Sourdough Sam
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
- 1,637
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Dan Hanzus, NFL.com: 2 (Last Week 3)
"If the 49ers end up hoisting the Lombardi in February, Sunday will be remembered as the day they proved their championship mettle. The Niners outlasted the Saints in an epic 48-46 shootout at the Superdome. It was -- yeah, I'll say it -- The Game Of The Year. Heroes were plentiful, but let's start with Jimmy Garoppolo, who never blinked in a treacherous road setting. He finished with four touchdown passes and coolly marched his team down the field in the final minute to set up Robbie Gould's 30-yard game-winner. The big play of that final drive was the 39-yard reception by George Kittle, who ransacked his way down the sideline as helpless New Orleans defenders attempted to drag him to the turf. Kittle is a star, and he's been ideally complemented by Emmanuel Sanders, who went off for seven catches for 157 yards and one touchdown plus a perfect 35-yard touchdown pass. John Lynch made the NFC's Trade Of The Year when he acquired Sanders in October."
NFL Staff, Bleacher Report: 2 (Last Week: 2)
"In winning on the road against the Saints, the San Francisco 49ers reclaimed the 'best in the NFC' title.
For most of this season, the San Francisco 49ers have been keyed by a stout defense—entering Sunday's huge matchup in New Orleans, no team in the NFC allowed fewer points or yards per game than San Francisco.
Against the Saints, that defense was torched for 465 yards and 46 points—and the Niners still won.
It was the offense that carried the day Sunday. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 349 yards and four scores. Wideout Emmanuel Sanders hauled in seven passes for 157 yards and a touchdown and threw a scoring pass to tailback Raheem Mostert.
It was an explosion that should scare the bejesus out of the rest of the NFC. We already knew that the Niners could pound away on the ground and play the kind of stout defense that helps win nail-biters. Now the 49ers showed that they can go into the Superdome and win a shootout.
The 49ers aren't just about the defense or the running game. In their last seven games, Jimmy Garoppolo has a 113.6 passer rating and the 49ers are averaging 34.4 points per game. I think they have the highest ceiling in the league, simply because they can beat you in such a wide variety of ways."
MMQB Staff, SI.com: 2 (Last Week: 2)
"Another strong showing from the Niners and another game-winning drive for Jimmy Garoppolo, this time covering 49 yards in seven plays with under a minute to go. Robbie Gould, a perfect 6/6 on XPs and 2/2 on FGs, had the pleasure of icing it and Emmanuel Sanders had a huge game (seven catches, 157 yards, TD) punctuated by this 35-yard gem of a touchdown pass thrown on the run."