While the San Francisco 49ers were missing in action in Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft without a single pick in Rounds 2 or 3, the team more than made up for that quiet Friday with a busy Day 3 on Saturday. Just before the Cincinnati Bengals kicked things off with the first selection of the 3rd Round and 65th pick overall, 49ers general manager John Lynch made a splash by trading for disgruntled Washington Redskins left-tackle Trent Williams. The 31-year old Williams who did not play in 2019 after he and his agent demanded a trade following a series of trust issues with the team's medical staff that stemmed from a cancerous tumor that Williams had surgically removed in April of last year. After initially being told by team doctors back in 2013 that the diagnosis was nothing to worry about, Williams refused to play for the club that was unable to work a deal with another team. That was until this morning when John Lynch came calling.
A 7-time Pro Bowler who lands in San Francisco with one-year and $12.5 Million dollars remaining on his contract, Williams is quite familiar with Kyle Shanahan's offense as the current 49ers head coach was with Washington in 2010 as the team's offensive coordinator when the Redskins selected Williams out of Oklahoma with the 4th overall pick. Known for his outstanding footwork and athletic ability, Williams nearly landed with the Minnesota Vikings who were reportedly in deep talks with Washington before things fell through which ultimately allowed for San Francisco to come into the picture and nab him. Aside from his stellar and consistent play while protecting the quarterback, Williams is also most famous for an altercation that took place between him and a player he'll now share a locker room with. Williams was hit with an $8,000 fine after taking a swipe at former Seattle Seahawk and soon to be fellow teammate Richard Sherman following the Redskins' loss to Seattle in the 2012 NFC Wild Card game. The two took to Twitter and had a good laugh about the incident shortly after 49ers owner Jed York welcomed Williams to the team which prompted Sherman to ask for a rematch.
The acquisition of Williams which was already a major addition to the team, grew exponentially in significance just moments later as it was learned that long-time 49er and 6-time Pro Bowl left-tackle Joe Staley was retiring from the game of football at the age of 35 due to health concerns. A former first round pick of the 49ers in 2007, Staley played all 13 NFL seasons in San Francisco after they made him the 28th overall pick out of Central Michigan. Named to the NFL's 2010 All-Decade Team just a week earlier, Staley was a 3-time All-Pro with the Niners while playing 192 games that spanned over seven different head coaches. Following the disappoint loss in Super Bowl 54 in which the 49ers let a 10-point, fourth quarter lead slip through their hands, Staley was without question the one player who took the upsetting loss the hardest, at least in the public eye. It won't be long before Staley's No. 74 is retired by the team and hung up in the rafters of Levi's Stadium for all to see. Since 2011, Staley has been the highest-rated left-tackle in all of football with a grade of 93.8. But not far behind him was Trent Williams at No. 4 with a 92.5 grade. As saddened as the team and fans will be with Staley now on his way out, Williams will be plugged into that void immediately with fresh legs under him following the time off.
In the trade for Williams, the 49ers sent their 5th round pick (156th overall) and a 2021 3rd round pick to Washington. It would end up being the first of three trades executed by John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan as they also sent running back Matt Breida to the Miami Dolphins for a 5th round pick and managed to jettison the contract of Marquise Goodwin by shipping him and a 6th round pick (210) to Philadelphia for their 6th round pick (190). Both Breida and Goodwin were expected to be big contributors to the 49er offense in 2019, but injuries would limit both players on the field last season. While Breida was often hurt and had both Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman to split running back duties with, Goodwin was frequently sidelined for both personal reasons and injury problems. After a strong 2017 campaign in which he was on the doorstep of 1,000 yards receiving before falling just shy with 962, the former Olympic speedster was given a new expensive three-year deal that he continuously failed to live up to.
Rounding out their busy Day 3 of the Draft, the 49ers made 5th, 6th and 7th round selections with picks No. 153, 190 and 217 to select West Virginia offensive-tackle Colton McKivitz, Georgia tight-end Charlie Woerner and Tennessee wide-receiver Jauan Jennings, respectively. With McKivitz and Jennings brought in to provide depth and possibly compete for a starting job, Woerner who was the No. 1 rated run-blocking tight-end in the entire draft class, will likely find himself in a nice run-blocking role for Kyle Shanahan's offense, following the departures of tight-ends Garrett Celek and Levine Toilolo. Similar to San Francisco's 25th overall selection Brandon Aiyuk who Shanahan acquired for his YAC (yards after catch) ability, Jennings brings a similar skill-set, having averaged 14.7 YAC for the Vols in 2019, while also adding some physicality and strength as his 30 forced missed tackles were the most among all NCAA wide-receivers last season.
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Week 7 - Continuing their road trip with a visit to the nation's capital to face the (1-5) Washington Redskins, the (5-0) San Francisco 49ers would look to keep their unblemished record in tact in a match-up that had the makings of a blowout. However, with rain in the forecast caused from tropical storm Nestor which battered the east coast, mother nature would have other plans. Raining from start to finish, the gridiron of FedEx Field would resemble a marsh by games end. The elements would serve as a defense for and against both teams as neither offense was able to establish any rhythm.
Winning the coin-toss and electing to differ, the 49er defense would be tested early on. After having the ball ran down their throat and allowing their first rushing touchdown of the season a week ago on the Rams' opening-drive, it appeared that San Francisco would face a similar fate during Washington's first possession. Coming off his first 100-yard performance of the season, running back Adrian Peterson picked up right where he left off in this one as the 'Skins employed a heavy dose of the future Hall of Famer early on. Running the ball on their first 10-plays, including nine by Peterson, the 34-year old veteran would be nearly halfway to the century mark after Washington's first possession alone as he tallied 49-yards on the ground. Unfortunately for him, those hard earned yards would be wasted as a 39-yard field goal attempt by Dustin Hopkins went wide right. The combination of rain and wind wouldn't be any more kind to 49ers kicker Robbie Gould as he too would miss a field goal, but from 45-yards out as the ball soared wide left. Already the seventh missed field goal of the season for Gould, he has already tied a career-high in misses for a single season less than halfway through the year. From that point on, you knew it would be a struggle for both squads as points were going to be hard to come by.
Knowing another field goal attempt would not be in their favor, Washington would decide to go for it on a 4th and 1 at the San Francisco 28 yard-line. Even after proving last week that gambling against this 49er defensive-line was a bad idea as they forced four turnover on downs against Los Angeles, the Redskins decided to try their luck anyway and were left disappointed as they failed to pickup the needed yard. The nasty elements would claim the first half as both teams headed into the locker room scoreless. Thinking their luck on 4th down would be any different, Kyle Shanahan and the 49er offense was sadly mistaken on their first drive of the second half as Jimmy Garoppolo was picked off on a pass attempt to Dante Pettis on 4th and 5. Forcing a three and out thanks to a big sack by Arik Armstead, the 49er offense would finally put some points on the board as a big 40-yard play from Garoppolo to Richie James Jr. helped setup a 28-yard field goal that Robbie Gould would redeem himself with. Looking to answer and putting together a nice drive of their own, the 'Skins would make it to the San Francisco 29 yard-line before a pivotal play by the 49er defense stopped them in their tracks.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander would strip Peterson of the ball, allowing Jullian Taylor to scoop up his first career fumble recovery and turn it into a 10-yard gain. Turning the turnover into points, the 49ers would put another field goal on the board to increase their lead. Adding a third and final field goal to make it a 9-0 49er advantage, the game would be out of reach for Washington and with the clock winding down, rookie Nick Bosa would add a fitting end to the game as he collected a sack on the final play. Bosa and his 49er teammates would then turn the soggy field into their own personal slip 'n' slide as he celebrated his game-ending sack by sliding belly first before being joined by others who slid and made mud angels as the clock hit double-zero. Cornerback Richard Sherman said it best during his postgame interview, appropriately proclaiming his team, "Mud Bowl 2019 Champions" following their dominant victory in less than ideal conditions and with seven starters out of the lineup. With the win, their first shutout since 2016, the 49ers improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1990 and only the third time in franchise history. It would also mark the first time in franchise history that San Francisco had won a game by a final score of 9-0. Emphasizing after the game that he likes that his team can win the blowout games when needed as well as those when facing adversity and now the ugly ones in treacherous conditions, coach Shanahan praised his team for how they answered the call in the grind-it-out win against his former team.
And though the box score and final stat line wouldn't be anything to write home about for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as he completed 12 of 21 pass attempts for 151 yards and an interception, he made the big plays in the passing game when he needed to and still outshined his counterpart as Washington QB Case Keenum was held to only 77 yards on 9 of 12 passes. Not to mention no other QB in 49ers franchise history has more than 10 wins in their first 14 starts compared to Jimmy G who is now a career 12-2 at the helm in SF. Bosa, Armstead and Dee Ford each tallied a quarterback sack to make things hard on Keenum as the San Francisco defense has now allowed 7 or fewer points in three straight games, their longest streak since Weeks 14-16 of the 1987 season. They're also one of just three teams to hold their opponents to 20 or fewer points in each game this season. As for the ground game, with Matt Breida leaving with a concussion after only 35 yards on 8 carries, Tevin Coleman led the attack with 62 yards on 20 rush attempts. And Adrian Peterson who was 1-yard shy of 50 following Washington's first possession, rushed for only 32-yards the rest of the way and finished with a game-high 81 yards.
Week 8 Preview - The (6-0) 49ers will return home to Levi's Stadium in Week 8 where they'll host the (4-2) Carolina Panthers. Winners of four straight, the Panthers have shown new life after a rough 0-2 start and are not to be taken lightly as they're coming off of a BYE week. After losing former MVP quarterback Cam Newton to a Lisfranc injury in Week 2, Carolina was thought to be doomed in the NFC South, but has instead stayed afloat thanks to backup QB Kyle Allen who has filled in nicely in Newton's absence. It also helps when you've got a weapon as dangerous as running back Christian McCaffrey who has been an absolute scoring machine for the Panthers and will certainly be a nice test for the San Francisco defense. Trailing only the (6-1) New Orleans Saints for the top spot in the division, Carolina will look to keep their own hot streak alive while hoping to put an end to San Francisco's. With the rival (5-2) Seattle Seahawks falling at home to the Baltimore Ravens, the 49ers now own a 2-game cushion in the NFC Western Division standings.
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Week 6 - Entering their Week 6 meeting against the division rival (3-2) Los Angeles Rams at the L.A. Coliseum, the (4-0) San Francisco 49ers were given little chance on Sunday by pundits around the league who blamed San Francisco's hot start on an easy schedule through their first four weeks of play, and that Kyle Shanahan's team would finally be exposed against opposing head coach Sean McVay and the defending NFC Champion Rams. And while things looked rough at the start of the game for the Niners, there would be a turning of the tables as it was San Francisco who did the exposing in a visiting stadium that felt a lot more like a home atmosphere as the Coliseum was drenched in red and gold-clad fans that kept the, "let's go Niners" chant reverberating through the stadium virtually all afternoon long. With both teams facing off with winning records for the first time since December 9, 2001, each club would have their eyes set on a streak as the Niners looked to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1990, while the Rams were trying to avoid their first three-game losing skid of the McVay era which began in 2017.
Opening the game on offense, the Niners were forced to punt after a three and out ended with a sack from Pro Bowl defensive-tackle Aaron Donald who has single-handedly been a thorn in the side of the 49ers over the years. And with a makeshift offensive-line tasked to keep quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on his feet in the absence of two offensive-tackles in Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey, the Rams defense would be held to only two sacks on the afternoon, both by Donald. L.A.'s offense would be equally as impressive on their first possession as McVay dialed up a touchdown-scoring drive that needed only seven plays, all of which via the rush. With the early score marking the first rushing touchdown allowed by San Francisco's defense this season, it was almost as if McVay and the Rams were trying to prove a point and beat them at their own game considering it's been the Niners' ground attack that has ran up and down the field against the opposition, having averaged a league-leading 200 yards rushing per game this season. In fact, their 800 rushing yards in the first four games this season is the most by San Francisco through the first four weeks since 1959.
Looking to answer, Jimmy G and the Niners would do just that as running back Tevin Coleman stiff-armed a defender before finding the end zone for a touchdown. For the Niners, it would seem as though the early struggles on both sides of the football would serve as a wake up call as Kyle Shanahan's team made the adjustments and returned to form the rest of the way. And while both teams would shut out the other for the remainder of the first half following the early touchdowns, the Niners' scoring drought was more of their own doing as they began shooting themselves in the foot, whereas the Rams were just unable to find an answer for San Francisco's smothering defense. After marching down the field and reaching the red zone for the second consecutive drive, thanks to a big play made by tight-end George Kittle who broke several tackles before finally being brought down, the Niners decided to pass the ball from the 1-yard line which resulted in a head-scratching interception by Garoppolo, followed by a missed field goal two drives later. An impressive goal-line stand by the 49er defense that held the Rams offense out of the end zone on back to back plays from the 1-yard line, helped keep the game tied at 7 entering the half.
Beginning the second half on defense, the 49ers would capitalize on an early miscue by the Rams as rookie running back Darrell Henderson fumbled a pitch from Jared Goff on the very first play of the third quarter. It would be the beginning of a nightmarish third quarter for L.A.'s offense as they were held to -19 yards for the quarter and netted a combined 0 total yards over their next six drives after being stood up at the goal-line to end the first half. Taking over in the red zone, San Francisco would claim their first lead as Garoppolo plowed into the end zone via the QB sneak which he would follow with an emphatic spike of the ball. With a chance to pull even further ahead on their next possession, Garoppolo would overthrow a wide-open Tevin Coleman in the end zone as they were forced to settle for a field goal. Increasing their lead to 20-7 with Robbie Gould's second field goal of the afternoon one drive later, the 49er defense would withstand anything McVay's offense would throw at them, forcing three turnover on downs in the fourth quarter. After coming out swinging on offense with a touchdown on their opening drive, the Rams would be held scoreless on their final ten possessions and for the remainder of the game as Jared Goff was stymied and held without a touchdown for the first time this season in what would be the worst start of his career. Finishing with only 78 yards passing from Goff, the fewest for any Rams QB who played a full game since T.J. Rubley in Week 15 of the 1993 season, the 7-points scored were also the fewest scored by a McVay coached team.
Garoppolo again didn't stack the stat sheet, passing for 243 yards on 24 of 33 attempts, nor did he have to as the defense carried the load. Garoppolo's favorite target -- George Kittle, finished with a game-high 103 yards receiving on 8 receptions. And on the day the great Jerry Rice celebrated his 57th birthday, Kittle became the first 49er to haul in 50+ receiving yards in 10 straight games since the aforementioned Rice. After becoming the first team since the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs to start a season 4-0 after winning four or fewer games the year prior, the 49ers have already surpassed their win total from a season ago by improving to 5-0 following Sunday's win. Now 11-2 in his career at the helm of the 49ers, Jimmy G who owns the best winning percentage of any QB in that span with a minimum of 10 starts, will look to add to that record with a favorable match-up next.
Week 7 Preview - Continuing on the road, the 49ers will pay a visit to the nation's capital to face the (1-5) Washington Redskins. Coming off their first win of the season, a 17-16 road win against the lowly Miami Dolphins, the 'Skins will be underdogs in their own home. That's right, the (5-0) San Francisco 49ers will be double-digit favorites on the road for the first time since 2013 as some sports books even opened up with the Niners being 10-point favorites against a team that is a week removed from firing head coach Jay Gruden after starting the season 0-5. Led by interim head coach Bill Callahan, quarterback Chase Keenum and rookie receiver Terry McLaurin who has impressed in the early stage of the season, will look to pull off the upset and string together their first winning streak of 2019. As for the Niners, I'd expect to see the offense regain its mojo and continue their success on the ground after putting up only 99 yards in the win against the Rams compared to the 200 rushing yards per game they had averaged.
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Week 6 - Entering their Week 6 meeting with the (2-2) Washington Redskins who were coming off a BYE, the (0-5) San Francisco 49ers had been on the cusp of victory in four straight matches, including overtime losses in each of their last two games. Since a blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers to open the season, head coach Kyle Shanahan has witnessed his team fight hard week after week but has had little to show for as his team's last four losses have all come by three points or less. Hoping to avoid the first 0-6 start in 49ers franchise history since 1979, Shanahan would look to earn his first career win against a Redskins franchise he served four seasons with from 2010 to 2013 as the team's offensive coordinator. He and 49ers GM John Lynch would also get a much closer look at Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins who has been on San Francisco's radar as a possible long-term solution to their QB problem. But it wouldn't be long before both Shanahan and Lynch also got a look at their youngest quarterback that coincidentally has been compared to Cousins.
But after a rocky start that saw Washington score a touchdown on their opening possession before jumping out to a 17-0 lead in the first half, San Francisco appeared to be in store for a beat down and were in dire need of a jolt on offense. Following four unsuccessful possessions led by starting quarterback Brian Hoyer, coach Shanahan decided to kick the tires on rookie QB C.J. Beathard after the third round pick from Iowa turned a few heads during preseason. Making his debut with 6:39 remaining in the first half and his team down by 10, Beathard completed a 13-yard completion on his first pass attempt, but showed some jitters on his next three attempts as a trio of incompletions would bring on the punting unit. With another Redskins touchdown on the ensuing possession, Beathard would be forced to dig his team out of a 17-point hole despite only a handful of plays under his belt. And on his second possession, the 23 year old Tennessee native would look much more comfortable in the pocket as three of his next four passes would go for gains of 19, 31 and 12 yards, helping march the offense to the 1-yard line before running back Carlos Hyde put the Niners on the board with a touchdown run on 4th down in the final seconds of the first half.
By adding a field goal on their first possession of the second half, San Francisco would cut the deficit to 7 as kicker Robbie Gould improved his streak to 32 consecutive made field goals, the longest active streak in the league. Unfortunately, that streak would come to an end just one possession later as Gould missed from 47 yards out, failing to bring his team within a point. San Francisco would catch a break, however, as former 49ers tight-end Vernon Davis hauled in a 6 yard pass before being stripped of the ball by linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, thus allowing cornerback Jimmie Ward to pick up the ball and nearly take it to the house before being pushed out of bounds near the goal-line. Carlos Hyde would need only one play to do the rest as his second rushing touchdown of the day tied the game at 17 all. Looking to answer, Washington would get a Dustin Hopkins field goal on a 16-play drive that lasted nearly seven and a half minutes to regain the lead. 'Skins captain Kirk Cousins would add to that lead with his feet as he scampered into the end zone untouched from 7-yards out for a touchdown before a missed extra-point by Hopkins.
Taking over with under three and a half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the former Iowa Hawkeye would tally his first career passing touchdown on a 45-yard pass to receiver Aldrick Robinson who found an opening near the right sideline as the Niners pulled within two points. In need of a stop on defense, the 49ers would force a three and out to put the ball back in the hands of their rookie QB with under a minute to go. But standing in the way of his team's first win of the season and the first victory of his young career would be the franchise C.J.'s grandfather Bobby Beathard once served over a decade with and helped win two Super Bowl's as the Redskins' general manager from 1978 to 1989. Hoping to make his grandfather proud by beating his old employer, Beathard would soon find himself stuck between a rock and a hard place as any chances of a late comeback attempt would be thwarted by yet another questionable penalty on the offense in the wining minutes of the fourth quarter.
Facing 2nd and 10 with 23 seconds remaining, former Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon would be called for offensive pass-interference as he collided with a defender when trying to make a cut while running his route. The penalty would set the Niners back an additional ten yards, turning the tide and knocking them out of field goal range and erasing any shot at setting up a potential game-winning field goal. Staring down a crucial 4th and 20 play with 9 seconds to go and zero timeouts remaining, Beathard would be forced to go for the home run play as his pass intended for Kittle was intercepted by corner Kendall Fuller as Washington survived for the 26-24 victory, handing San Francisco their fifth consecutive loss by a combined 13 points. Close but no cigar would be the motto once again for rookie head coach Kyle Shanahan who witnessed his team become the first squad in NFL history to lose five straight games by three points or less. For Beathard, the close loss is definitely something the rookie can hang his hat on as he nearly helped pull off the comeback victory by throwing for 245 yards and a touchdown despite missing all but the final six minutes of the first half. He also gives the franchise a glimmer of hope at the QB position moving forward.
Week 7 Preview: With the (0-6) 49ers returning home to Levi's Stadium for the first time since a Thursday Night loss to the Rams on September 21, Beathard will take over the reigns of the QB position for the first time in front of the home fans. Looking to make that homecoming as unwelcoming as possible will be the (2-3) Dallas Cowboys as the two teams renew rivalries once again. Having lost two straight, Dak Prescott and company who are coming off a BYE week, will look to avoid losing a third straight game and hope to keep pace in the NFC East with both (3-2) Washington and first place (5-1) Philadelphia. Week 7 could also see the possible return of 49ers rookie linebacker Reuben Foster who's been nursing an ankle injury suffered in the season-opener versus Carolina. And with the recent trade of veteran Pro-Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman, the 49ers defense could use all the help it can get against Ezekiel Elliott, Dez Bryant and the rest of the Cowboys' play makers.
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The San Francisco 49ers have made a habit out of winning in ugly fashion this season including back to back victories on the road by single-digits, but their latest win might take the cake. With sights on a playoff spot despite their bumpy start, the 49ers can ill-afford another loss at home to a mediocre team. But a series of turnovers and continued offensive woes nearly spelled doom for Jim Harbaugh and company versus the 3-7 Washington Redskins who have had problems of their own on offense this season.
However, the game couldn't have begun any better for the 49ers who after forcing a three and out on Washington's opening-possession, scored an early touchdown on a 30-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick to Anquan Boldin. It would be the 18th consecutive game with at least one touchdown pass for the Niners QB, tying the franchise record held by Hall of Famer Steve Young. The Redskins would tie the game in the second quarter on a 1-yard run in by running back Alfred Morris who logged a big day with 125 yards rushing and a TD, his first 100-yard performance in 18 tries for Washington. But a spectacular grab near the sideline by 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree on a gutsy fourth down call just before the half, would set up a go-ahead field goal by kicker Phil Dawson to send his team into the locker room with a 10-7 lead.
The 49ers would fail to carry that momentum with them into the second half, though, as a pair of turnovers made the game much closer than it should have been. After logging his first fumble of the season last week in New York, Frank Gore fumbled for the second time in as many games on Sunday. With the game tied, Washington would capitalize on the miscue by putting up a field goal and taking a 13-10 lead with under 8 minutes remaining in regulation. Though it would take them 11 games, the Niner offense finally logged their first fourth-quarter touchdown of the season under Kaepernick and it couldn't have came at a better time as Carlos Hyde rumbled his way into the end zone from 4-yards out for the go-ahead score. The only other offensive TD in the fourth quarter by the 49ers this season came in the winding minutes of the blowout loss in Denver when backup QB Blaine Gabbert connected with rookie WR Bruce Ellington.
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III who threw for only 106 yards and was brought down five times on the afternoon, would be given one last chance to lead his team to victory, but he would be sacked and stripped of the ball by Justin Smith. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks who had been in the news lately after being accused of quitting on the team during San Francisco's most recent road trip, came up with the ball to seal the third straight win for the 49ers who overcame three turnovers in the ballgame. Aldon Smith also recorded his first pair of sacks on the season in his second game back as the 49er defense once again stepped up big when called upon. Colin Kaepernick logged 256 yards passing on the afternoon with more than half of them going to Anquan Boldin who had a monster day catching 9 of Kaep's 20 pass completions including his lone touchdown pass on the afternoon.
Week 13 Preview: Week 13 will feature a Thanksgiving showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the visiting Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of last year's NFC title game. With both teams at 7-4 in the NFC West and set to renew their rivalries, the winner of this one could very well determine who claims a Wild Card spot if both teams don't. And with San Francisco still having a trip to Seattle on their calendar, it might as well be a win or go home mentality for Jim Harbaugh's squad. Facing one another for the first time since last year's NFC Championship which many including myself consider to be the real Super Bowl, the hate these teams have for one another hasn't died down over time and in fact might get even more chippy given its the holiday with Black Friday right around the corner. As for Settle who's coming off a win at Home versus the division-leading Arizona Cardinals (9-2), a win for Pete Carroll's team against a bitter rival would do wonders for the club moving forward who hopes to keep their chances at winning back-to-back titles alive. If the Niners defense which has been stellar the last several weeks can contain Marshawn Lynch and force Russell Wilson to make plays, they can keep their playoff hopes alive. But it's their offense that is of the most concern to me as Seattle will take advantage of the poor play the 49ers have recently been putting out there.
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The San Francisco 49ers' performance versus the New York Giants on Sunday was by no means up to par with that of a playoff team, but it was the latest must-win game that ended positively for Jim Harbaugh's club. While the offense stunk it up, it was the defense that was forced to bail the team out of the jaws of defeat yet again. By looking at the stat sheet, one would assume that the 49ers ran away with the victory but had it not been for a late interception, they wouldn't have sneaked their way past the struggling Giants on the road.
Out of the gate Colin Kaepernick and the 49er offense put together what appeared to be a promising opening-drive, but running back Frank Gore would lose his first fumble of the season when his feet got tangled up with a teammates after the hand-off. Eli Manning and the Giants would take advantage of the early miscue by marching down the field and scoring their first opening-drive touchdown in 20 games. San Francisco would answer with a trio of first half field goals by Phil Dawson to take a 9-7 lead into the half. The story heading into the game defensively was all about the return of Aldon Smith who after serving a nine-game suspension, made his season-debut. But it would be the rookie linebacker Chris Borland who would steal the show for San Francisco's defense which forced Eli Manning to throw five interceptions, tying a career-high.
With the takeaway battle in their favor: 5 to 1 and a stranglehold in the time of possession department with nearly 35 minutes compared to New York's 25 minutes, the 49er offense was only able to muster 16-points across the board. San Francisco's lone big play on offense would come in the third quarter when Kaepernick connected up the middle on a slant route to Michael Crabtree who turned on the jets and broke away from a number of defenders before stiff-arming himself free and into the end zone for the 48-yard score. The Giants would answer with a field goal before recovering the ensuing onside-kick, but three interceptions and two turnover on downs the final quarter and a half would spell doom for any chance New York had at pulling off the comeback. The fifth and final interception by Manning would come on a crucial goal-line stand by the 49er defense.
With four chances to punch in the go-ahead touchdown from the 4-yard line, the San Francisco D held their ground and forced a tipped pass up into the air on fourth down as rookie Chris Borland who had recorded his first career interception in the second quarter, came down with his second pick of the ballgame to seal the victory, 16-10. With the victory, the 49ers won their second game in a row, both of which on the road to advance to 6-4 on the year. Meanwhile, the Giants fell to 3-7 while dropping their fifth straight as they free fall in the NFC Eastern Division. Colin Kaepernick logged a turnover-free performance by throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown on 15 of 29 pass attempts compared to Eli Manning's error-filled day in which he tossed 280 yards and a touchdown on 22 of 45 passes. Niners running back Frank Gore came just 5 yards shy of tallying his third 100 yard performance of the year but all in all had a productive game outside of the early fumble.
Week 12 Preview: Following their successful 2-game road trip, the 49ers get set to return home to Levi's Field where they'll host Robert Griffin III and the 3-7 Washington Redskins. After his stellar rookie season which saw him take home NFL Rookie of the Year honors, it's hard to believe it's been over a calender year since 'Skins QB RGIII was at the helm of a victory for Washington who is 1-8 in their last 9 games started by Griffin. And given his recent struggles coupled with three consecutive strong performances by the San Francisco defense, Week 12 might not be the best of match-ups for the former Heisman Trophy winner. But more importantly for the 49ers, the team needs a bounce back performance from the offense which was unable to take advantage of a mediocre Giants defense that ranks near the bottom in every major statistical category and other than an explosive first half in New Orleans two weeks ago, has looked rather flat since coming out of their BYE Week.
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Last Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles made the puzzling decision of releasing Pro-Bowl receiver DeSean Jackson despite the 27 year old wide-out coming off of a career year in Philly. In his first year in head coach Chip Kelly's system, Jackson flourished by putting up career high's in receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,332), while tying a personal best in touchdowns (9). While you would assume the numbers would guarantee him a position on the team the following season with three years remaining on his contract, Kelly and the Eagles decided to part with their most dynamic offensive weapon. Jackson was released by the organization for what the team described as a poor work ethic and his alleged ties to gang activity. While there's no proof linking Jackson as being a gang member, both of which wouldn't nearly be enough to keep teams from wanting to add Jackson to their roster as he garnered the interest of more than eight teams according to sources.
Among those interested were none other than the Washington Redskins, longtime rivals of the Philadelphia Eagles. Having been a thorn in side of the Redskins throughout his career while a member of Washington's division rival, Jackson has always been one of those players 'Skins owner Daniel Snyder would rather have than have to face twice a year. So it was a no-brainer to go out and make a run for him the moment he became available. After meeting with team officials during the week without reaching a deal, Jackson was spotted at a D.C. nightclub with Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon, cornerback DeAngelo Hall and Washington rapper Wale, hinting that a possible deal was in the works. Days later, Jackson's agent would stop him from boarding a plane to the west coast where he was scheduled to meet with the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers, both of whom were hoping to lore the speedy wide-out back to the Bay Area where he attended the University of California Berkeley. Instead, Jackson was informed that a deal with the Redskins had been reached, inking him to a 3-year deal worth $24 Million ($16 Million guaranteed).
The acquisition of Jackson who can hurt you receiving footballs as well as returning them, bolsters an already star-studded offense that features Pro Bowl running back Alfred Morris, emerging tight-end Jordan Reed and the aforementioned Garcon. Jackson's speed and play making ability figures to make an immediate impact for a franchise that was thought to compete for a playoff spot heading into the 2013 season. One year removed from a 10-6 record and their first NFC Eastern Division title since 1999, the Washington Redskins are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2013 in which they finished last in the division at 3-13. With the firing of head coach Mike Shanahan and the hiring of Jay Gruden, Snyder and company is hoping Jackson is another piece to the puzzle that'll put Washington back on top. Much of that will depend on the health of quarterback Robert Griffin III who clearly wasn't himself in 2013 after sustaining an injury the year before and undergoing surgery during the offseason. While appearing to be a shadow of his 2012 self physically, RGIII was no better mentally as he had the light shined on him every other day it seemed for his roller coaster relationship with coach Shanahan.
But with 2013 now in the rear view mirror and a fresh start in 2014, Griffin has to like the way things have been going thus far as Snyder and Washington GM Bruce Allen supplied their franchise quarterback with not one but two new targets to throw to in Jackson and receiver Andre Roberts formerly of the Arizona Cardinals. Despite the signings, Griffin knows not to get overly excited and has put a halt on any sort of victory parade Washington fans might already be planning as the 'Skins QB told the media, "Everyone needs to understand that we haven't won anything yet." Having garnered the reputation for winning the offseason championship on numerous occasions with sexy free-agent signings who have failed to deliver when putting on the burgundy and gold, Jackson will be given the chance to crack that spell. As the saying goes, one team's trash is another team's treasure. And granted he probably felt like he was being treated like a piece trash when being told over the phone by coach Kelly himself that he had in fact been released by the team, Jackson and Washington are hoping to make Philadelphia regret releasing their best receiver.
The most intriguing part about Jackson signing within the division is that it'll allow him to face his former team twice a year. But while most experts are deeming the addition of Jackson a disaster waiting to happen due to his unstable attitude and everything else he brings with him, I think Jackson wanting to prove everyone that's doubting him wrong, most notably his former team, will be provide plenty of fuel to spark his fire in Washington. And him knowing he'll have a two shots a year to get even with coach Kelly and the Eagles will do just that.
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Last year San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick and Washington's Robert Griffin III took the National Football League by storm. The duel-threat QB's helped their teams make it to the playoffs and even punch a ticket to the Super Bowl for Kaepernick's 49ers, while RGIII took home Rookie of the Year honors. But so far, 2013 hasn't exactly treated the pair of young, gifted quarterbacks as nicely. Aside from his Week 1 performance against Green Bay, Kaepernick has struggled mightily with a thin receive corps, whereas Griffin who's sophomore campaign has had its fair share of ups and downs, has clearly not been the same QB since undergoing surgery on his right knee. Struggles aside, one QB would have another win to hang to their total as they faced off against one another for the first time in their bright career.
During Kaepernick's struggles, it's been tailback Frank Gore and the running game that's been the catalyst to the 49ers offense and has provided for the team. Not in this one, however, as Gore was kept relatively quiet with just 31 yards on 13 carries. With the 49ers ranked last in the league in passing yards entering the week, Kaepernick would face one of his most favorable match-ups yet. Planning to exploit that and dig the Niners' mediocre aerial attack from out of the gutter, Kaepernick would log one of the finest outings of his career and easily his best since Week 1 by throwing for 235 yards and 3 touchdown while completing 15 of 24 pass attempts and amassing a career-best passer rating of 134.5. No duo has been more productive and has meant more to their teams' receive corps as Vernon Davis and Anquan Boldin. And with a bulk of Kaepernick's passes going in their direction, each managed to find the end zone like they've done so often this year. Davis caught four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown while Boldin hauled in five receptions for a game-high 94 yards and a pair of TD's.
But where Kaepernick and the 49er offense excelled, Griffin and the Redskins struggled. Completing 17 of 27 passes, RGIII threw for only 127 yards and was picked off for the 11th time this year, more than double the amount of interceptions he threw last season. Needing a win to keep a stranglehold on a playoff spot, the 49ers defense entered Monday night's game having allowed 12.5 points per game since week 4, the fewest in the league. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive-coordinator Vic Fangio would see that number decrease as Washington was kept out of the end zone the entire game and logged only 190 yards of total offense, their lowest total since a blowout loss to the Bills in 2011. To put Griffin's awful night into perspective, Washington was held to just 30 yards of offense in the second half as the second-year QB was under constant pressure by San Francisco's swarming defense which tallied four sacks on the night. It also marked the first time an RGIII led offense was held touchdown-less in his career, including his years in college with Baylor where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2011.
The Niners also got plenty of help on defense from defensive-end Aldon Smith who in his second start since taking nearly a two month hiatus while being treated at a rehab facility, looked like the Aldon Smith of old as he recorded his first sack since Week 3. Smith would finish the game with 2 sacks and made a number of hits on the Redskins quarterback as San Francisco won, 27-6. The win was the fifth straight for the 49ers on Monday Night Football and put an end to their two-game losing skid as they improved to 7-4 on the year and more importantly held on to their wild card spot in the NFC Playoff race. As for Washington, the Redskins have now lost 4 of their last 5 games and continue to fall behind in the NFC East as they dropped to 3-8 on the year. Griffin, who's asked the Redskins coaching staff not to show tape of his negative plays during team meetings, will likely see a plethora of negative plays from this one considering that's all there was on Monday by the Washington quarterback.
Week 13 - Owning the tie-breaker over the division-rival (7-4) Arizona Cardinals for the second NFC wild card spot, the 49ers will look to improve on their record on Sunday when they return home to host another division foe in the St. Louis Rams. Sitting at the bottom of the NFC West at 5-6, the Rams have been playing their best ball of the season as of late despite being without their starting quarterback -- Sam Bradford and are coming off back-to-back blowout wins against two pretty darn good teams in the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. Earlier this season when these two teams met in St. Louis, the 49ers pulled off a blowout 35-11 win in Week 4. But with the Rams eyeing the .500 mark and hoping to play the role of spoiler, don't expect anything to be given to Colin Kaepernick and company as they return to the Stick. Week 4 saw Frank Gore explode for his first big game of the season when he torched the Rams for 153 yards rushing to go along with a touchdown. With coach Harbaugh likely to get his running back back on track after sub par performances in each of his last two outings, we could be in store for a steady diet of Gore in this one. Week 13 will also see the return of wide-out Michael Crabtree. With Kaepernick's favorite target slated to return for the first time this year since tearing his Achilles during training camp in May, we just might see a TD reception by someone not named Boldin or Davis for the first time this season.
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