49ers 31, Falcons 13: Grades
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SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers needed to blow out Atlanta to prove they're a team worth taking seriously, and they did. They blew out a terrible team. And now the 49ers are 8-6 with a road game in four days against a Titans team that lost today. So the 49ers are peaking at the right time.
Here are their grades for their latest win.
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: A-MINUS.
The offense rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns, which means Garoppolo played well. Funny how one thing leads to the other. Garoppolo was in full-game manager mode, and played this role to perfection. He didn't turn the ball over, and he completed 78 percent of his throws. He even threw a touchdown pass. Garoppolo is an elite game manager when his run game and defense carry the team, as they did today. Unfortunately for the 49ers, his trade value probably didn't increase with this performance, and he still probably isn't good enough to win a Super Bowl, which is why the 49ers traded for Trey Lance. But hey, at least Garoppolo beat the Falcons. The 49ers had a prime opportunity to play Lance in the fourth quarter, as they led by 18 points, but decided not to play him. More on this decision below.
RUNNING BACKS: A.
No Elijah Mitchell? No problem, because Jeff Wilson Jr. is even better than him. Wilson rushed 21 times for 110 yards and a touchdown, and made it all look so easy. He should continue to start the rest of the season -- he and Mitchell can split carries. But the 49ers can't forget about Kyle Juszczyk. He touched the ball twice in this game and scored one touchdown. He's a touchdown waiting to happen in the red zone.
WIDE RECEIVERS: B-PLUS.
Samuel gained 99 yards from scrimmage and ran for a touchdown. It was his eighth touchdown of the past five games. He is without question the MVP of the 49ers offense, if not their entire team. Brandon Aiyuk had just one catch, but gained 36 yards. And Jauan Jenning scored a touchdown, but dropped three passes.
TIGHT ENDS: A.
George Kittle gained 93 receiving yards and blocked like an animal all game. He's good.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: A.
They gave up zero sacks, which is a huge reason Garoppolo played so well. He tends to play well when he has clean pockets. And the 49ers gave those to him all game. The offensive line also ground the Falcons defensive line into hamburger meat.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: A.
They swarmed the opposing quarterback for the second game in a row. Matt Ryan looked utterly unathletic as he spun in circles trying to avoid the 49ers pass rushers, plural. It wasn't just Nick Bosa who provided pressure. Samson Ebukam and Arden Key each recorded a sack. Key nearly recorded two sacks, but landed hard on Ryan, which drew a 15-yard penalty. Learning moment for Key, who has quickly become the 49ers' second-best pass rusher.
LINEBACKERS: A.
Azeez Al-Shaair didn't play, and no one noticed. Fred Warner played like vintage Fred Warner, and Al-Shaair's replacement, Marcell Harris, played well, too.
SAFETIES: A.
Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt both were outstanding. Each made tackles at the goal line and saved points. Talanoa Hufanga left the game early with a knee injury, though. No word yet on the severity.
CORNERBACKS: F.
Almost every time the Falcons targeted Ambry Thomas, something bad happened for the 49ers. On one play, he gave up a touchdown catch and got flagged for holding at the same time, which is hard to do. And late in the game, he gave up a 49-yard catch to a tight end who ran right by him. Thomas is terrible. Fortunately for the 49ers, Emmanuel Moseley should return for the playoffs and replace him. Unfortuntantely for the 49ers, Josh Norman also isn't good -- he gave a long catch today to a wide receiver I've never head of. Norman is a liability who flies under the radar because Thomas gets so much attention.
SPECIAL TEAMS: F-MINUS.
JaMycal Hasty fumbled the the first two kickoffs of the game. The Falcons recovered the first one, and the second one rolled out of bounds. No idea why the 49ers let him return any more. He should be banned from returning kickoffs. And Hasty was just the beginning. The 49ers' kickoff and punt coverage units were abysmal. And their punter, Mitch Wishnowsky, was even worse. He kicked a 39-yard punt, which was pathetic, and struggled to kick the kickoffs into the end zone. This week, the 49ers said Wishnowsky is so talented, he can punt leftfooted. Maybe he should have used his left foot today, because his right one didn't work so good. The 49ers special teams are so bad, they could cost the team a playoff game. The 49ers need to replace special teams coach Richard Hightower this offseason and hire someone who's good.
COACHES: B.
They won the game, which is great. And defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans had his players ready from the opening kickoff, as the defense opened the game with a dramatic goal line stand after a fumble on special teams. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had a good offensive game plan, and the 49ers essentially put the game away in the third quarter. Then, things got weird. Despite leading by 18 points the entire fourth quarter, and despite having to play another game in just four days, Shanahan kept his starters in. This would have been a great opportunity to rest them before an important game on the road. It also would have been a good time to protect the starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. Heaven forbid someone rolled up on him and injured him in the fourth quarter of a blow out. It also would have been a great opportunity to get Trey Lance's feet wet. Afterall, Shanahan called 11 runs and just four passes in the fourth quarter, and Garoppolo completed only two of them. You're telling me Lance couldn't have done just as well or better? Perhaps he could have even extended a couple of those three-and-out drives with his legs. But we'll never know, because the 49ers refuse to play Lance, probably just to spite me.
In that case, let me try reverse psychology.
Dear, Kyle Shanahan. Please do not play Lance the rest of the season, no matter how big your fourth-quarter lead might be.
Sincerely,
Quality control.
