The San Francisco 49ers destroyed the Jaguars 34-3 in Jacksonville. In a must-win game, the 49ers needed to come out swinging on both sides of the ball. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had a game plan that led his team to an almost flawless victory. The return of left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Deebo Samuel played a massive role in the 49ers' success, which proved to the NFL that the Niners are back.
The 49ers offense seemed to be firing on all cylinders. Offensively, the team possessed the ball for 33:11 and ran 60 offensive plays for 437 yards. The offense averaged 7.3 yards per play.
Brock Purdy finished 19 of 26 for 296 passing yards and three touchdowns, averaging 11.4 yards per pass. His most impressive touchdown throw is arguably the throw to tight end George Kittle for a 66-yard touchdown pass. Purdy located his tight end in man coverage, stood in the pocket, and let it rip. Kittle led the team in receiving yards with three catches on four targets for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Brandon Aiyuk was the leading wide receiver, catching all three of his targets for 55 yards and a touchdown, which may have been one of Purdy's most questionable throws. Although running back Christian McCaffrey didn't break the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown, he led the team in rushing with 95 yards on 16 carries, averaging 5.9 per carry.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel had the team's only rushing touchdown on a reverse for 23 yards. The 49ers offense turned the ball over zero times and looked like a well-oiled machine at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.
The defense looked notorious out there on the football field, and perhaps they were energized by having their defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, down on the sideline calling plays. The pass rush was furious, finishing the game with five sacks on the day, with Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave tied for 1.5 sacks a piece. Arik Armstead and the team's newest addition, Chase Young, also had a half sack. Clelin Ferrell added another sack as one of the depth pieces out on the edge.
Chase Young and Nick Bosa looked like they were in their Buckeye glory days as they took down Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who they forced a fumble on that play, giving the 49ers offense the ball. Not only was the pass rush furious, but the secondary was too legit to quit, forcing two interceptions (Talanoa Hufanga and Fred Warner) and forcing a fumble by the third-year defensive back Ambry Thomas. Thomas returned the ball for a touchdown, but the play was overturned because the team ran onto the field.
The 49ers defense looked balanced and back to being in complete control. Dre Greenlaw led the team in tackles, and the 49ers defense only allowed three points against one of the hottest teams in the NFL. The Jaguars finished the game with 221 total yards on offense. The defense was back to playing the 49ers way.
Were there some areas the 49ers could improve? Absolutely! The 49ers are still one of the most undisciplined teams in the NFL. The team finished the game with seven penalties for 90 yards. The 49ers must find a way to clean up those silly mistakes. Another area to work on is tackling. The 49ers had several missed tackles in this game.
In conclusion, the 49ers got back to the basics. They ran the football, controlled the clock, and played aggressively on defense. The team played up to their standards and not only won but made a statement on the road against one of the hottest teams in football. Some may feel that the 49ers never left, but for those who did, they're back!
