The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their season with a 30-12 victory against the New York Giants, securing their third straight win with 30 points scored in each game. While the win and impressive numbers are a positive start for the team, they are not completely satisfied with their performance. Despite quarterback Brock Purdy throwing for 310 yards and two touchdowns, there were missed opportunities and mistakes that the team was able to overcome.
Purdy had a strong showing but had two near interceptions on the opening drive that were saved by his receivers. There were also some stalls in the red zone and a botched snap that could have resulted in a costly turnover. Purdy acknowledged the mistakes, saying, There were some looks that were there that I was off and inaccurate or some things just didn’t happen right within our scheme… Our standard, we want to be able to score touchdowns when we get in the red zone.
Although Purdy made some excellent throws, especially when beating the Giants’ blitz for two touchdowns, the team struggled at times against the pressure and had three red zone drives end in field goals instead of touchdowns. However, coach Kyle Shanahan viewed Purdy’s performance in a positive light, highlighting his ability to hang in there and play a great game despite a few mistakes.
One area where the 49ers excelled was their pass rush. Taking advantage of a banged-up Giants offensive line, the Niners generated 23 pressures on 34 drop backs, with Nick Bosa leading the way with six pressures and a sack. The interior of the line, including Javon Hargrave, Javon Kinlaw, and Arik Armstead, dominated New York throughout the game.
While there weren’t many things that went wrong for the Niners, they did have two special teams penalties early in the third quarter that allowed the Giants to score their only touchdown. Tre Swilling was called for a hold on a punt return, and Shemar Jean-Charles was called for fair catch interference on a punt, giving the Giants a favorable starting position.
On a positive note, rookie receiver Ronnie Bell stepped up in the absence of Brandon Aiyuk and delivered with a touchdown on his first career catch and another on a deflected pass. He also made a key tackle on punt coverage. However, left tackle Trent Williams exhibited some negative behavior when he punched the Giants’ A’Shawn Robinson during a scuffle at the end of the first half. While both players were called for personal fouls, Williams was fortunate to avoid more serious consequences.
In terms of injuries, Deebo Samuel hurt his ribs but did not suffer a break. He is considered day to day. Linebackers Dre Greenlaw and Demetrius Flannigan Fowles are also day to day with low ankle sprains.
One notable statistic from the game is that nearly two-thirds of the Niners’ passing yards came from runs after the catch, demonstrating the effectiveness of their receivers in gaining yards after receiving the ball.
Overall, the 49ers are pleased with their strong start to the season but are aware of the areas they need to improve upon. While they secured a convincing victory against the Giants, they aim to capitalize on their opportunities in the red zone and minimize mistakes moving forward. With their pass rush performing well and key players stepping up, the Niners are off to a promising start.
