The 49ers’ protection was dominant once more in a 13-0 win Sunday over the Saints at Levi’s Stadium, working San Francisco’s win streak — and its second-half shutout streak — to 4 video games.
The Niners had been in management for your entire recreation: They scored first with a Robbie Gould area objective halfway by way of the primary quarter after Fred Warner pressured a fumble that Samson Ebukam recovered on the Saints’ first drive.
Simply earlier than halftime, the 49ers prolonged their lead as Jauan Jennings made a landing catch at the back of the top zone on a tipped play. He had two third-down conversions and 42 receiving yards on the scoring drive.
Then Gould kicked one other area objective to open the second half, and that was it for the scoring.
The 49ers’ protection bent however didn't break, because the Saints received into scoring place on all three second-half drives, however missed a area objective, fumbled close to the objective line and turned the ball over on downs in a goal-to-go scenario.
One cause for concern, although, is a knee damage that knocked Elijah Mitchell out of the sport. Coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned postgame that it was a left MCL damage believed to be much less extreme than the one to his proper knee that saved him out two weeks earlier this season. Fellow working again Christian McCaffrey additionally handled some “knee irritation”, in response to Shanahan, however remained within the recreation.
Kyle Shanahan
On Spencer Burford’s ankle sprain that knocked him out of the sport:
They mentioned it’s a lateral one, which is a lot better than a excessive one. Nevertheless it was too unhealthy to return in.
On the protection:
They had been unbelievable immediately. I assumed they'd an opportunity to do effectively however they even surpassed that. Dalton made a pair huge throws, two of these posts, the one which they received, getting inside I consider the 5 twice and our D arising with no factors on that, them having to go for it. They had been nice, getting the 2 turnovers. Large-time day by them.
On the offense:
It was a grind, man. I give quite a lot of credit score to their protection. We had an concept coming in that it may very well be like that however I additionally assume we didn’t play our greatest, both. While you go in opposition to a protection like that, we thought it’d be powerful however we consider we should always have scored on these red-zone makes an attempt that we had.
A pair missed alternatives, a pair errors, couple too many penalties, it appeared like. However when you noticed within the fourth quarter, as soon as they got here away with no factors and among the accidents our guys had. It was nice that our guys simply saved coming again out, grinded out and we had been in a position to end with the ball in our arms.
On Jennings’ key performs:
Jauan’s clutch for us and saved us out on the sector a pair occasions and received us these factors.
On Bosa’s fourth-down sack:
Normally it’s a matter of time. That was a good time to do it. I assumed he was getting shut. He’s at all times having to battle that each play, with the chips and people guys doing no matter they'll to dam him however he was transferring all day and that was a big-time play to get that sack when he did.
On Garoppolo getting banged up:
I do know he’s sorer than common, so we’ll verify him up in right here and see how he's tomorrow. He had a extremely gutty efficiency. I do know he received hit a bunch on this recreation. I didn’t see the hit on (his knee), wanting down the sector. However once I seemed again, he was on the bottom. You could possibly inform it was fairly bodily simply by his response.
I assumed there was a pair extra on him within the recreation that I heard. However no, Jimmy had an actual powerful recreation.
On anticipating a troublesome recreation in opposition to the Saints’ protection:
They’ve at all times been like that, too, simply going in opposition to Dennis’ groups and Dennis’ defenses.
On the quick passing recreation:
They had been popping out fairly stout in opposition to the run and we thought we needed to soften them up slightly bit. They performed quite a lot of zone, so we had quite a lot of checkdowns with that, received a pair huge performs.
On coming again on a brief week:
We needed to take it slightly simpler on the blokes this week with the total velocity reps, so we didn’t do something full-speed til Friday, however our Friday follow was the quickest, most aggressive follow I’ve seen on us this 12 months.
On Jordan Mason’s efficiency late, provided that Mitchell is anticipated to overlook a while:
I believe you guys noticed how hard-nosed he's and the way he ran it and was in a position to preserve us on the market on the sector and never give it again and put the D on the market once more.
Fred Warner
On the quick week and prep:
Kyle did an incredible job all week, form of dealing with how he went about training and getting us recovered, doing a little walkthrough practices. We’re totally able to doing that and nonetheless being intentional, nonetheless going on the market, getting nice work in. We’ve received quite a lot of professionals and management on this staff to have the ability to go on the market and never lollygag.
On attacking the ball, forcing a Kamara fumble:
I particularly knew he had given up two this 12 months, so as soon as that’s within the working again’s thoughts, you realize that they’re form of desirous about it slightly bit. I believe each week we’re nonetheless making an attempt to assault the ball it doesn't matter what.
On the shutout:
“This was actually particular due to the best way we needed to get it. It wasn’t like they had been behind the 50-yard line all day. They had been sniffing the objective line a number of occasions. Time slows down in these moments, you look in teammates’ eyes and say ‘We have to pull this off.’
On DeMeco Ryans:
Each week, the gameplan that he and the opposite coaches, the gameplan they put collectively is on level. They make it simple for us. We simply received to exit and execute each week.
Dre Greenlaw
On the shutout mindset:
The offense went down on the primary drive and scored three factors. We checked out one another and mentioned ‘Hey man, now it’s on us,’ you realize what I imply? They ain’t gotta rating no extra factors. As a protection, if you see the offense go on the market and rating factors on the primary drive, that’s instantly what we consider is ‘OK, they don’t rating no extra factors.’
On the fumble he recovered close to the objective line after he began the gang sort out on Alvin Kamara:
(Kamara) was preventing onerous, making an attempt to get ultimately zone. I used to be pondering I may need to simply suplex him or one thing. He was simply preventing. My teammates, man, they only gave loopy effort, man, simply got here in I believe it was Huf who truly made the sort out, however simply got here in and knocked the ball out. So I seemed within the air and I noticed the ball like 30 ft within the air and I’m identical to oh snap … It’s like Christmas proper there. It was excellent there, so I needed to seize it.
Jauan Jennings
On the drive within the second quarter:
The entire complete drive, I used to be simply locked in, centered on the performs. When alternative comes my means, I simply need to make ’em.
On whether or not he likes the time period ‘third-and-Jennings’:
I just like the time period third-and-Jauan, I like that one. However I do, I do.
On Harris’ late hit:
I believe he was slightly irritated from the start of that play, truly. We ain’t gonna discuss it although. I’m fairly certain he is aware of … I’m a bodily man, bodily receiver. So I wish to impose my will on the defensive backs and I believe it received to him on that specific play.
On his landing:
I knew Jimmy was going to return to me, and once I seemed again, the ball was within the air and I used to be so excited. You understand, I’m simply pondering he’s simply gonna drop it in and it received tipped and it was simply of a load of occasions and finally it was a landing. I used to be completely satisfied.
Jimmy Garoppolo
On the hit to his knee by Malcolm Roach:
It's soccer, however you’ve received to be good as gamers, look out for each other. There’s no place for that. However I’m alright, slightly sore, however nothing unhealthy.
On whether or not he had phrases for Roach:
Not likely. He sprinted off the sector. He didn’t actually say something. He knew what it was. As gamers, we have now to be good for each other.
On whether or not he was going to return out:
No, I used to be staying within the recreation. I knew what kind of recreation it was. That’s what it was all day. That wasn’t the one hit that was questionable. All through the entire recreation, it was like that. That’s soccer.
On Shanahan trusting him to go when it’s powerful to run:
Particularly if you received playmakers like we received, it’s very attractive to throw the ball.
On trusting Jennings on third down:
I see it each day in follow. I’ve seen it each day for a number of years now, even when you could have a man like that who does it each day in follow, is dependable, needs the ball. You'll be able to see the competitiveness … As a quarterback you like having a man like that.
Extra on Jennings:
It’s powerful to play man-to-man in opposition to Jauan. He’s huge, he’s fast, he’s bodily when he will get the ball in his arms. He’s onerous to deliver down.
On Aiyuk’s maturation:
He’s dedicated to this factor. The boldness is coming and he’s letting you realize about it.
On the protection:
We’ve received a hell of a protection, man. I like enjoying with these guys. They’re some canines on the market.
On the nullified interception:
Ray had a shallow. Dude knocked him off his route. I didn’t see it on the time, so I’m making an attempt to speak to Ray Ray about it very calmly and yeah, then I noticed the flag so I form of knew what was up… Confirmed off the wheels a bit there, caught that DB.
Nick Bosa
On his sack:
It was nice. I didn’t assume it counted. As soon as I spotted it did, I used to be completely satisfied. I assumed I jumped, however I checked out it and I believe it was only a good soar … I believe the sort out received off at principally the identical time.
On timing up his soar:
All recreation I used to be making an attempt to get a really feel for the pinnacle bob. Our followers are superior, so it makes it powerful at dwelling for (opponents), go silent cadence with the headbob.
On whether or not this protection is pretty much as good because the 2019 model:
We’re on our means, for certain. We made it far that 12 months, and each single 12 months we need to get higher. We now have the blokes to do it, positively. Everybody who’s nonetheless right here has gotten rather a lot higher since that 12 months.
On the protection’s goal-line stops:
I believe all people was fairly even-keeled immediately. Typically the second will get huge and guys make a mistake or attempt to press slightly an excessive amount of however I appreciated how the protection simply saved taking it one play at a time and all people was making performs. So it was a extremely good group effort.
On his changes:
Simply transferring round and making an attempt to get rushes off of chips (blocks). Even once they’re not chipping, they’re standing in means and releasing. I proceed to look at tape of how guys cope with that. All the highest guys: Myles Garrett, (Maxx) Crosby, (T.J.) Watt. Everyone will get it, so it’s not very totally different. Hopefuly we get Arik (Armstead) again quickly. I like the best way all people is enjoying. Everyone took benefit of their alternative immediately – Samson (Ebukam), Jordan (Willis).
On holding Kamara to 13 yards:
That’s the kind of recreation we anticipated, is them making an attempt to get the run recreation going after which do it with Taysom Hill, as effectively. And everytime you do this, it’s going to be a extremely good likelihood of constructing a staff one-dimensional in opposition to us and it’s powerful for them.
On the pressured fumble close to the objective line:
I didn’t even know what happening that play, it was so loopy. I must preserve working to the ball. I hesitated. I ran and stopped, then ran and stopped. You simply have to guard each blade of grass, and we did.
