Defense slams the door shut
4th-quarter stands extend run of zeroes in 2nd halves
Playing on a short week after an emotional prime-time win that was preceded by a long road trip, the San Francisco 49ers fell flat against a losing team Sunday.
Well, actually, only about the half the team looked lethargic: The 49ers overcame their offensive letdown because the NFL’s top-ranked defense delivered another beatdown.
The 49ers, who arrived without having allowed a second-half point in three straight games, outdid themselves Sunday: They didn’t allow a point for 60 minutes to deliver a 13-0 win over the Saints at Levi’s Stadium.
After handing the Saints the first shutout since 2001, All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner stepped to the podium and smiled at reporters
before fielding his first question.
“That was all right, huh?” Warner said.
The 49ers improved to 7-4 with their fourth straight victory, which matches their longest winning streak since they started 8-0 in 2019. They also took sole possession of first place in the NFC West with after the Seahawks (6-5) lost in overtime to the Raiders.
On Sunday, the 49ers’ defense continued to resemble the 2019 unit that carried them to their last Super Bowl appearance. In fact, Sunday’s shutout was their first since the 49ers beat Washington, 9-0, on Oct. 20, 2019.
Could this year’s defense be even better?
“We’re on our way, for sure,” Pro Bowl pass rusher Nick Bosa said. “I think we have the guys do it, definitely. And everybody who is still here (from that Super Bowl) has gotten a lot better since that year. So we definitely could be better.”
The 49ers haven’t allowed a point in 94 minutes, 19 seconds of game action, dating to second quarter of their 38-10 win over the Cardinals last Monday in Mexico City. In addition, they haven’t surrendered a point after halftime in 126:05 — a stretch that began in the fourth quarter of their 44-23 loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 23.
On Sunday, the 49ers kept their streaks alive by twice turning away the Saints inside the San Francisco 5-yard line in the fourth quarter. In addition, the Saints were forced to punt after starting a drive at the 49ers’ 38yard line in the second quarter.
“This one was really special because of the way we had to get it done,” Warner said. “It’s not like the Saints were behind the 50-yard line the whole game. They were right there sniffing the goal line multiple times.
“For guys to stand up — time slows down in those moments. You’re looking at your teammates in the eyes and saying, ‘We have to pull this off.’ These
“For guys to stand up — time slows down in those moments. You’re looking at your teammates in the eyes and saying, ‘We have to pull this off.’ These are the one you remember forever.” Fred Warner on the 49ers’ goal-line stands
are the one you remember forever.”
With the 49ers leading 13-0 with about 11 minutes left, safety Talanoa Hufanga forced a fumble when he drilled running back Alvin Kamara at the 1-yard line after a 5-yard reception. After the ball popped in the air — and several players failed to corral it amid a wild scramble — linebacker Dre Greenlaw recovered the loose ball.
Greenlaw said the ball was “30 feet in the air.” Warner termed the sequence “insane.”
Said Bosa: “I didn’t know what was going on.”
On New Orleans’ next drive, the Saints (4-8) had 1st-and-goal at the 4-yard line with about six minutes left. And then they failed to gain another yard. The Saints’ last chance was extinguished when Bosa dropped Andy Dalton for a 7-yard sack on 4th-and-goal.
The 49ers limited the Saints to 14 first downs and 260 yards while forcing two turnovers, both fumbles by Kamara.
The defensive performance allowed the 49ers to overcome a largely inert effort from their offense. The 49ers had just 99 of their 317 yards after halftime.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who spent his first four seasons with the Chiefs, said he never has played on such a defense. Asked what made the 49ers’ unit so special, Ward smiled.
“Because we’ve given up zero points in the second half four games in a row, I guess?” Ward said. “We’re just some dawgs.”
• The 49ers, whose backup quarterback is rookie seventhround pick Brock Purdy, endured a stressful day watching Jimmy Garoppolo absorb several big blows.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t list Garoppolo on the postgame injury report, but he said the QB would be evaluated further after took an inordinate amount of punishment.
“He took some hits,” Shanahan said. “I don’t have anything exactly on him. I know he’s sorer than usual. So we’ll check on him and see how he is tomorrow. He had a very gutty performance. I know he got hit a bunch in this game.”
The Saints had six hits on Garoppolo, but the scariest shot was a penalty. Early in the third quarter, defensive lineman Malcolm Roach was called for roughing the passer after he hit Garoppolo in his left knee, which was surgically repaired in 2018.
Garoppolo was hobbling after he was slow to get up and Purdy began warming up on the sideline. Garoppolo, who played every offensive snap, was visibly upset about the hit as Roach headed to the sideline.
“It is football, but you’ve got to be smart as player (and) look out for one another,” Garoppolo said. “There’s no place for that. But I’m all right. A little sore, but nothing bad.”
Garoppolo was asked if he had any on-field words for Roach.
“Not really,” Garoppolo said. “He sprinted off the field. He didn’t really say anything. I think he knew what it (was). Just as players, we’ve got to be smart.”
• The offense overloaded with stars received a kick-start from an unexpected source. Jauan Jennings?
On a team filled with bigmoney skill-position players, Jennings, the wide receiver with a modest paycheck and resume, provided a needed boost.
Jennings (six catches, 49 yards) did almost all his damage on the 49ers’ only touchdown drive. With the 49ers leading 3-0 late in the second quarter, Jennings had catches of 13, 12 and 12 yards before he capped the 57yard march with his first touchdown of the season: Jennings had a 5-yard scoring catch 19 seconds before halftime on a pass that was tipped by safety Tyrann Mathieu.
“That felt awesome,” said Jennings, a 2020 seventh-round pick who was averaging two catches and 24.4 yards a game. “That whole entire drive I was just locked in and focused on making plays. And when they came my way, I just wanted to make them.”
Jennings’ six catches were a team-high on a day when the 49ers’ marquee names were largely muzzled. Running back Christian McCaffrey had 32 rushing yards and averaged 2.9 yards a carry. Tight end George Kittle (three catches, 26 yards) and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (3, 43) had 23 receiving yards in the second half.
Fittingly, Jennings allowed the 49ers to run out the clock when he had a 6-yard catch on 3rdand-5 with four minutes left.
“It’s hard to play man (coverage) against Jauan,” Garoppolo said. “He’s big. He’s quick. He’s physical when he gets the ball in his hands. He’s hard to bring down. So, I’m not trying to pump him up too much there, but he’s does a lot of good things, man.”