SANTA CLARA – It’s turn into an annual ceremony of passage for the 49ers protection: an interception returned for a landing in a victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Talanoa Hufanga did Monday night time’s honors to seal a 24-9 win. When he returned his completely timed theft 52 yards with 6 ½ minutes to go, it invoked a way of déjà vu.
“Man, down that left sideline, simply each time,” linebacker Fred Warner acknowledged.
You see, Warner additionally had a pick-six down the left sideline towards the Rams in a 2019 dwelling win. In 2020, Javon Kinlaw took his interception again 27 yards down the suitable facet to cap a win in L.A, however, final yr, Jimmie Ward went left sideline on his personal 27-yard pick-six to spark a 31-10 dwelling win.
As for Hufanga’s, Warner continued: “Man, did we want that. In that collection, I had a sense that one was certain to occur. Who? In fact, Huf of all folks to get that. He deserves that. He’s been taking part in out of his thoughts.”
Added Nick Bosa: “We knew it could take a giant play like that, and no higher time for Huf to make that play. We attempt to reiterate that again and again, as a result of that’s the way you win video games.”
The 49ers (2-2) now have the identical document as all NFC West counterparts. Listed below are 10 issues that jumped out to me about this win, except for the pick-six development:
1. MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (OR SIX)
The 49ers deployed extra blitzes than ordinary and sacked Matthew Stafford seven instances, matching the Buffalo Payments’ whole within the NFL’s season-opening sport towards the defending champs.
“We at all times need that massive night time — six sacks,” Nick Bosa mentioned, proudly separating the defensive position’s whole. “We attempt to simply deal with effort and doing our job and executing our assignments. Nights like that simply include it.”
Bosa had an astounding 12 pressures on Stafford, plus two sacks that put him within the NFL lead with seven this season, giving credit score for his success to his teammates.
“When you have got loads of guys round you producing, it’s rather a lot simpler on you,” Bosa mentioned.
Samson Ebukam’s two sacks had a huge effect towards his former staff. Ebukam’s first helped stall the Rams’ opening drive that ended with a area objective, and his second resulted in a fumble within the closing minutes. Different sacks got here from Hassan Ridgeway, Charles Omenihu, and, because the secondary’s outlier, Lenoir.
What makes that strain further noteworthy is how the 49ers managed to cowl for accidents on the inside. Javon Kinlaw (knee) was a game-time scratch, and fellow defensive deal with Arik Armstead (foot) returned from a one-game absence earlier than leaving within the fourth quarter.
2. HUFANGA’S INTELLECT
Hufanga isn't taking part in “out of his thoughts,” to politely contradict Warner. Fairly, Hufanga’s mind is what helped set off that win-clinching pick-six.
Hufanga acknowledged a tweak to the Rams’ display: “You possibly can scent a rat on the subject of these issues,” he mentioned.
Nickel again Deommodore Lenoir heard the group roar and noticed Hufanga race untouched to the tip zone. “All-Professional Huf, I’m going to begin that now,” Lenoir mentioned of the second-year security.
“He’s simply actually good and an unimaginable blitzer,” Bosa mentioned of Hufanga. “He can do just about something on the sphere. He trains with Troy (Polamalu) within the offseason, so that may’t damage. His thoughts is his greatest asset.”
3. SAMUEL SCORES AGAIN
Samuel’s means to grab a Garoppolo ball out of skinny air – with simply sufficient altitude to clear a Rams cornerback – was one factor. Then it was Samuel’s flip to, as he likes to say, “get within the field” for a landing.
Serving to clear his path had been blocks by Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, however as for working previous Rams star defensive again Jalen Ramsey, Samuel famous: “I don’t know what he was doing on the market. I simply went proper by him.”
The consequence was a 3rd straight dwelling win over the Rams with a landing catch. He additionally had a landing run in final November’s dwelling victory, and a scoring seize within the NFC Championship Sport loss.
4. REVENGE FACTOR
Gamers can declare all they need about residing within the now, however having a Tremendous Bowl berth slip out of your grasp isn't one thing simply forgettable. Bosa reminded his teammates about that, presumably in his day-before-the-game deal with.
“Simply watching that movie, you're feeling the feelings. Bosa was really speaking about it the opposite day,” Garoppolo mentioned. “Watching the movie, it’s silent, you are taking your self again to that spot and put your self in that emotional state. It’s good for rivals.”
The 49ers blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead and fell 20-17 in that January 30 NFC Remaining.
“I simply watched it for the primary time this week and watched how our effort was at a distinct degree,” Bosa mentioned. “It’s onerous to recreate that playoff effort in a regular-season sport. Irrespective of how onerous you attempt, it appears the playoffs simply convey that out of you. With the trouble tonight towards this staff, we had been capable of convey that out.”
5. GAROPPOLO’S HEALTH
It shouldn’t be out of the unusual to see a quarterback keep free and throw on the sideline, however that is Garoppolo we’re speaking about, so seeing him try this in Monday’s second half raised eyebrows, apparently for no cause, even when he’s nonetheless recovering from March shoulder surgical procedure.
Mentioned Shanahan: “I’m certain he simply needed to throw. There’s nothing improper with him.” Garoppolo, certainly, mentioned he was simply making an attempt to remain free. However he acknowledged: “Each sport I’ll really feel higher and higher. The shoulder, it’s robust within the season to get it proper.”
He put his well being in peril with a 3-yard, third-and-2 conversion run up the center. Was there any trepidation about taking a path just like one by which Trey Lance broke his proper ankle two weeks earlier to finish his season and switch the job again over to Garoppolo? “You’ve received to be good. … It’s a part of soccer,” Garoppolo replied. “Everybody goes by way of that, the accidents. You by no means wish to see it occur. It's a must to be good if you get within the open area. It’s not my robust go well with, I might say, so I attempt to get down shortly.”
Garoppolo didn’t get emotionally down about final week’s sideshows, from smiling at an ex-teammate after the loss to getting caught on tv apparently badmouthing Shanahan’s calls. “I get a kick out of it. It’s type of humorous. You’re at all times going to get criticized. It’s simply the place you’re in as a quarterback and knowledgeable athlete. You’ve simply received to roll with the punches. You’re not right here for lengthy so you need to make it depend when you possibly can.”
6. RED ZONE DEFENSE
The Rams not solely failed to attain a landing, they whiffed on three journeys contained in the 49ers’ 20-yard line, thus settling for 3 area objectives (towards the 49ers’ three touchdowns and one area objective).
“We simply knew what we needed to do after we received within the purple zone,” Hufanga mentioned. “That’s the place we needed to wash up areas. We don’t wish to hand over factors. Three factors is cool, but when can maintain them to zero …”
Of their losses, the 49ers allowed the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos to go 3-for-3 on landing conversions within the purple zone. This sport, they took delight in conserving Cooper Kupp, final yr’s landing chief, from tying this yr’s league leaders with 4 touchdowns.
Kupp had 14 catches for 122 yards, however as Warner mentioned: “Holding him out of the tip zone was big-time for us after they received down within the purple.”
7. LENOIR’S REVIVAL
Lenoir served because the nickel again for a second straight sport after supplanting rookie Sam Womack. It’s a simply reward not just for an excellent camp however his renewed confidence. Lenoir began the primary two video games as a rookie final season, then struggled because the nickel again within the dwelling opener towards Inexperienced Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, which he now refers to as a “studying lesson.”
“I’m extra assured in myself this yr,” mentioned Lenoir, who then mentioned of his occasional matchup Monday with Kupp: “With the ability to compete towards him, I felt I’d be capable to redeem myself.”
8. WILSON’S BIG RUN
Jeff Wilson Jr.’s 32-yard landing run put the 49ers forward 7-3, and they might not relinquish the lead. That cost up the center was paying homage to a 37-yard run the earlier sport to assist arrange the 49ers’ lone landing in an 11-10 loss at Denver.
Like final sport, the 49ers leaned closely on Wilson as their workhorse. He had 18 of their 22 carries; Samuel had two (2 yards), Garoppolo had his 3-yard run, and Kyle Juszczyk ripped off a 9-yard gem.
His 74 yards pushed his season whole to 255 (4.5 yards per carry common). Final season, he totaled 294 yards, after lacking the primary eight video games due to meniscus surgical procedure from a fluke damage within the spring.
Caught on the bench: Jordan Mason, Marlon Mack and Tevin Coleman, the latter of whom received known as up from the observe squad Monday.
9. LATEST O-LINE WOES
The 49ers’ offensive line figured to be a piece in progress this yr, however, man, it's turning into a revolving door. Colton McKivitiz left within the second half with a knee sprain, believed to be a medial collateral ligament situation – an damage has already put working again Elijah Mitchell and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair on injured reserve.
Jaylon Moore changed McKivitz and must fill in till Trent Williams returns from his Sept. 25 excessive ankle sprain. In the meantime, the 49ers inserted Daniel Brunskill for Spencer Burford at proper guard within the second quarter for his season debut. Left guard Aaron Banks, middle Jake Brendel and proper deal with Mike McGlinchey did their half, too. In truth, the 49ers didn't enable a sack and Garoppolo received hit simply as soon as, by Aaron Donald, who had 5 tackles.
10. HEADING EAST
The 49ers’ annual prolonged journey to the East Coast comes subsequent. They’ll fly Friday to Charlotte to tackle the Panthers (1-3) and Bosa’s favourite quarterback to bully, Baker Mayfield. Then comes a 3rd annual layover at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. The journey caps with the 49ers’ go to to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face a sneaky squad within the Atlanta Falcons (2-2).
Bosa mentioned Monday’s win offers the 49ers “loads of momentum. We actually needed this one, happening a visit for a pair weeks. It might have been more durable to begin that journey and keep in West Virginia for every week if we weren’t 2-2.”