49ers catch big break to survive in home opener
SANTA CLARA >> Well, the 49ers won’t have to wait until Week 10 to notch their first win this season. After starting 0-9 last season and losing their opener a week ago, the 49ers escaped Sunday’s home debut with a 30-27 win over the Detroit Lions.
A defensive holding penalty against the Lions saved the 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo from a costly interception — and an embarrassing collapse — in the final minutes.
On the flip side, the 49ers defense nearly failed to protect a 30-13, fourth-quarter lead, and it wasn’t until Matthew Stafford’s final three passes fell incomplete that the 49ers (1-1) clinched as humbling a win as possible over the Lions (1-1).
“A win is a win, but it feels like a loss,” cornerback Richard Sherman said. “We played like crap on defense down the stretch.”
Garoppolo staggered across the
finish line, too.
He endured a career-high sixth sack on the 49ers final snap. That came shortly after his final pass landed in the hands of Lions defensive back Tracy Walker, who raced toward a go-ahead pick-six until Garoppolo tackled him at the 7-yard line — and until officials nullified the entire play because of Quandre Diggs’ holding penalty against tight end George Kittle far away from the pass with 2:14 remaining.
“I didn’t see what happened with the flag, but (I’m) very happy,” Garoppolo said.
Kittle said he indeed got mugged on the play, as was the case often in the game, including on the first series in the end zone to set up the first of three Robbie Gould field goals.
“He grabbed everything he possibly could,” Kittle said. “I’m really glad they threw (the flag). That helped — a lot.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan blamed the potential interception on an improper route by a receiver who was supposed to help intended target Matt Breida. Asked for his thoughts, Breida credited the Lions and said perhaps the only way to avoid that near-disaster was “maybe if we had a different play call.”
Breida and the offensive line worked wonders on earlier calls. His first career start resulted in a breakout performance (138 rushing yards, 21 receiving yards) and no play worked better than a 66-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for a 27-13 lead.
“Last year, if we got a win, we were happy with it,” Garoppolo said. “Now,
we’ve progressed as a team. Our guys are growing and learning. When you have a chance like we had to blow them out and take advantage of it, we didn’t.”
On Jimmy Garoppolo Bobblehead Day, the 49ers quarterback did make enough positive plays, including touchdown passes to Kendrick Bourne (4 yards) and Garrett Celek (11 yards). Garoppolo was 18-of-26 for 206 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 118.4 passer rating. He is 8-1 all-time as a starter.
Next up for the 49ers is a visit to the upstart Kansas City Chiefs, who take a 2-0 record into their home opener after Patrick Mahomes threw six touchdown passes in Sunday’s 42-37 win at Pittsburgh.
KEY IMPRESSIONS
BELIEVE IN BREIDA >> Breida made his first career start, and although he still split time with Alfred Morris, it was Brieda who provided the more explosive plays. None proved greater than his career-long, 66yard scamper in the third quarter, as he initially followed key blocks on the right side (from Mike McGlinchey, Mike Person, Garrett Celek and Kyle Juszczyk) before a fabulous escort from Pierre Garçon the final 30 yards.
“Good game,” 49ers coowner Denise DeBarotolo York aptly said to Breida as he headed to the media podium.
Breida raced 28 yards on the 49ers’ first snap, and such explosive productivity is what the 49ers were counting on this season from Jerick McKinnon, who suffered a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago. Alfred Morris (14 carries, 48 yards; two catches, 32 yards) proved a solid complement to Breida, as
the 49ers are banking on this year.
COVERAGE SACKS >> So, did the Lions have that good of pass coverage or did Garoppolo wait too long to pull the trigger? Either way, he got sacked three times on red-zone possessions in the first half, and he later held the ball for four seconds on sack No. 4 at the 49ers’ 4-yard line. The scariest hit came in the fourth quarter when Garoppolo got wrestled down by his neck for a 4-yard sack after scrambling left.
“I’m good,” Garoppolo said of his physical state. “Normal bumps and bruises from the game and everything, but I have to work on getting the ball out quicker.”
Garoppolo repeatedly complimented his offensive line, and he praised right guard Mike Person for battling through a foot injury. The Lions mostly rushed only four defenders and dropped the rest into coverage. Perhaps they heard Garoppolo last week say he’d rather be pressured so he has more open windows -- his response to a Vikings defender who claimed Garoppolo “got scared” when pressured. WITHERSPOON BENCHED >> Stafford avoided throwing toward 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman and repeatedly went after Ahkello Witherspoon, who got benched for the final five minutes. Although Shanahan said he pulled Witherspoon after noticing he was favoring an ankle injury that limited him in practice, Witherspoon said his health wasn’t a factor and it was simply a coaching decision.
Witherspoon allowed a first-quarter touchdown catch to Kenny Golladay (“I was going to play the run, and I’ve got to have better eyes,” Witherspoon said) and a fourth-quarter score to Marvin Jones Jr. (“I’ve got to close down the space and make a play,” Witherspoon said).
Once he got penalized for pass interference with 4:59 remaining, he was replaced by Jimmie Ward, who allowed a 21-yard catch.