SANTA CLARA — Nick Bosa received a hero’s welcome as he arrived on the 49ers’ sideline within the ultimate minutes of Sunday’s eventual win over the New Orleans Saints. Their first shutout in three years was intact, courtesy of his fourth-and-goal sack.
Minutes earlier, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga had been the 49ers’ defensive heroes, with Greenlaw recovering a fumble on the 1-yard line after a Hufanga hit popped the soccer into the ambiance close to the purpose line.
Sunday’s 13-0 overcome the Saints marked the 49ers’ fourth straight victory, and the fourth straight recreation through which they didn't enable some extent after halftime.
Whereas it was the 49ers’ (7-4) first shutout since Oct. 20, 2019 at Washington (9-0), that they had not completed so at Levi’s Stadium because the 2016 opener in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, in Chip Kelly’s debut as a one-season-and-done coach.
Now they sit alone atop the NFC West standings after the Seattle Seahawks fell to 6-5 with an time beyond regulation loss to the Raiders.
“This was actually particular due to the way in which we needed to get it,” linebacker Fred Warner stated. “It wasn’t like they had been behind the 50-yard line all day. They had been sniffing the purpose line a number of instances. Time slows down in these moments, you look in teammates’ eyes and say ‘We have to pull this off.'”
The Saints (4-8) certain had their possibilities to attain, particularly within the fourth quarter.
A holding penalty on Deommodore Lenoir arrange the Saints with first-and-goal from the 4, however the 49ers compelled three incompletions by Andy Dalton earlier than Bosa recorded sack No. 11 1/2 for him this season. It was the 49ers’ solely sack of the sport.
“Often it’s a matter of time. It was a good time to do it,” coach Kyle Shanahan stated of Bosa’s sack. “He was getting shut (all recreation). He has to battle each play, with the chips. That was a big-time play by him to get the sack when he did.”
Stated Bosa: “I didn’t suppose it counted. As soon as I noticed it did, I used to be fairly comfortable. I believed I jumped (offside). Once I checked out it, it was only a good bounce. Me and the deal with received off at principally the identical time.”
An much more outstanding cease got here on the Saints’ previous drive on the cusp of the purpose line. Greenlaw grabbed maintain of Alvin Kamara as he made a reception to the 2-yard line, the place Hufanga threw his shoulder into the fray, dislodging the ball that bounced off a couple of palms earlier than it settled in Greenlaw’s on the 1-yard line.
“(Kamara) was preventing onerous, attempting to get in the long run zone. I used to be considering I may need to simply suplex him or one thing,” Greenlaw stated. “He was simply preventing. My teammates, simply loopy effort, and I feel it was Huf that popped the ball out. I noticed the ball 30 ft within the air and was like, ‘Oh snap.’ … It’s like Christmas proper there. It was good there, so I needed to seize it.”
Ruining the Saints’ earlier alternatives to attain had been: a 48-yard area purpose try that sailed broad within the third quarter; a Shanahan problem that nullified a Saints catch on the 49ers’ 8-yard line; and an unlawful contact penalty that negated a Saints interception and an ensuing return deep into 49ers territory.
“You simply have to guard each blade of grass, and we did,” Bosa stated.
After posting second-half shutouts of their previous three wins, the 49ers as an alternative began by blanking the Saints within the first half — and did it once more within the second half. New Orleans’ offense produced 260 yards, went 4-of-11 on third downs, and, after all, 0-for-2 on red-zone drives.
This opened a three-game homestand for the 49ers, with their subsequent visitors being the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Sunday matinees.
An harm to Elijah Mitchell (knee) was the most important harm concern, as he was dominated out within the third quarter. Left guard Spencer Burford (proper ankle) additionally left within the third quarter. Deebo Samuel apparently shook off a left leg difficulty that required medical consideration simply earlier than halftime, and Jimmy Garoppolo dodged a catastrophic harm when Saints lineman Malcolm Roach illegally hit Garoppolo’s surgically repaired left knee after a throw.
“It's soccer, however you’ve received to be sensible as gamers, look out for each other. There’s no place for that,” Garoppolo stated. “However I’m alright, somewhat sore, however nothing unhealthy.”
Although rookie backup Brock Purdy warmed up after the hit, Garoppolo stated he was certain he would keep within the recreation regardless of that hit and others by Saints defenders that he known as questionable.
“He took some hits at the moment. I do know he’s sorer than ordinary,” Shanahan stated. “We’ll test him up. He had a really gutty efficiency. … Jimmy had an actual powerful recreation. He seemed banged up and was gradual to rise up. He was in a position to keep on the market and regain his composure.”
The 49ers took a 10-0 lead into halftime, courtesy principally of their protection but additionally a powerful landing drive that Jauan Jennings not solely fueled however capped. Jennings made clutch receptions of 13 yards (on third-and-10), 12 yards (on the subsequent snap), 12 yards (plus six yards extra on Chris Harris Jr.’s late hit penalty), and, lastly, a 5-yard scoring seize whereas falling to the bottom within the again left nook of the top zone, after security Tyrann Mathieu tipped the ball.
Garoppolo was 6-of-8 on that drive, and he was 20-of-28 within the first half, essentially the most passes thrown earlier than halftime in his profession and the third-most by a 49er since 1991, one move shy of Steve Younger (1995, vs. Falcons) and Alex Smith (2009, vs. Jaguars). Garoppolo completed 26-of-37 for 222 yards with no turnovers for the fourth straight recreation.
Garoppolo has not thrown an interception in his previous 137 passes. What would have been Throw No. 131, nevertheless, ended up within the palms of Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor, who returned that would-be interception to the 8-yard line. Alas, an unlawful contact penalty on one other Saints defensive again nullified that interception, protecting Garoppolo’s streak alive.
Deebo Samuel, who entered the sport questionable due to a hamstring harm, appeared to tweak his left knee or leg in the long run zone 4 minutes earlier than halftime. He didn’t depart the sport, nevertheless, and made a 16-yard catch-and-run on the second snap of the second half.
The 49ers’ protection opened this recreation by recovering solely its second fumble of the season. Fred Warner compelled it out of Alvin Kamara’s palms on the sport’s opening drive, and Samson Ebukam recovered, gifting the 49ers possession on the Saints’ 43.
Robbie Gould’s 24-yard area purpose on the following drive gave the 49ers a 3-0 lead after a fourth-down conversion run by Christian McCaffrey that arrange first-and-goal from the 9.
One other first-half spotlight: successful a problem, which dominated Chris Olave didn't make a 30-yard catch on the 8-yard line.
The primary-half lowlight: failing to attain on fourth-and-goal from the 1, with Garoppolo stopped on the 2 on a quarterback scramble.
Dalton completed 18-of-29 for 204 yards, and he was the Saints’ main rusher with 21 yards (4 carries). Kamara had simply 13 yards on seven carries and 37 yards on six receptions.
“It says mission completed,” Bosa stated of Kamara’s speeding manufacturing. “That’s the kind of recreation we anticipated, them attempting to get the run recreation going, and doing it with Taysom Hill, as properly. Everytime you try this, it’s a superb probability of constructing a staff one-dimensional in opposition to us, and it’s powerful for them.”