Player Grades from 49ers-Falcons

After a hard-fought, playoff-esque overtime victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14 to push their record to 7-6 on the season, the San Francisco 49ers cruised by the Atlanta Falcons in a 31-13 rout, giving them an 83% chance of making the playoffs, per FPI.

In a week where key contributors Elijah Mitchell and Azeez Al-Shaair were out, the 49ers needed to blowout the Falcons, who were ranked 32nd in DVOA heading into the matchup, and did exactly that. Now, did this win really prove anything? No. The Falcons weren't a great team, and surprisingly held a 6-7 record despite being 28th in the NFL with an ugly -126 point differential, indicating the true strength of their team. However, the 49ers continued to push forward on both sides of the ball to keep within one game of the L.A. Rams, who currently own the 5th seed in the NFL.

Of course, when a team dominates another team, there are a significant number of players who made a positive impact, so let's get into the player grades by position for Sunday's matchup.

Quarterback: A-

Jimmy Garoppolo played really well. In my opinion, I felt his performance was even underrated, because of the praise that so many other players got following their outstanding respective performances on Sunday.

The veteran quarterback completed 18/23 passes for 235 yards, averaging 10.2 yards per pass, and throwing a touchdown, while making a barrage of impressive tight-window throws, including some with anticipation.

In the first clip, Garoppolo leads Aiyuk, coming off his break, with an on-target pass that allows the receiver to accelerate downfield for a 36-yard gain. The ability to not only trust the receiver to be in the spot, but also to place the ball at the top of the route, is just one example of the rapport Garoppolo showcased with his receivers Sunday.

Later, on his only touchdown pass of the day, Garoppolo once again led with anticipation, albeit on an easier throw, this time to Jauan Jennings, who hadn't yet turned his head around before Garoppolo released the ball. Rather than waiting for the player to turn around and be open, Garoppolo fired the pass, understanding where the receiver would be, and the on-target throw lead to a touchdown.

In the third clip, Garoppolo somehow fits the slant pass in off play-action, once again putting his receiver in a position to make a play following the catch. With the necessary room, Deebo is then able to turn upfield and use his pure strength and speed to get the 49ers in scoring position again.

Utilizing play-action, another nice throw from Jimmy Garoppolo comes due to the mastery of Kyle Shanahan's playcalling, as the run-fake shifts the defense slightly to the right, opening up Deebo on the crosser, and Garoppolo finds the open window to make the completion and let his receiver do the work.

For the efficient play in his sample size and on-point accuracy, he gets an A- from me.

Running Backs: A

Jeff Wilson Jr. looked like his old self Sunday, as he carried over 20 times for 100+ yards as the focal point of San Francisco's running attack, en route to a 31-13 victory against the Falcons.

Wilson showcased the acceleration to successfully get on the outside to make plays, but also showed the ability to be patient and have the vision to find open holes in order to get the biggest gain possible.

In my opinion, he showcased slight hints of Pittsburgh Steelers-era Le'Veon Bell, but let's enjoy Wilson for who he is and leave it at that.

Looking at the first clip again, the linebackers seem to cheat towards the right side on the handoff, but Wilson Jr. beats them to the outside and utilizes his blocks to turn up field for a 1st down and more.

In the second clip, Wilson displays that patience I mentioned, gauging the defense before making his cut back inside for another first down. His vision and ability to find holes is unmatched on this 49ers team, which is why he's going to be such a valuable piece going forward.

Deebo Samuel continued his presence in the run game, scoring yet another rushing touchdown on a well-blocked play to add to his total of seven touchdowns on the ground.

Getting blocking from multiple offensive lineman, along with George Kittle, Samuel is able to do what he does best: work in open space, as he accelerates towards the endzone for an easy TD.

Along with Samuel and Wilson Jr., Kyle Juszczyk scored a rushing touchdown as well, pushing the 49er total to three on Sunday.

So, why aren't the running backs at an A- if they were so vital to the 49ers offensive attack Sunday? Well, apart from his 10-yard touchdown, Samuel only rushed for 3.8 yards per carry, which is still good enough, but not like his amazing 6.9 yards per carry on the season. Still, they get a very respectable "A" from me.

Wide Receivers: B

In this game, the wide receivers essentially played second fiddle to the running backs and George Kittle, who led the team with six catches and 93 yards on the day.

As a receiver, Deebo Samuel caught four passes for 60 yards, while his counterpart, Brandon Aiyuk caught one pass for 36 yards during Garoppolo's 235 yard performance.

However, both receivers found their way to make a mark on the game, turning big plays into bigger plays on multiple occasions.

Looking at the play again, Samuel turns this catch from a 15-yard play into a 30-yard play, and at times, it seems like he's the fastest guy on the field, despite his burly frame, indicating what kind of a special athlete Deebo truly is.

In a blocking highlight here, Aiyuk engages with the farthest defender, slowing him down as Deebo races to the outside for the touchdown. He's really come along as a blocker since his midseason resurgence, and seems to really enjoy it as well.

Jauan Jennings also continues to solidify his position as a slot receiver for the 49ers, posting three catches for 29 yards and a touchdown, and finding different ways to get open, although he and Samuel each had a drop late in the game against Atlanta.

Given the limited receiver opportunities this game, I'll put the position group at a "B" for the day.

Tight Ends: A+

George Kittle continued his dominant second-half of the season with another 90+ yard performance Sunday, extending the streak to three straight games in which he's been San Francisco's leading option in the passing game.

He continues to amaze with his ability to somehow muscle through defenders, while also showcasing elite speed at the tight end position, as seen through the two plays below.

In the first clip, we see what we've seen so many times from Kittle: he's just able to turn short gains into medium gains and medium gains into long gains through his impressive athletic abilities.

Then, in the second clip, Kittle looks like Deebo Samuel, taking a bubble screen, along with some nice receiver blocking, down the field for 25 yards to put the 49ers into good field position.

But, the biggest play of the day from the star tight end was an impressive 25-yard catch down the seam, off an accurate throw from Jimmy Garoppolo, where he simultaneously prepares his body to take the hit and corrals the ball, with three Falcons defenders surrounding him.

The 49ers sure are lucky to have such a reliable passing option that is also an amazing blocker on run-plays. The tight end group, but really George Kittle, deserves an "A+" for this performance.

Offensive Line: A

Whenever the 49ers play well, the offensive line is at the forefront of the action, and that was the case again on Sunday. The 49ers continued to run the ball well, a product of their offensive line, and the men up front allowed just two pressures all game.

Tom Compton, who's known for his liabilities in the dropback game, was excellent as a run-blocker, grading out as one of PFF's highest rated run-blocking tackles since he's taken over, per David Lombardi.

Trent Williams continued his dominance, throwing linebackers five yards across the field, showcasing why he's the best tackle in the NFL. And all around, when the offensive line isn't being talked about, that's a great sign.

Just look at this second play. Williams essentially creates the wide-open hole right up the middle for the Juszczyk touchdown with his pure strength and quickness off the line of scrimmage.

Daniel Brunskill was also in on the action, serving as a productive right guard in the run-game, as shown on this protection during Deebo Samuel's touchdown run.

Overall, the offensive line propelled the run game and gave Jimmy Garoppolo a clean pocket in one of his most mistake-free games of the season. They get an "A" from me.

Defensive Line: A

The backbone of this 49ers defense, San Francisco pressured Matt Ryan all day, accumulating 23 total pressures and three sacks to wrap up their dominant performance Sunday.

Nick Bosa got his 15th sack of the season, forcing a fumble along the way, while Arden Key continued his dominance with what should have been two sacks, had the NFL's rules on roughing the passer not been as infuriating as they are.

Vish Kumaran brought it up on Twitter, but there were a handful of plays where Arden Key disrupted the pass, but that won't pop as a stat in the box score, such as the one below.

The 49ers have found a formula of utilizing defensive edge pieces on the inside more often, such as Key, Arik Armstead, and even Nick Bosa, which has resulted in quicker pass-rush wins for the defensive line, courtesy of the mind of 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.

All in all, the 49ers dominated on both sides of the trenches, which was a major reason why they cruised through this game for their eighth victory on the season. I'll give the defensive line a "B".

Linebackers: A-

In a game where the 49ers were missing standout linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, Fred Warner was back to his dominant ways. The All-Pro 25-year old led the team with nine tackles, one pass defended, and overall playing really solid coverage in the middle of the defense.

Since John Lynch called him out to play better, Warner has responded beautifully, showcasing why he's an All-Pro level talent and why he got the five-year, $95 million extension this offseason. Seems like the 49ers have a way of getting their players to respond to constructive criticism.

Playing in place of Al-Shaair, Marcell Harris also had a productive game, including a nice stop, alongside Jaquiski Tartt, on a Matt Ryan run near the goal-line on one of San Francisco's goal-line stands.

With Fred Warner playing well and Azeez Al-Shaair returning at some point, be it this week or next week, this second level of the defense is dangerous and will make teams pay.

There didn't seem to be many missed tackles from the 49er linebackers on Sunday, adding to the strong performance, which is why they deserve an "A-" in my eyes.

Cornerbacks: C-

As expected, San Francisco's weakest position group Sunday was the cornerback group, headlined by early-season addition Josh Norman and rookie Ambry Thomas.

While I didn't think the performance was as bad as advertised, Ambry Thomas was certainly picked on a lot, which led to many plays from Falcons WR Russell Gage, including Atlanta's only touchdown.

Thomas was better this week in terms of coverage, in my opinion, as he played more in a press-coverage role, similar to Norman, rather than a deep-zone role, which requires a more instinctual performance. Thomas was able to stay with receivers, but failed to locate and make a play on the ball on several occasions, which didn't bode well for the 49ers.

Norman also wasn't the best in coverage, but DeMeco Ryans was able to utilize scheme to hide his cornerback deficiencies, which is why Matt Ryan threw for just 236 yards on a 59% completion rate.

So, given that Thomas at least could stick with receivers and Ryans' ability to limit the damage, the cornerback group gets a "C-" from me.

Safeties: A

Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt were just electrifying on Sunday, as they were EVERYWHERE, making plays and disrupting Atlanta's offense, especially when it mattered most during those goal-line stands.

On a 4th & Goal play, Jaquiski Tartt made a phenomenal break towards the ball to break up the designed out-route and force a turnover on downs, saving the 49ers seven points.

Both safeties are certainly underrated and showed off elements of their games that aren't always visible immediately, such as the vision they possess to disrupt run lanes, but also eyeing the quarterback to break up pass plays.

In reality, I found just one play where a safety didn't play well, and that was Tartt's missed tackle. Apart from that one play, this was an "A+" performance from San Francisco's safeties.

So, adding everything up, the safeties get an "A" for their performance.

Overall, the 49ers displayed how damn talented they are on both sides of the ball, which was topped by excellent coaching—except for the special teams miscues—and they'll need the same energy if they want to have a chance at beating the Tennessee Titans on a short week, on the road, in the eastern time zone this Thursday.

• Rohan Chakravarthi
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  Rohan Chakravarthi
  Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
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