This game turned out quite differently than the most fans had predicted. There were some pros and cons but the 49ers shot themselves in the foot yet again and the penalties didn’t help them one bit with the loss against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.
What Happened To The Defense?
The team that racked up eight sacks against the Oakland Raiders could only get one sack against the New York Giants, whose offensive lines ranked 31st in the NFL when it comes to sacks allowed. The 49ers only blitzed once last night in the entire game and that was when they got their only sack. Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh is running out of excuses for this defense because it’s not exactly working. He also had Cassius Marsh on coverage with Saquon Barkley at one point in the game.
Rising Stars
Nick Mullens played a good game last night despite two interceptions. One of them you can blame him on with the late throw to Kendrick Bourne early in the 1st half. The second was Marquise Goodwin’s fault for popping the ball up in the air. If you know you’re not getting it, make sure the ball is going towards the ground and not in the air. Matt Breida ran for over 100 yards and had himself a touchdown. Breida has been exceptional this year and it’s only going to get more exciting when Jerick McKinnon comes back for the 1-2 punch. George Kittle is playing like he’s the best tight end in the game and that may very well be the case. Kittle has become Mullens favorite target in the past couple of weeks and will most likely still be the case for the remaining season.
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Fred Warner
This rookie is going to be something special one day. Warner had two pass break ups against Odell Beckham Jr. Yes, you read that right. Warner is now fifth in the NFL with the most tackles coming into the bye week. Warner had shown great coverage abilities and being a leader on defense last night despite this being his first year. Once Reuben Foster comes back fully healthy, 49er fans will be watching the reincarnation of Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman.
If the 49ers couldn’t hope to beat the Giants, they’ll have a more difficult time playing against the Buccaneers with Fitzpatrick under the helm. This season is lost and fans should only be excited for the experience the players are getting and the next year. Hopefully John Lynch and Shanahan stop trying to find “scheme fits” and pick up talented players via free agency and the draft because that’s what this team lacks. They need superstars if they ever hope to get to the playoffs.
– Zachary Grier is a writer for the San Francisco 49ers on Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @zgrier24 Follow @FPC_49ers and Facebook.
