Week 1 -Football season is back! With the NFL's 2018 regular season officially underway following Thursday Night's opener between NFC heavyweights Atlanta Falcons and the the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers would see their first action on Sunday morning in a road match-up with the Minnesota Vikings. Given the daunting task of opening the season in hostile territory against the league's best defense from a year ago and a team looking to bounce back after being on the receiving end of a 38-7 beat down in their own home in last year's NFC title game, the 49ers would surely have their work cutout for them in Week 1 if they wanted to keep their new starting quarterback's record unblemished. As if defeating a Vikings team at home where they won all but one of their eight regular season games from a season ago wasn't challenging enough, the Niners who entered Sunday with the league's best active regular season winning-streak at five games, have lost each of their last five visits to Minnesota. Of course none of those defeats came with Garoppolo under center who the 49er faithful are hoping can serve as their savior the same way he did down the stretch to closeout 2017 when he led them on that magical five-game journey.
Having allowed a measly 10-points or fewer in five of their last seven regular season games dating back to last season, the stingy Vikings defense would look to carry that streak into 2018 and had other plans for Jimmy G and the streaking 49ers. And though San Francisco would eclipse the 10-point mark, they were unable to end their Minnesota skid as the Vikings defense gave Garoppolo his first taste of defeat as he suffered the first loss of his professional career in a 24-16 final, bringing his record to 7-1 as a starter. The 49ers had plenty of opportunities on offense and even had a chance to march down the field and tie the game in the final minutes, but were ultimately doomed by the myriad of self-inflicted miscues on both sides of the ball made throughout the game. And though his teammates didn't do him any favors either, from his receivers dropping passes to the guys on defense missing tackles, where Garoppolo made mistakes, his counterpart did not. Excited to show off their new toy on offense, the recently acquired Kirk Cousins enjoyed an impressive Vikings debut at QB in which he didn't commit any turnovers and threw for 244 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
With as much talk surrounding Minnesota's defense, their offense is nothing to scoff at either. With the return of Dalvin Cook who took the league by storm a season ago before suffering a torn ACL in Week 4 which ultimately put an end to his rookie campaign, the former Florida State Seminole and Heisman finalist picked up right where he left off before the injury with a handful of big gains in the first half. Minnesota would start the scoring with a field goal in the first quarter before taking a 10-0 lead on Cousins' connection in the end zone with receiver Stefon Diggs, catching 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon off-guard from behind as he failed to locate the ball which allowed Diggs to make the easy grab from 22-yards out. The Niners would answer with a field goal before missing out on a golden opportunity that could've tied the game. After a big run from Cook who broke multiple tackles before being surprised from behind as rookie linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball loose forcing a fumble recovered by Richard Sherman, San Francisco embarked on a 16-play drive that made it all the way to the 1-yard line before Alfred Morris coughed the ball up with a fumble at the 1-yard line. The costly turnover would be one of several stall outs endured in the red zone for San Francisco.
Already without free-agent acquisition Jerick McKinnon who suffered a torn ACL prior to San Francisco's pre-season finale and was acquired to be Kyle Shanahan's No. 1 weapon at the running back position, the 49ers would lose another one of their key cogs on offense. Receiver Marquise Goodwin who was signed to a new three-year extension during the offseason and has proven to be one of Garoppolo's favorite targets, would be forced to leave the game in the first half after banging knees with a member of the Vikings and was diagnosed with what team doctors described as a quad injury, putting an early end to his day and preventing him from contributing on the field. From there, Shanahan and Garoppolo would have to be creative in the passing game as rookie receiver Dante Pettis and fullback Kyle Juszczyk logged the two biggest gains thru the air for the Niners on Sunday, hauling in receptions of 39 and 56 yards respectively.
But the biggest plays for San Francisco's offense were the ones that weren't made as both receiver Pierre Garcon and tight-end George Kittle each had chances to strike pay dirt, but were tagged with drops. Then came one of the bigger back-breakers as Garoppolo had a pass intended for receiver Kendrick Bourne picked off and returned for a pick-six. Bourne admitted after the game to running the wrong route on the costly turnover, a perfect example of the type of mistake you can't make when playing a stingy defense and a talented football team like that of Minnesota's, not to mention in their own home. And while the Niners settled for field goals with kicker Robbie Gould going three-for-three on the day, Cousins was busy connecting for his second touchdown pass of the game, an 11-yard strike to tight-end Kyle Rudolph. The final score of the afternoon for the Vikings would appear to put some fire under the 49er offense as Garoppolo and company finally responded with a trip to the end zone as Jimmy G's first touchdown of the season came with less than a minute remaining the 3rd quarter. After being pressured and bouncing off a defender, Garoppolo rolled out to his left, throwing off-balance to find Pettis in the back of the end zone for the score. Gould's third and final field goal would make it a 24-16 affair before the Niner defense committed without a doubt their biggest miscue of the afternoon.
Facing a pivotal 4th and 1 call with 3 minutes remaining in regulation, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer sent his offense onto the field for one thing and one thing only -- to draw the defense off-sides. With the play clock down to its final second, the trick would work on second year defensive-end Solomon Thomas who was called for neutral zone infraction which would give Minnesota a new set of downs. Despite the bone-headed penalty which took time off the clock, the Niners would still be given one final chance to tie the game and send it into overtime, but would need to march the ball down the field 89-yards with less than 2 minutes remaining. Instead, Garoppolo who was under heavy pressure, hurried a pass intended for Trent Taylor that was picked off, sealing the win. The interception would be the third of the day for Garoppolo who finished with a game-high 261 passing yards and one touchdown pass as he completed 15 of 33 passes for a QB rating of 45.1. Putting into perspective just how off a day Sunday was for Garoppolo, his previous low in the QBR department was 82.4 as Jimmy G suffered his first loss on a football field since December 13, 2013 when he was still under center for the Eastern Illinois University football program.
Overall, Sunday's loss was a sloppy performance for a Niners team that was without two of their top weapons on offense and a defense that is still trying to establish their identity. While players like rookie linebacker Fred Warner who tallied 12 tackles in his debut to go with the forced fumble and third-year defensive-end DeForest Buckner who logged 2.5 sacks showed flashes of greatness, there's still plenty of areas that need to be cleaned up for this team to click. However, that's nothing out of the ordinary for a team one week into the season. Given communication duties in his first glimpse of meaningful NFL action, Warner resembled a promising young defender who should only get better with Reuben Foster by his side when the two will be allowed to team up come Week 3 after Foster serves his suspension stemming from a series of off-the-field arrests during the off-season. As for Buckner, his 2.5 sacks were the most by a 49er in a single game since Aldon Smith's 5.5 sack performance back on November 19, 2012. San Francisco will need the help of them and others if they plan to get even in the win column in Week 2.
Week 2 Preview -Playing at Levi's Stadium for the first time this season, the 49ers will host the (0-1) Detroit Lions who are coming off a 48-17 shellacking at home at the hands of the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. Quarterback Matt Stafford who was picked off by the Jets defense four times on Monday for the fifth time in his career, will look to shake off one of the worst starts of his career and redeem himself against a San Francisco defense. With Detroit featuring a mediocre run game under first-year head coach Matt Patricia, DeForest Buckner and co. will have their eyes set on Stafford in hopes of making him feel just as uncomfortable as he was against the Jets. As for Garoppolo, facing a defense not nearly as ferocious as Minnesota's, I expect to see San Francisco's offense bounce back in the red zone, somewhere they didn't fair too well in Week 1. Meanwhile on the injury front, aside from receiver Marquise Goodwin who's been listed as day-to-day nursing his quad, the health at left-guard will be one coach Kyle Shanahan will keep an eye on heading into Week 2 as both Mike Person and Joshua Garnett went down with foot injuries against Minnesota, forcing 2018 first round pick Mike McGlinchey to man the position for the first time in his life and doing an exceptional job considering.
Week 8 -What do you get when you put an 0-7 San Francisco 49ers team that is tied for the worst overall record in the NFL against a 6-1 Philadelphia Eagles team that boasts the best record in the league? How about at a 33-10 shellacking in what is now the first 0-8 start in franchise history for first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan and the woeful 49ers. Entering Sunday's meeting against the Eagles in Philadelphia, the 49ers knew they'd have their work cut out for them matching up on defense against second-year quarterback Carson Wentz who has already surpassed his touchdown total from a year ago (16 TD's) in eight fewer games. They'd also have their hands full against a Philadelphia defense that ranks tops in the league against the run.
Playing on a damp Sunday afternoon, the 49ers would need to play a near perfect game if they had plans of pulling off the upset in rainy Philadelphia. Instead, they'd fall behind 17-0 heading into the locker room at the half as a pair of touchdowns allowed highlighted a dismal first two quarters for San Francisco. The 49ers would manage to stick around for a majority of the first half as Philly hung onto a 3-0 lead entering the 2-minute warning. But things would change quickly as a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight-end Zach Ertz and a pick-six by cornerback Jalen Mills just 17 seconds later would allow the Eagles to take a 17-0 lead into the half. The lead would reach 20 to nothing before the 49ers finally scratched the scoreboard on a touchdown set up by rookie corner Ahkello Witherspoon who recorded his first career interception. San Francisco would capitalize as another 49ers rookie recorded a career first when quarterback C.J. Beathard's shovel pass to backup running back Matt Breida sprung the undrafted rookie from Georgia Southern 21-yards for the first touchdown of his career.
The two big plays by the trio of 49ers rookies would be the lone highlights on the afternoon for San Francisco as the mistakes and wrongdoings far outweighed the good. A week after setting a 49ers franchise record by throwing for the most yards in a rookie debut with 235 yards against the Cowboys, Beathard threw for only 167 yards in his second time around in another tough outing by the San Francisco offense who was stymied by Philadelphia's solid defense. Against the run, the Eagles held both Breida and Carlos Hyde to a combined 42-yards rushing as neither back was able to get anything going on the ground. Veteran kicker Robbie Gould would also see better days as he saw his perfect 91-for-91 mark of field goals from 20-30 yards come to an end as his 27-yard field goal attempt to start the fourth quarter was blocked. It would be Gould's first blocked field goal since 2012 with the Bears, though he would redeem himself on San Francisco's ensuing possession with a successful 50-yard try.
Leading the league in passing touchdowns entering Sunday, Wentz added his second touchdown pass of the afternoon on a 53-yard connection to Alshon Jefferey on the longest play of the receiver's brief Eagles career. A 12-yard touchdown run by LeGarrette Blount would round out the rest of the scoring for Philly who stormed away with the 33-10 victory and improved their league-best record to 7-1 on the year, leading the NFC East over second place Dallas (4-3). As for San Francisco who fell to 0-8 on the year for the first time in their 73-year history, the 49ers were also dealt a blow on both sides of the ball in the injury department as cornerback Jimmie Ward (fractured left forearm), offensive-lineman Joe Staley (broken orbital bone) and receiver Pierre Garcon (neck) were all bit by the injury bug on Sunday with Ward and Garcon's injuries being season-ending. The loss of those players would only add salt to the wound as the 49ers have now dropped 10 consecutive games in the eastern time zone. You'd have to date back to November 16, 2014 against the Giants in New York for the last time San Francisco departed the eastern part of the country with a victory.
Week 9 Preview - Returning home to kick off the first game of a three game homestand, the 49ers will play host to division rival Arizona as the (3-4) Cardinals are coming off a BYE week following their shutout loss to the Rams in London. With an 18-15 overtime win against the 49ers in their Week 4 meeting earlier this season in Arizona, the Cardinals are looking for the season sweep of San Francisco, but will be without quarterback Carson Palmer who is out for the season and is likely to retire after suffering a broken arm. The 49ers will hope to get the first win of the season after nearly defeating the Cardinals in Arizona after taking a 15-12 lead in overtime before Palmer connected with Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone for a walk-off, game-winning touchdown. San Francisco will be met by backup QB Drew Stanton and will also get their first look at running back Adrian Peterson in a Cardinals uniform as the former league MVP who began the season in New Orleans, was traded from the Saints to the Cardinals before Week 6.
Week 7 -Returning home to Levi's Stadium where the (0-6) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the (2-3) Dallas Cowboys, head coach Kyle Shanahan had hopes that his team's first home game in over a month would bring some good fortune. But after suffering five consecutive losses by a combined 13-points entering Sunday, the 49ers who were plagued by a trio of fumbles, stood little chance and were embarrassed by a whopping 30-points in their first game at home since Week 3. On a day the Niners honored former receiver Dwight Clark, the recipient who authored arguably the most famed play in NFL history "The Catch" 35 years ago against the Cowboys, 49er fans were left with a bad taste in their mouths following the largest loss in the Dallas-San Francisco rivalry since October 12, 1980.
With many 49er greats on hand for Dwight Clark's halftime ceremony, Niner fans would be left reminiscing of better days and fantasizing of how well those greats of yesteryear could help this team. In at quarterback making his first career start and hoping to one day cement his legacy among the great 49er QB's before him would be rookie C.J. Beathard who would also see his first bit of action in front of the Niner faithful. And just like he did a week ago, Beathard would take his first snap with his team trailing as things once again got off to a rocky start for San Francisco. Entering Sunday's game coming off a BYE week and having lost two straight, Dallas would look a lot more like the team that dominated their way to the No. 1 seed in the NFC a year ago and were given a golden opportunity before San Francisco's offense even took the field. After forcing a three and out on Dallas' opening possession, 49ers rookie Trent Taylor would fumble the punt return inside the 20-yard line to setup an early touchdown by running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The rushing touchdown by Elliott would kick start a busy day for the reigning rushing leader from a season ago as he would strike pay dirt again just one possession later to give Dallas a double-digit lead that they wouldn't relinquish. San Francisco would get on the board on the ensuing possession thanks to a Robbie Gould field goal, but their inability to reach the end zone would prove to be costly as Dallas continued to pile on points with score after score. After the first of three touchdown passes on the afternoon by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, the 49ers offense would finally begin to show some promise as Beathard would help get his team to the red zone just before halftime. Looking to cut the deficit in half, San Francisco found themselves knocking on the door at the 5-yard line before Beathard was blindsided from behind, resulting in a fumble that would preserve Dallas' 17-point lead heading into the half.
The Cowboys would open the second half much like they did the first, this time needing only one play to find the end zone. A pair of nice blocks would allow Elliott to add to his already busy day by recording his third touchdown of the afternoon and first of the receiving variety as he caught a screen pass and took it 72-yards to the house while walking the tightrope along the sideline. Elliott would be a thorn in the side of the San Francisco defense virtually all afternoon as he rushed for 147 yards and finished with over 200-yards in total. Prescott would get in on the fun one possession later as he added a 2-yard touchdown run of his own to run the score up to 33-3. For Beathard, the first start of his career would quickly turn into one he would prefer to forget as he was sacked for a fifth time, fumbling and turning the ball over yet again. Dallas would capitalize one final time as Prescott connected in the end zone with receiver Dez Bryant who displayed some nifty footwork while leaping into the air and coming down with the ball for the touchdown.
With the game well out of reach, the 49ers would finally find the end zone with a garbage time touchdown as Beathard used his legs to punch it in from 4-yards out. Though Beathard failed to log a single touchdown pass on the afternoon, he also steered clear of throwing any interceptions, but his offensive-line didn't do him any favors as the pair of fumbles on five total sacks for 48 yards would be his downfall as Dallas came away with the 40-10 victory to snap their 2-game losing streak. Completing six more passes in 13 more attempts than his counterpart, Beathard (22-for-36, 235 yards) managed to out pass Prescott (16-for-25, 234) by a yard despite the Cowboys QB benefiting from a 72-yard dump off. The 40-point outburst by Dallas would mark the second time this season the 49er defense had allowed 40-points or more. It would also be the third contest this season in which the 49ers failed to log a single quarterback sack.
Week 8 Preview -The (0-7) 49ers will have another tough task in store for Week 8 when they hit the road again to face the Philadelphia Eagles who boast the NFL's best record at 6-1. Coming off a 34-24 victory against the division rival Redskins on Monday Night Football, second-year quarterback Carson Wentz is looking to improve off his 4 TD performance against Washington and strengthen his case for MVP. San Francisco will need to play a much cleaner game on offense if they want to pull of the upset and record their first win of the season. In need of a more solid performance defensively, San Francisco will see a change of position as Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid will be asked to make a start at inside linebacker after being moved to the position against Dallas. Whether this is a position Shanahan and GM John Lynch plan to keep Reid at long-term is unknown at this point as the former right-round pick will be a free-agent at the end of the season.
Week 1 -With NFL Sunday officially underway in 2017, the new-look San Francisco 49ers were one of many teams excited to kick start a new regime. Though the John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan era began in the off-season, the two finally got to see their work in progress hit the field in a meaningful game for a first time. And while many are expecting this season to be nothing but a rebuild or trial run, the team might be even further from contending than initially expected after their mistake-filled performance on Sunday. Making his head coaching debut, Kyle Shanahan would be greeted by a familiar foe in the Carolina Panthers. And while his offenses boast a 3-1 record and have scored an average of 33.7 points per game against the Panthers entering this one, Sunday's opener would be a much different story.
For the 49ers who entered 2017 having won each of their last six season-openers including the last two by a combined score of 48-3, San Francisco saw the roles reversed in Week 1. With both teams struggling to get anything going offensively on their first two drives, the 49ers had a golden opportunity slip through the hands of speedy receiver Marquise Goodwin as a deep third down pass by quarterback Brian Hoyer was dropped by the former Olympian, forcing them to punt. The big time completion would've given the Niners a touchdown or at the very least put them inside the 10-yard line and in position to take an early lead. Hoping for a much better second possession, the 49ers saw their second drive near midfield go up in flames after Hoyer was sacked from behind, causing a fumble which was recovered by the defense. It would be the first of four sacks allowed by San Francisco's offensive-line and by far the most costly as it put the Carolina offense within striking distance.
Adding insult to injury, first-round draft pick and 2016 Butkus Award winner Reuben Foster would have to be carted off the field less than 12 minutes into his NFL debut after having his right leg tweaked beneath him as he was blocked from the side by the 320 lb. Matt Kalil. His absence would be felt immediately as the Panthers scored on the very next play as Cam Newton found a wide-open Russell Shepard down the sideline who scored on a 40-yard touchdown after shaking off a poor tackle attempt by free-safety Jaquiski Tartt. Though Foster would later return from the locker room under his own power, he would be ruled out for the game and forced to watch from the sideline. Following the trio of Goodwin's drop, Foster's injury and Shepard's touchdown, it was almost as if someone had let all the air out of Levi's Stadium as the team struggled to get anything going for the rest of the half. The lone highlight of the half would come in the second quarter on an acrobatic interception by Tartt. With Newton looking to connect with Kelvin Benjamin on the home run pass, Tartt leaped into the air and cradled the ball with one hand, making a highlight worthy catch that even Odell Beckham Jr. would appreciate. Electing to go for it on 4th and 1 near midfield with under a minute remaining, San Francisco's failed attempt would be a gift for the Panthers as they were able to march into field goal range and increase their lead.
Staring down a 13-0 deficit to open the second half, any hopes of a hot start for the 49er offense would be erased rather quickly as they were snake bitten by another turnover just two plays in. Hoyer who entered the game with 200 pass attempts without an interception, saw that streak come to an end on the second play of the third quarter as a pass intended for rookie tight-end George Kittle was intercepted by Pro-Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly. The pick would set up Newton's second touchdown pass of the day, giving Carolina a commanding lead. They would add a Graham Gano field goal on their following possession to make it 23-0 before San Francisco was finally able to get on the board with a field goal of their own, a 44-yarder to give Robbie Gould his first in a 49er uniform. The San Francisco defense would do their part once again by forcing a turnover to open the fourth quarter as second-year corner back Rashard Robinson forced and recovered a fumble on rookie running back Christian McCaffrey who was stripped of the ball. Needing 11 plays to move the ball 30-yards, the 49ers would find themselves on the doorstep of the end zone before being stuffed on the 1-yard line as Carlos Hyde was unable to break the plain.
It would be just one of many squandered opportunities by San Francisco who watched the Panthers milk the last 8:48 on the clock on their way to a 23-3 victory as Cam Newton bounced back from career-low numbers and off-season shoulder surgery. Though he didn't look like his normal self, missing a number of wide-open targets, he kept his team in the game by avoiding costly mistakes against a pass defense that looked decent and held Newton to 171 yards thru the air despite failing to log a single sack against him. McCaffrey who played his collegiate ball just a stones throw away at Stanford, totaled 47 yards on the ground and 38 thru the air, providing a headache for the Niner defense virtually all day long as the Panthers won their sixth consecutive regular season meeting against SF. As for the San Francisco offense, Hoyer who made his fourth consecutive opening-day start for a different team, a feat only surpassed by Jeff Garcia who has five, threw for 193 yards and was held touchdown-less while being sacked four times. Running back Carlos Hyde who provided much of the offense in the first half finished the game with 45 rushing yards and another 32 yards on a game-high 6 receptions. With 44 of Hyde's 45 rushing yards coming in the first quarter, the offense was forced to abandon the run after falling behind by multiple scores to open the second half.
Sweet 16:With only 16 players remaining from last year's 53-man opening-day roster, the 49ers tied a mark for the fewest returning players since 1992 (2012 Rams). Also, the 23-points surrendered by the 49er defense marks the 16th consecutive game in which they've allowed 20-points or more, the second longest streak in franchise history since allowing 17 straight in 1963-64.
Week 2 Preview:With four of their next five games away from Levi's Stadium, the San Francisco 49ers (0-1) will hit the road for the first time in 2017 as they head north to take on the division rival Seattle Seahawks (0-1) who are coming off a loss of their own, a 17-9 defeat to the Packers at Lambeau where Seattle QB Russell Wilson threw for only 158 yards on Sunday. Seeking their first win at Seattle's CenturyLink Field since 2011 and their first win overall against the Seahawks since 2013, both teams will look to avoid falling to 0-2 on the season. The Niners will have to do it without rookie Reuben Foster who's expected to be out at least a month with a high-ankle sprain.
Week 15 - Sunday's meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals was a clash between two teams going in completely opposite directions. With a win by the visiting Bengals, Cincinnati would clinch a playoff spot. But with backup QB AJ McCarron making his first career start, a win would have to be fought for. And with former Alabama quarterbacks a combined 0-13 since 1987, McCarron would be called upon to buck the trend while filling in for the injured Andy Dalton. After a scoreless first quarter which saw the 49ers force a turnover on downs as the Bengals elected to go for it on a fourth and 1 attempt, Cincinnati would get things going in the second.
Forcing three 49er turnovers in the second quarter, the Bengals capitalized on two of them, jumping out to a double-digit lead. Two of the miscues would be dealt to quarterback Blaine Gabbert as tight-end Vance McDonald had a pair of dropped passes result in interceptions, meanwhile, Anquan Boldin had a would-be first down reception stripped from his grasp as he went down, fumbling the ball. Bengals running back Jeremy Hill scored the first two of Cincy's three second quarter touchdowns with a pair of 1-yard runs at the goal line. The third being thru the air as McCarron's only touchdown pass on the afternoon went to a wide-open Tyler Kroft on a 20-yard dart to the rookie tight-end. Trailing 24-0, the Niners would finally get on the board after recovering a Jeremy Hill fumble as he was ran into by his own teammate. Five plays later, the offense would punch it in as fullback Bruce Miller recorded his first career touchdown with a 1-yard run up the middle. After blocking a field goal attempt a week ago versus Cleveland, the Niners had one of their own blocked on Sunday as kicker Phil Dawson who had made his last 19 field goal attempts, watched number twenty hit the hand of a Bengals defender.
With Anquan Boldin zeroing in on 1,000 career receptions, the 13-year veteran caught 8 passes for 74 yards on Sunday including one for a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that pulled San Francisco within two scores. The 49ers would recover the ensuing on-side kick following the touchdown, but Gabbert would be picked off in the end zone for a third time just two plays later, helping Cincy seal the 24-20 victory. Despite holding the Bengals to less than 200 yards thru the air and only 68 yards on the ground, the four 49er turnovers including three by Blaine Gabbert who threw for 295 yards, were too much for the 49ers to overcome on a day they fell behind, 24-0. As for McCarron who played turnover-free football while passing for 192 yards and a touchdown, the two-time National Champion with the Crimson Tide, became the first Alabama alum to win a game as the starting QB since Jeff Rutledge of the Giants in 1987. With the win, the Bengals improved to 11-3 and clinched their fifth straight playoff berth with an AFC North division title still up for grabs and next on their Christmas wishlist. As for San Francisco, the loss dropped the 49ers to 4-10 on the year and guarantees them their first last place finish in the NFC West since 2005.
Week 16 Preview -In what will be their final road game of the season, the 49ers head north to take on the (5-9) Detroit Lions. Already eliminated from playoff contention, Matt Stafford and company will look to finish the season strong in what could potentially be the final home game for Lions receiver Calvin Johnson who's in the final year of his contract. Coming off a 35-27 win on the road over the Saints, Detroit hopes to make it consecutive wins. The 49ers on the other hand are just hoping to complete the 2015 season on a high note coming off another string of back to back losses.
Week 3 - Hoping to put a blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers behind them with a trip to the desert, the San Francisco 49ers saw those hopes vanish quickly on Sunday as rival Arizona bullied their way to a 40-point victory. Niners QB Colin Kaepernick entered the game with one interception in 154 career pass attempts versus the Cardinals, a mark he would surpass on the team's first two offensive drives alone. A career worst 67 passing yards and 4 interceptions highlighted a miserable day for Kaepernick who had two of his first four passes returned for a touchdown as Arizona jumped out front to an early 14-0 lead. The bleeding wouldn't stop there, however, as San Francisco was staring down a 28-point deficit before finally getting on the board via a touchdown run by Kaepernick, set up by an impressive 37-yard punt return from Aussie Jarryd Hayne. Unfortunately, the Niner offense would fail to muster up anymore points as they were blown out of the water, 47-7.
The loss marked the first time since 2005 that San Francisco has lost five straight on the road, all by double-digits as the 49ers were held to a measly 156 total yards on offense. As for Arizona who tallied 446 total yards, not since 1969 have the Cardinals registered back-to-back 40-point performances like they did in week's 2 and 3. Though Cards QB Carson Palmer threw his first interception of the season, the first pick of 49ers cornerback Kenneth Acker's young career, the 35-year old veteran threw for 311 yards and a pair of touchdowns in route to his 16th victory in his last 18 starts and 9th win in a row, the longest active streak in the NFL. Palmer had himself a rather easy day at the office as Arizona was able to turn their opponents costly mistakes into points, scoring three touchdowns and a field goal off of Kaepernick's four interceptions as the Niners were unable to find an answer for Arizona on either side of the ball. With a career-low quarterback rating of 16.7 for Kaepernick on Sunday, the 49ers have now been outscored 90-25 in their last two games and unless they make the needed adjustments quick, that number will only increase with a date with the NFL's best quarterback to follow.
With a forgetful performance from Kaepernick who was made a non-factor thru the air, Niners bell cow Carlos Hyde was also held in check by Arizona's suffocating defense which held the San Francisco running back to 51 yards on 15 carries and also stopped him in his tracks for a safety in the third quarter. Meanwhile, Cardinals backup running back Chris Johnson had himself a vintage performance while filling in for the injured Andre Ellington, rushing for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns to stymie San Francisco's run defense for a second consecutive outing. Speaking of vintage performances, Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald looked a lot like his old self for the second week in a row as he torched the Niners secondary from the slot position for 9 receptions, 134 yards and a pair of touchdown grabs after putting up three scores against Chicago just a week ago. With the loss, San Francisco falls to 1-2, while Arizona improves their undefeated mark to 3-0 while remaining atop the NFC Western division standings and one of only seven unbeaten teams in the league.
Week 4 Preview -Getting back into the win column will be no easy task for Jim Tomsula's 49ers in Week 4 as they play host to Aaron Rodgers and the (3-0) Green Bay Packers who so far this season look like the team to beat in the NFC. Coached by former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy, the Packers have had limited success against SF over the past few years as Colin Kaepernick looks to improve his unbeaten mark to 4-0 against Green Bay, with two of those wins coming during the playoffs. Kaepernick and company are hoping a return to their home field of Levi's Stadium coupled with a meeting with a familiar foe will be the perfect ingredients to getting them back on track as they seek their first win since Week 1. San Francisco's offensive-line will have their hands full on Sunday as they face a Packers defense that is coming off a 7 sack performance on Monday night vs Kansas City and former 49ers QB Alex Smith.
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.
With the San Francisco 49ers on the road in Week 10 to face the Saints in New Orleans, also known as the "Big Easy" where winning has been anything but easy for visiting teams who had not beaten the Saints in their own home since the 2012 season, the 49ers would be up for the challenge. And with both clubs at 4-4 entering the meeting, a win was almost a must for either team's playoff aspirations as teams who improve to a 5-4 record have a far greater chance at making the playoffs at a 49% clip opposed to just 13% for teams at 4-5. Not to mention the NFC Western Division the 49ers play in which has become one of if not the strongest divisions in the league. Jumping out to an early 14-0 lead, it was San Francisco who appeared to be heading in the right direction with a win to put them back over the .500 mark.
The 49er defense set the tone early as Antoine Bethea intercepted Drew Brees on the game's opening-possession for his third pick of the season and second in as many games. It would be a much needed boost for the Niner offense who was given little field to work with, capitalizing with a Frank Gore touchdown three plays later. After logging their first rushing TD since Week 3, the 49ers wasted little time to add another as Carlos Hyde punched it in from nine yards out on San Francisco's following drive. But the Saints would march right back, answering with a touchdown and a field goal to inch New Orleans closer, 14-10. Niners QB Colin Kaepernick would then orchestrate an 80-yard scoring drive which was capped off with a 15-yard TD to the trusty Anquan Boldin who oddly enough dropped several balls on the afternoon. This one, however, would be hauled in, giving San Francisco a 21-10 lead where it would remain heading into the half.
But not before giving Jim Harbaugh and company a scare as Kaepernick was sacked and stripped of the ball, giving the Saints a chance to steal the momentum just before halftime. The Niner defense would have other plans though as Brees was picked off for a second time as he threw into triple coverage on a pass attempt to tight-end Jimmy Graham in the end zone. But Brees and Graham would get their revenge in the second half as the Saints dominated the third and fourth quarters with Brees connecting with Graham on a pair of touchdowns including a 2-yard score to give New Orleans their first lead of the game with under 2 minutes remaining in regulation. With the fate of their season hanging in the balance, three consecutive drops by Boldin and Crabtree would result in a dramatic fourth and long situation in the game's final minutes. With the game on the line, Kaepernick escaped the pocket to find a wide-open Crabtree for a 51-yard gain, setting up the game-tying field goal by Phil Dawson.
With a chance to win it in regulation, Jimmy Graham hauled in a would be game-winning touchdown reception with time expiring, but an offensive pass-interference which showed Graham push off a defender, nullified the score and sent the game into overtime. After exchanging punts to begin the extra quarter, Niners linebacker Ahmad Brooks would get some sweet, sweet revenge for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called against him in last season's meeting with the Saints when he sacked and stripped Brees of the ball. The controversial penalty which prevented San Francisco to seal the win would prove to be costly for the Niners as it gave New Orleans a second chance and eventually set up the game-winning scoring drive. Since then, no team has come close to defeating the Saints inside the Superdome. Time time around, Brooks would redeem himself with the sack and strip without being called for a penalty as the 49ers recovered the fumble. From there, coach Harbaugh wouldn't hesitate to hand it over to his kicker as Phil Dawson split the uprights from 35-yards out for the game-winning field goal to hand the 49ers the 27-24 win, snapping the Saints' home game winning-streak at 11.
The win helped put an end to San Francisco's two-game skid and put them back over the .500 mark at 5-4 as New Orleans remains in first place in the NFC South despite dropping to 4-5 on the year.
Week 11 Preview:After Sunday's win in New Orleans, it would be learned that 49ers 7-time Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis who hasn't played since Week 6 with a toe injury, would be ruled out for the remainder of the year while needing surgery. The news comes as a crushing blow given the team will be welcoming back Aldon Smith in Week 11 after serving a nine game suspension and can use all the help they can get with NaVorro Bowman still sidelined. Bowman who hasn't seen any on-field action since tearing ligaments in his knee during last year's NFC title game, is still experiencing pain in his knee and is know questioning whether or not he'll return at all this season. Hopefully the rookie linebacker Chris Borland who has done nothing but shined the last two weeks can keep it up heading into Week 11's meeting with Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Standing at 3-6 and tied for last place in the NFC East, the Giants have lost four straight. And with a Giants run defense ranked dead last in the NFL, the 49ers will look to take advantage by letting loose the running back tandem of Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde which set the tone early in the win at New Orleans.
Only a month after the last snap of the 2013 NFL season and into the offseason and we've already got one of the more juicy coaching situations developing in the Bay Area. Since the firing of coach Steve Mariucci following the 2002 season, the San Francisco 49ers have looked high and low in search of a winning head coach to no avail. That was until 2011 when the 49ers handed the reigns to Jim Harbaugh who made the leap to the pros after a successful run at Stanford where he coached the program to its first Bowl win since 1996. Even prior to his tenure at Stanford, Harbaugh had tasted victory while at the University of San Diego where he won consecutive Pioneer League titles. So it was no surprise Harbaugh translated his winning ways to the professional level. The speed he did it in, however, was.
Sure he inherited a team rich in young talent, but it was one in need of guidance which Harbaugh supplied along with a system to buy into. Since the marriage that landed him in San Francisco, the 49ers have been one of the most winningest teams in the National Football League. Through three seasons, the 49ers are 41-14-1 (including playoffs) and have made it to three straight NFC title games as well as a Super Bowl appearance under Harbaugh who was named Coach of the Year in his first season and has done virtually everything but hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Something he came one play shy of in 2012. All things considered, the 49ers have finally found themselves a stable coach. However, reports as recent as last week had the 49ers front-office on the verge of sending Harbaugh on his way. News broke out that the relationship between Harbaugh and Niners GM Trent Baalke was a rocky one and has been for some time once trade talks began brewing with San Francisco possibly shipping Harbaugh to Cleveland after the Browns contacted the 49ers and inquired about their coach.
The negotiations that didn't last long before being put to bed were more than enough to send the sports world and social media networks alike, buzzing for days. Team owner Jed York confirmed the story by saying talks were made and discussions were had but nothing further came of it. But the first mistake the 49ers made was listening to the offer in the first place which regardless if the deal goes through or not, can only spell doom for a front-office and their relationship with a head coach moving forward, not to mention one that has already bumped heads with the GM. With the 49ers on the cusp of greatness and a sixth Super Bowl title on the horizon, the team would be stupid to show Harbaugh the door simply because there's no better coach that's currently available to fill the void.
As for those that are pointing the finger at Harbaugh and believe he's the one threatening to leave in favor of a head coaching position in the college ranks, consider this: Never has an NFL coach that endured such success as Harbaugh has, downgraded back to coach at the collegiate level. Why would one possibly leave a team that has made it to three straight NFC Championships and is nesting one of the brightest nucleus' of young NFL players for a college program he would have to recruit for and more than likely build from the ground up? Reports also claim Harbaugh has demanded that he wants more power in the organization as well as more money, both of which the 49ers coach has denied ever saying during an interview with Sports Illustrated where he also had nothing but positive things to say about the organization. Unlike many other feuds we've seen between a head coach and the front-office, Harbaugh has not lost the locker room as 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin told reporters shortly after agreeing to re-sign with the team on a two-year, $12 Million deal. Boldin who led the team in receiving this past season, also explained that coach Harbaugh was one of the main reasons he decided to return in the Bay Area for two more years instead of testing the market as a free-agent.
The funniest part of all might be that the media which has portrayed this whole thing as the downfall of the franchise, has already declared Harbaugh close to being on his way out after this season despite the two years remaining on his contract. The premature assumptions of Harbaugh needing an extension before his current contract is up only fuels this overblown story about the Niners possibly looking to shop their coach. A lot can happen in the course of a year including a Super Bowl victory which would be the perfect antidote to solve the ongoing dispute between Harbaugh and Baalke who's done nothing but draft star-studded talent since being named GM in 2005. While it's the GM who 49ers owner Jed York feels isn't going anywhere anytime soon and has leaned on the side of Harbaugh being the more expendable of the two according to sources, there's plenty of time between now and the start of the season for both sides to mend fences and squash this whole beef if in fact there is one.
Though often having a flair for the dramatic, Harbaugh has described both he and Baalke as being, "two competitive people that want the same thing." If that's true, they'll settle their differences and work things out for the betterment of the team. As long as San Francisco is putting up W's in the win column, the two can and will coexist on the team's quest for six.
