't overwhelm anyone with his numbers, but logged a clean sheet while managing to play a turnover-free game. In many ways, Kaepernick registered an Alex Smith-like performance, playing it safe and not forcing anything as he completed 17 of 26 passes for 165 yards while gaining 41 yards on the ground. On the other side, Minnesota's Teddy Bridgewater who many are expecting to take a huge leap forward this year, had arguably his worst night as a pro yet. Bridgewater threw for 231 yards and was picked off once by Tremaine Brock on a night where he was sacked 5 times as Minnesota's only points came via a field goal.
Seeking his first 100-yard performance in a season-opener since 2009, Adrian Peterson entered Monday night's game having struggled against the 49ers throughout his career. With only 51.3 yards per game and 0 touchdowns in 4 games vs San Francisco, Peterson saw much of the same as the 49er defense shut him down and held him to only 31 yards rushing on 10 carries. Credit first year defensive coordinator Eric Mangini who drew up the perfect game plan on the ground for Peterson and through the air for Bridgewater as neither looked comfortable all night. On a night where the 49ers debuted their new black and red uniforms, the first ever alternate jersey in franchise history, San Francisco pulled off the 20-3 victory. And despite Carlos Hyde's 168 yard performance which marked the most rushing yards by a Niner since 2011 (Gore) and was the second-most yards by a 49er running back in a season opener behind only Garrison Hearst's 187 in 1998, the game ball was awarded to coach Jimmy T in the locker room after the game with Kaepernick doing the honors. It would be the 7th consecutive win for SF on Monday Night Football, the second-longest active streak behind only the hated Seahawks who have won nine straight.
Week 2 Preview: Even after his team won in his first career game as head coach, Jim Tomsula made it known that there was little time to celebrate and that it was on to Pittsburgh where the (0-1) Steelers will look to bounce back from a 28-21 loss to the defending champion Patriots in the season-opener. Though the (1-0) 49er defense looked stout in the win against Minnesota, they'll be given the tough task of having to face Big Ben Roethlisberger at home in the Steelers' home-opener. The Niners will look to spoil Pittsburgh's homecoming and make it 2-0 as defensive coordinator Eric Mangini renews his rivalry with the Steelers, a team he's grown to know quite well spending time in the AFC as head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets.
Injury News:49ers RB Reggie Bush was the only reported injury after Week 1's win as he sustained a calf strain in the first quarter which forced him to leave the game. Bush has been listed as week-to-week which opens the door for rookie Jarryd Hayne who should see his reps at running back increase come Week 2.
The Hayne Plane has officially touched down as Australian Rugby star Jarryd Hayne has made the cut and was named to the San Francisco 49ers' 53-man final roster on Saturday in what's been the story of the 2015 NFL preseason. If you've kept up at all with the 49ers' preseason, this should come as no surprise as Hayne's stellar play stood out like a sore thumb. The 2014 National Rugby League player of the year who was on the verge of signing the wealthiest contract in NRL history, dropped a bomb on the sports world when he announced his decision to leave rugby and purse a career in the NFL nearly a year ago in October of 2014.
With no experience in the American sport at all and the Australian media covering his every move, the 28-year old Hayne made the transition look rather easy while displaying nifty cuts and a brutal stiff arm in both the run game and on special teams as a kick and punt returner. In his preseason debut against the Houston Texans, Hayne broke off a 53-yard run on only his second touch of the ball and later added a 33-yard kick return which helped catapult him into a celebrity overnight in the States. His second preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys would be equally impressive as he found a hole for a 34-yard gain before eventually finishing as the game's leading rusher with 54 yards on 8 carries. Hayne's 175 rushing yards on 25 carries was good enough for second in the league, trailing only Zach Zenner of the Detroit Lions. He also placed third on punt returns with 163 yards on 10 carries while his average of 7.0 yards per carry was tops in the NFL.
Hayne's only flaw early on while transitioning to his new sport was that he wasn't getting low enough when approaching a defender, something he has since worked and improved on as the preseason progressed. His explosiveness and big play ability will most likely be used on special teams with Hayne specializing as a kick and punt returner but could also see some action as a running back behind Carlos Hyde and Reggie Bush.
What started off as nothing more than an improbable journey has developed into a full on dream come true for the former rugby star who less than a year ago was deciding between the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. After initially falling of his radar, the 49ers immediately jumped to the top of Hayne's list when the team announced the hiring of head coach Jim Tomsula. The two had already developed a relationship during a meeting alongside then head coach Jim Harbaugh, but it was Tomsula's experience overseas with NFL Europe and rugby players which ultimately proved to be the deciding factor in Hayne's decision to head for the Bay Area. With an entire country backing him and proud of his success in making the team's 53-man roster, he's inspired an entire nation and is one player I'll be supporting in full force.
View Hayne's press-conference on his decision down below:
Just when you thought the 49ers' tumultuous offseason couldn't get any worse following the retirements of multiple payers and a handful of key cogs lost to free agency which practically gutted the franchise, the team was dealt yet another crushing blow over the weekend. With preseason football on the horizon for the San Francisco 49ers, the team was left with no other option but to release one of their brightest young talents following the arrest of Pro Bowl linebacker Aldon Smith. Smith, a player with tremendous talent but a knack for running into trouble, had his fifth run in with the law since being drafted in 2011 when he was taken into custody by Santa Clara police on alleged DUI, hit and run and vandalism charges.
The incident which stemmed from a woman reportedly parking in Smith's parking space, fueled Smith's actions which resulted in his third DUI and fifth incident overall. Though Smith was interviewed after being released the following day from county jail where he claims he was not intoxicated during the incident, 49ers GM Trent Baalke and team owner Jed York had seen enough as the team decided to part ways with the troubled 25 year old. Neither Baalke nor York would speak in front of the media, however, as first year head coach Jim Tomsula would be the one called upon to speak at the podium and in front of a live press-conference where he announced the team's decision. Given the circumstances, the organization handled the incident as well as they could have, lending a helping hand as Tomsula let it be known that although he's no longer a member of the team, Smith will be helped and supported by the franchise along his journey to recovery, stating that Aldon, "will not have to walk this path alone," while encouraging others with similar issues to seek help.
For Smith, the incident comes several months after both parties agreed to restructure the former first round pick's contract in a way that he'd be paid on a game by game basis, betting on himself as a supposed changed man who would stay out of trouble. On Friday, those promises came crashing down on Smith and the Niners like a ton of bricks. Since 1982 when sacks became an official stat, Smith, who was drafted 7th overall out of Missouri, had accumulated the most sacks through the first two seasons to start a career with 33.5 sacks from 2011-12, 2.5 more than Hall of Famer Reggie White. As for Niners defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, his first year at the helm just got that much harder as he'll now be given the challenge of having to find a replacement for one of the game's best pass rushers. With everyone wondering who's the next guy in line to fill the void of Smith at outside linebacker, several potential candidates include rookie Eli Harold who was dubbed a steal in April's Draft with the 79th pick, third-year player Corey Lemonier and Aaron Lynch who dazzled in his rookie campaign last season.
Just when we thought it couldn't get any dumber than the airport incident which landed Aldon some jail time for allegedly stating to a TSA agent that he had a bomb, Smith goes berserk and loses it over a parking space. As much as his absence sets the team back, the truth remains -- he needed to be let go. Alongside the recently retired Justin Smith, Aldon shined in the Niners pass-rush as the two became one of the most formidable tandems in the league and were appropriately nicknamed the "Smith Brothers." With both Smith's now gone, the pass rush is one of the biggest areas of concern heading into the new season. Simply put, the 49ers franchise has been gutted and put on 'reset mode' since the end of the 2014 season which ended in disappointment following a third place finish in the NFC West at 8-8 and missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2010. With many expecting the Niners to take an even bigger step back in 2015 even before the release of Aldon Smith, coach Tomsula and company has a tall order ahead of them as they look to quiet the critics and prove that the team is in reload mode rather than rebuild mode.
If there's one thing we've learned about 49er players retiring, it's that they do so in droves. At least this year they have. After the sudden retirement of linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, it was learned on Monday afternoon that the team would be without 5-time Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Smith who informed the team of his decision to retire as the Niners prepare for the 2015 season without yet another key cog on defense. Unlike the retirements of Willis and Borland which caught many by surprise considering Willis just recently celebrated his 30th birthday and Borland had only one season under his belt coming off his rookie campaign, there has been speculation regarding Smith possibly stepping away from the game of football since the start of the offseason. Smith, a former first round pick selected fourth overall out of the University of Missouri in 2001, even gave the team a date which he would announce his decision by. The front-office allowed the 35-year old Smith to take as much time as he needed and while it wasn't the answer they were hoping to hear, it was one they had anticipated.
That proof lies in the team's draft habits which saw the 49ers select 10 defensive linemen in the draft since 2011, including 2015 first round pick Arik Armstead out of Oregon. Not to mention the signing of free-agent Darnell Dockett this offseason. Though it was an injury which ultimately led to Smith's decision to hang 'em up, describing his left shoulder as unresponsive, Smith brought his lunch pail and tools to the yard every day and came ready to play while missing only three games throughout a 14 year career split between the 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals. Like Willis, Smith was a defensive leader for the 49er defense which has ranked among the top defenses in the league over the past several seasons. First year head coach Jim Tomsula who built quite the relationship with Smith while serving as the team's defensive line coach for all of Smith's seven seasons with the team, hopes the rebuilding process will be a swift one now that a number of the team's key contributors on defense from the past few years are gone. Something that may be worth keeping an eye on with Smith now out the door, is how his absence will effect Aldon Smith.
When on the field playing side by side, the tandem of Aldon and Justin who were often referred to as "the Smith brothers" were a dominant force in San Francisco's D-Line. Their productivity often depended on one another and with the elder Smith no longer in the picture, it'll be interesting to see if there's any drop off in Aldon's numbers. Defensive coordinator Eric Mangini who's in his first year at the helm of the defense, surely hopes that won't be the case. Smith joins the ever-expanding list of players from last year's 49er defense which won't be back with the team in 2015. Among those players are -- Perrish Cox, Ray McDonald, Chris Culliver, Dan Skuta, the aforementioned Chris Borland and Patrick Willis and now the one they call "Cowboy." And like any cowboy, this one will ride off into the sunset, bidding a farewell to the game he loved and the game we all enjoyed watching him play, even if his helmet and pads were two sizes too small.
Smith was a 5-time Pro Bowler who totaled 880 tackles and 87 career sacks while being named an All-Pro three times over an impressive 14-year career. Whether or not he'll garner enough votes to be enshrined into the Football Hall of Fame is a crapshoot at this point, but I won't be surprised in the least bit if the 49ers honor him this upcoming season, albeit a banner or plaque with his name and number on it to hang at the team's shiny new home of Levi's Stadium.
After three consecutive trips to the NFC Championship followed by a disappointing 8-8 finish in 2014, the San Francisco 49ers brain trust decided to bid a farewell to head coach Jim Harbaugh as the two sides agreed to mutually part ways. With Harbaugh landing a job with his alma mater Michigan, the 49ers were left with a head coaching vacancy. After an extensive search to find the team's next head coach which included the interviewing of 8 other candidates, the 49ers had their man all along in Jim Tomsula. A name not widely known outside of the Bay Area, Tomsula has been on the 49ers' sidelines through the teachings of several head coaches with the likes of Mike Nolan, Mike Singletary and the recently departed Jim Harbaugh. And now, team owner Jed York and GM Trent Baalke will hand the gavel to Tomsula.
Despite his inexperience, Tomsula does however have a 38-7 victory over the Cardinals under his belt in the one game that he served as an interim head coach after the firing of Mike Singletary in 2010. Before that, you'd have to go all way back to 2006 when Tomsula served as head coach of NFL Europe's Rhein Fire who finished the season 6-4 with Tomsula at the helm. But experienced or not, not a single player has expressed their doubts regarding the 49ers new hire. Players took to Twitter to congratulate and express just how happy they are for Tomsula and how excited they are to be playing under him which tells a little about the guy and how much of a players coach he is. Something Jim Harbaugh was not, according to murmurs in and out of the 49ers locker room. Since Tomsula joined the team as the defensive line coach in 2007, only the Baltimore Ravens have allowed fewer rushing yards per rush at 3.6, one tick fewer than San Francisco's 3.7.
From a fan standpoint, the decision comes as somewhat of a surprise given the 49ers aren't too far from being Super Bowl contenders once again and yet they decided to hire someone with little to no head coaching experience. Not to mention the mountain high expectations Tomsula inherits from coach Harbaugh who went 49-22-1 during his tenure with the Niners and led the team to three consecutive NFC Championships in his first three seasons, a feat no other coach has accomplished. But perhaps Tomsula's 8-year familiarity with the team and its personnel will make up for that, knowing from the inside what kinks need to be worked on in order to help the team take that final step. With defensive coordinator Vic Fangio reportedly on his way out and offensive coordinator Greg Roman already agreeing to join the Buffalo Bills under the same job title, the 49ers will feature an entirely new coaching staff under Tomsula.
Whoever Tomsula decides to hire to stand alongside him on the sidelines or in the booth, will be given the task on offense to help mentor and groom QB Colin Kaepernick to regain his form after a down season which I blame in large part on Greg Roman's misuse of the duel-threat QB and poor play-calling. As for the defensive side of things, Vic Fangio's replacement will be taking over a defense which ranked fifth overall this year despite being without one of if not the best linebacker tandems in the league for most of the season.
