Mike Singletary’s San Francisco 49ers should be hobbling around this morning after repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot on Monday night. Turnovers plagued what would have otherwise been a spirited performance for the now 0-2 49ers.
For their part, the Saints (2-0) were only able to take slight advantage of the San Francisco miscues. A botched snap over 49ers QB Alex Smith’s head went through the endzone for a safety on the first offensive possession of the game. A poor free kick by Andy Lee setup the Saints in great field position and was capped off by a 6 yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Reggie Bush. It was 9-0 Saints and looking a bit like a laugher.
But the 49ers were able to regain their bearings and force Saints fans to sit out a late night nail-biter. Smith (23/32, 275 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 82.2 QB Rating) eventually found a comfortable rhythm and running back Frank Gore (20 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD) helped wear down the Saints defense.
Even so, the Saints were able to come up with turnovers in key situations and wouldn’t allow the 49ers to take over the game. Interceptions by safety Roman Harper and corner Tracy Porter (with a great assist from linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar) took almost-certain points off the board, as did a fumble recovery by safety Malcolm Jenkins.
While the Saints didn’t necessarily “bring the wood” to Alex Smith in terms of putting hits on the quarterback, they were able to dig deep and make plays when it counted the most. Credit the San Francisco offensive line and Frank Gore for handling a plethora of blitz packages. That was a marked improvement over their play in Week 1 against Seattle.
Offensively, the Saints struggled against a very aggressive 49er front seven. They often brought pressure right up the middle and were able to sack Drew Brees twice.
But Brees (28/38, 254 yards, 2 TDs, 108.9 QB Rating) was able to make plays under pressure. This was a night where the backs and tight ends were his main targets. Pierre Thomas had only 46 yards rushing, but had 8 receptions for 57 yards. Reggie Bush had 4 catches, while tight ends Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas had 3 each.
Special teams were outstanding for the Saints. Kicker Garrett Hartley was a perfect 3-3 in field goals, including the game-winner as time expired in the 4th quarter. The wind at Candlestick Park was its usual swirling self, but Hartley was able to put points on the board when the team needed him. That erases an 0-2 opener against Minnesota.
Courtney Roby was very effective in kick returns and recovered a muffed punt by Phillip Adams and set the Saints up at the 49ers 14 yard line. While the Saints offense wasn’t able to convert that opportunity into a touchdown, Hartley kicked a field goal to give New Orleans an 8 point lead late in the game.
Reggie Bush had an electric 43 yard punt return late in the 3rd quarter, but muffed a return in the 4th. As he went to recover the ball, a group of players piled up on him, apparently breaking his leg. Early word is that he could miss 6 weeks. We should know more as the week goes on.
That’s going to be a tough blow for an offense that hasn’t quite found its mojo through the first two games.
The last two minutes of the game were exceptionally dramatic. Alex Smith led the 49ers down the field, setting up a 7 yard Frank Gore TD run. A controversial call on a 2 point conversion pass from Smith to TE Vernon Davis tied the game up at 22 with 1:19 left on the clock. Davis ran his route into the endzone, but was pushed back out by a Saints defender as he caught the ball. Initially, officials said Davis was down at about the 1 foot line. But replay showed Davis apparently possessing the ball just over the plane of the endzone.
Regardless, it was up to Drew Brees and company to end things – and they did. Brees hit Pierre Thomas for gains of 8 and 14 yards, before delivering a clutch 30 pass to Marques Colston (5 catches, 67 yards) that put the Saints well within field goal range as the clock ticked down.
As if hitting a game-winning field goal isn’t enough pressure, the Saints were called for a false start as Garrett Hartley prepared to kick. That turned a 32 yard field goal attempt into a 37 yard attempt.
As in the opener against Minnesota, the Saints won’t get a ton of style points for this one. But they once again showed a lot of heart against a desperate team on the road. You can see that the 49ers are a talented group. But, you can also see what separates a pretty good team from a great one. The Saints didn’t turn the ball over and, while they didn’t take full advantage of every opportunity, they were able to dig deep and find a way to win.
Next up is a Superdome showdown with the 1-1 Atlanta Falcons.
Who Dat Awards:
Reggie Bush – Played very well, despite the whole Heisman Trophy fiasco weighing on his mind. Hopefully, the Saints will have him back later this season.
Drew Brees – Dealt with a lot of pressure from the 49ers, but didn’t turn the ball over. Made key throws to set up the winning field goal.
Marques Colston – It wasn’t a big night for the wide receivers, but Colston was clutch.
Pierre Thomas – He earned every yard on the ground and was a difference maker in the passing game.
Garrett Hartley – Showed that Week 1 was just a fluke. Big kicks in difficult conditions.
Jonathan Vilma – Had 10 tackles, forced a fumble and played his heart out.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar – Huge tip of an Alex Smith pass that led to an interception.
Roman Harper – Picked up his first INT in awhile.
Courtney Roby – Was outstanding in kick returns and in coverage.
Football Fan Spot 