What a statement.
The San Francisco 49ers went into Lumen Field to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 32-29. There were a lot of highs and lows for both teams in this contest.
But it had everything you’d expect from a divisional game between the two best teams in the NFL. Let’s unpack the biggest takeaways from the 49ers’ Week 5 win over the Seahawks.
So, that’s why the 49ers signed Mike Evans
It was for games like this. The 49ers were desperately missing a true No. 1 receiver in their last two games against the Seahawks. Mike Evans was a massive difference-maker in this game.
He reeled in seven catches for 113 yards, one touchdown, and a two-point conversion. Every time Brock Purdy targeted him, he almost always came down with the ball.
Their connection is insane, especially on the first two throws from Purdy, which were dimes. Evans was Mr. Reliable today. He carried the 49ers’ offense, and with fractured ribs. What a monster.
Pass rush comes alive
Ever since Nick Bosa was put on the shelf with a calf injury, the 49ers haven’t been able to rush the passer effectively. That all changed in this game, as it was very well alive.
Sam Darnold was sacked a whopping five times. He was pressured on a bunch of drop backs, causing him to make mistakes. Osa Odighizuwa, Keion White, and Sebastian Valdez all stood out today. They played a key role in today’s win.
Gracen Halton breaks out
And so did rookie Gracen Halton. He deserves his own recognition for this game. The rookie had a dream breakout game. Not only did he register a sack, but he forced a fumble and recovered it in Seattle’s end zone.
He caused the biggest turning point in the game right before halftime. Halton has been showing a ton of promise all year, and after a performance like that, he’s officially arrived as an impactful player the 49ers rely on.
Dre Greenlaw might be get suspended
As great as Dre Greenlaw’s energy and emotion are, he can sometimes be his own worst enemy. Greenlaw was ejected after headbutting Ernest Jones, who didn’t have his helmet on, while on Seattle’s sideline.
The NFL might suspend Greenlaw for that. I’d be surprised if they don’t. The league can’t let a player helmet-headbutt another without their own. It’s insanely reckless, so I fully expect Greenlaw to be suspended for at least one game.
Deebo Samuel could be out for weeks
Injuries continue to stack up for the 49ers, with Deebo Samuel as the latest injury. He hurt his hamstring in the third quarter on the play where he fumbled the ball.
The 49ers ruled Samuel out of the game immediately. Given how quickly he was ruled out, you could probably expect Samuel to be out for weeks. He might’ve torn it. Either way, hamstring injuries take time and are very tricky. Expect him to miss time.
Time to be concerned about Eddy Pineiro
What’s wrong with Eddy Pineiro? First, he was struggling to connect on easy extra-point attempts. Now, he’s missing field goals that he’d casually make last year in a pivotal game.
It’s time to be concerned about him. Thankfully, he made the game-winning field goal to force Seattle’s offense to respond in the final two minutes. If he had missed that, he would’ve struggled to come back from it.
Raheem Morris better than Robert Saleh?
I think it’s officially fair to ask this question now. Raheem Morris has the 49ers’ secondary playing at a different level. Robert Saleh couldn’t do much with them last year.
That is the biggest difference between the two, along with more trickery from Morris. His defense is not as easy to decipher as Saleh’s. He forces quarterbacks to spend more time figuring out what’s going on.
That’s part of what led Darnold to get sacked and make mistakes. The crazy part is the 49ers don’t have Bosa. Just imagine how unleashed it’ll look with him back, especially if they add another pass rusher via trade.
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