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Three Things We Learned From 49ers 48-46 Win Against the Saints

This s a win that has revealed to us a lot about the San Francisco 49ers. Here are three things we learned from the 49ers 48-46 win against the Saints.

Keeping the San Francisco 49ers down for longer than a week seems almost impossible to do as the New Orleans Saints found out yesterday in week 14.

The 49ers got back to their winning ways after a shootout win against the Saints at the SuperDome. This is a game that is being touted as the game of the year and rightfully so. The stakes were high due to playoff seeding and the atmosphere replicated that of a playoff game. If these two teams were to meet in the playoffs no one would oppose it.

For the 49ers, they found themselves down 20-7 in the second quarter, but as they continue to demonstrate time and time again that adversity is no big deal to them. This s a win that has revealed to us a lot about the San Francisco 49ers. With that said: Here are three things we learned from the 49ers 48-46 win against the Saints.

Jimmy Garoppolo can lead the team in the playoffs

All season long, the main criticism of the 49ers has been with Jimmy Garoppolo. Being that this is the longest he has ever played in a season - there has been doubt about his ability to lead this football team. Well Garoppolo has constantly proven he is capable of it. Not only has he proven that he can shoulder the burden of the offense, but that he can lead the 49ers in the playoffs.

The matchup with the Saints in the SuperDome was practically a playoff game. The atmosphere was loud and boisterous that it replicated the environment of the playoffs. Every drive was a critical one that needed to be perfect. Garoppolo delivered every single time, but no moment was greater than the game-winning drive that allowed Robbie Gould to clinch the win.

If Garoppolo was not capable of handling a high-pressured moments, he would not have delivered that game-winning drive. He also wouldn't have sliced-and-diced the Saints' defense all game. This was a game that needed to be an elite performance out of the offense, especially for Garoppolo with the 49ers' defense getting abused. The criticism of Garoppolo not only needs to end, but convert into praise. He can lead the 49ers in a playoff game and even be the main reason why they have success.

Raheem Mostert is a key player in the offense

There is no better story for an offensive player of the 49ers than running back Raheem Mostert. All offseason he was touted as the best special teams player on the team who could slide into the rotation when needed. However, referring to Mostert as a special teams player is completely diminishing his impact on the offense. Mostert has evolved into a key player in the 49ers' offense.

He may even be the best running back on the team. The vision and patience he puts on display whenever he carries the ball is a thing of beauty. It is definitely a skill that is stronger in him than fellow teammates Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida. Entering training camp this year, there was excitement about a three-headed monster with Coleman, Breida and Jerick McKinnon. Well that monster has officially taken shape. Except Mostert is the final piece, not McKinnon.

Whenever Breida and Coleman have been absent with injuries, Mostert was there to help fill in. His production made it feel like the 49ers were never missing anyone in the backfield. Now that Mostert has clearly established himself as a key player in the offense - opposing defenses will now have to worry about yet another player. The last thing any opposition wanted was to give Kyle Shanahan another weapon to play with.

Kendrick Bourne can be trusted in pivotal moments

One of the more frustrating players this season has been wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. He is a guy that will make the most astounding plays, but will fall short on the simplest ones. You never can get a clear assessment of him other than he was inconsistent, especially his abysmal week 10 performance against the Seahawks. That game must've struck a nerve with Bourne because ever since that game he was elevated his gameplay.

Bourne reeled in two critical touchdown catches against the Saints and has shown up in various clutch moments in weeks prior. He was a big reason for the success of the offense yesterday. Bourne has shown that he can be trusted in pivotal moments. Whether it is a much needed touchdown in the redzone or a third-down conversion - Bourne can be relied upon now.

That felt blasphemous to stay because of his brick hands that would show up almost every game. But credit needs to be given to Bourne for finding his stride. He isn't the fastest receiver, but he has always had sound route-running skills. All that was left was for him to consistently catch the ball, which he is finally now doing. His emergence has now given the San Francisco 49ers more depth with their skill position players.