49ers report card: Where were flaws in 51-13 rout of Panthers?
SANTA CLARA — Here is how the 49ers (7-0) graded in Sunday’s 51-13 rout of the visiting Carolina Panthers (4-3):
PASS OFFENSE: A-
Jimmy Garoppolo had a pass intercepted, for the sixth of seven games? Yep. And he lived to talk about another win, the most lopsided one of his 49ers career (13-2 as their starter). “Just a bad decision,” Garoppolo said before jokingly playing it off. “It was ‘National Tight End Day.’ I was trying to get George the ball. No, just bad decision, though.” He made way more right decisions, whether it be passing (18-of-22, 175 yards, 2 TDs) or taking a sack without fumbling the ball (three sacks). George Kittle appropriately had team-highs of six catches and 86 yards on the so-called NTED holiday. Emmanuel Sanders started hot in his debut with a TD, a third-down conversion and plenty of decoy moves. Deebo Samuel caught all three targets for 19 yards. Dante Pettis had just a 5-yard catch (10 for 88 on the season).
RUN OFFENSE: A+
This may have been the best blocking (and scheming) game to date under Kyle Shanahan. Tevin Coleman ran for three touchdowns only 11 carries and his first 100-yard rushing game as a 49er (105 yards). Raheem Mostert and Deebo Samuel got their first rushing touchdowns of the season. As for injury concerns, Matt Breida (ankle) and Jeff Wilson Jr. (stinger) should be OK if needed on Thursday. The linemen, particularly Laken Tomlinson, dominated with their blocks, as did Kittle. “It was real open,” Coleman said. “… They blocked well and they opened up gaps for me.”
PASS DEFENSE: A
Seven sacks for a seventh win. Nick Bosa had three sacks, plus his first career interception, to which Richard Sherman praised him as, 1.) One of the best draft picks in the past decade; 2.) Player of the week; 3.) Rookie of the year; 4.) NFL Defensive MVP. Sherman and Emmanuel Moseley also had an interception apiece. The other sacks came from Arik Armstead (two), Ronald Blair and D.J. Jones. Bosa said DeForest Buckner easily could have taken two of his sacks.
“They didn’t blitz much. Their defensive line just did a really good job of rushing,” Kyle Allen said. “I tried to get the ball out of my hand as quick as I could, but the D-line did a really good job. Hats off to them. They’re a talented group.”
RUN DEFENSE: B
Christian McCaffrey became the first 100-yard rusher (14 carries, 117 yards) this season against the 49ers, but 96 came after halftime, 40 on a touchdown run. Linebackers Fred Warner and Kwon Alexander combined for just 10 tackles, par for the course as running backs have a tough time breaching the defensive line. “We have a lot of work to do,” Alexander said. “We are trying to be the best of the best so we have to keep working on how to be the best of the best, and that is where we want to be.”
SPECIAL TEAMS: A-
The Mitch Wishnowsky Game, complete with the Panthers muffing one of his kickoffs, one of his punts and then one of the Panthers getting leveled on a kickoff return in which Wishnowsky drew a penalty on his tackle (for leading with the head). Robbie Gould made his only field-goal attempt — or, if you prefer, he did not miss one for only the second game this season. A point-after attempt got botched when a Panthers edge rusher zipped past DeForest Buckner.
COACHING: A+
Kyle Shanahan’s expertise as a play caller shined best this game, especially in converting their first four red-zone drives into touchdowns. Sherman pointed to how well the 49ers youngsters were taught amid last season’s 4-12 adversity, and how the coaches have adjusted with extended injuries to Joe Staley, Mike McGlinchey, Kyle Juszczyk and Ahkello Witherspoon. “That’s Kyle Shanahan. That’s (defensive coordinator) Robert Saleh. They do a great job,” Sherman said. “That’s (Richard) Hightower. That’s (safeties coach) Daniel Bullocks. That’s freaking DeMeco (Ryans, linebackers coach). That’s Kris Kocurek (defensive line coach). That’s everybody. That’s (Mike) LaFLuer (passing-game coordinator). They don’t make excuses for the personnel we have, for the injuries. They find a way to get it done.”
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