1) The offense is good. Really good.
From start to finish, Jimmy Garoppolo and the offense took it to the Cincinnati Bengals. Garoppolo had protection, big plays were had in the air and oh, the running game had a bit of an impact.
Matt Breida ran 12 times for 121 yards, Raheem Mostert carried the ball 13 times for 83 yards, and Jeff Wilson rushed for two scores.
There were so many "chunk plays" of ten yards or more as well as big plays from Deebo Samuel, Marquise Goodwin, and George Kittle.
Garoppolo finished 17 for 25 for 297 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
All in all, it was a great day for the offense, which gained a whopping 572 total yards.
2) Kwon Alexander Brings Swagger to the Defense
We already know how good the pass rush is (four sacks today, by the way), but Kwon Alexander may have been the most valuable pickup this offseason.
Not only does he add experience and leadership but the "splash plays" and his fiery presence are making the most impact.
Alexander was all over the field today, had an interception and was simply a house of fire that led the 49ers to a pretty dominant defensive performance today.
3) The Secondary Continues to Improve
While there were a couple of big plays given up, for the most part, the secondary had the Bengals under lockdown.
Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore continue to show why they're in the starting lineup and both former third round picks are paying dividends.
4) Bad Break
Left Tackle Joe Staley was hurt in the second half on a running play and it turned out to be a broken fibula, which at the moment appears to be out 6-8 weeks and may not require surgery nor an IR spot.
We will know more tomorrow but this is a big blow and a bit of a damper on what would have otherwise been a great day.
Defensive end Dee Ford left the game with a quad injury. At this point, it is unknown if he will miss next week's game.
5) The Bottom Line
Despite the injury to Staley, this was a great day for both the offense and the defense.
Next week, the 49ers are finally at home as they host the 0-2 Pittsburgh Steelers, who could be without Ben Roethlisberger as he left Sunday's game against Seattle with an injury to his right arm.
The 49ers showed a lot of poise and guts as they not only survived the travel and the heat, but won both of their opening road games. Great start to the season.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
PFF names two potential destinations for 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw
The San Francisco 49ers are eager to find a way to retain linebacker Dre Greenlaw for at least one more season, as he is set to become a free agent in March. Greenlaw played just two games last season after recovering from a torn Achilles he sustained in February.... -
49ers to interview DeAngelo Hall for defensive backs coach job
Mike Garafolo reports that the San Francisco 49ers will interview former NFL cornerback DeAngelo Hall for their defensive backs coach position. Hall has been an assistant defensive backs coach with the Carolina Panthers since 2023. According to Garafolo, he left the Panthers in... -
NFL.com mock draft has 49ers selecting Armand Membou at No. 11
NFL.com's Eric Edholm released his first mock draft of the year, projecting which first-year players each team will select in April. The San Francisco 49ers hold the No. 11 overall pick after finishing the 2024 season with a 6-11 record, positioning general manager John Lynch... -
ESPN predicts $196 million contract extension for 49ers QB Brock Purdy
ESPN's Dan Graziano recently projected contract figures for 10 upcoming free agents and extension-eligible players. Among the latter is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who is expected to become the highest-paid player in franchise history. The bigger question...