Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers notched their fourth consecutive victory in Seattle. That sentence seems unfathomable given the struggles on the road against the Seahawks. Style points don’t matter in the NFL, so a fourth consecutive win is a win. Special teams were a disappointment, the injuries began to mount, and the 49ers weren’t converting in the red zone.
Sunday’s game felt like a random game in 2024. The key difference was Brock Purdy and the offense’s ability to drive down the field and score a touchdown. Meanwhile, the 49ers had a closer on defense named Nick Bosa, who ended the game with the triple crown of sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery.
Let’s look at how the 49ers’ snap counts and grades ended up after a close victory in Seattle.
Offensive Line:
Ben Bartch 76 (73.7)
Colton McKivitz 76 (67.7)
Jake Brendel 76 (70.6)
Dominick Puni 75 (51.2)
Trent Williams 75 (55.3)
Spencer Burford 1 (60.0)
Connor Colby 1 (60.0)
Colton McKivitz is a richer man today, and his play on Sunday warranted it. McKivitz led the team with an 80.0 pass blocking grade, while allowing only one pressure and a hurry. Ben Bartch was the overall leader with a 73.7 offensive grade and led the team with a 74.7 run blocking grade. The 49ers’ offensive line didn’t allow a sack, but that doesn’t mean the line was rolling on Sunday.
Seeing Trent Williams with the most hurries and pressures is something. Week 1 is the weirdest week of the NFL season, but allowing five hurries, six pressures, and the lone QB hit is out of character for the future Hall of Famer. Puni left for a snap, but allowed two hurries and two pressures.
Running Backs:
Christian McCaffrey 58 (59.9)
Kyle Juszczyk 37 (57.9)
Brian Robinson, Jr 18 (55.1)
So much for the calf injury, Christian McCaffrey returned to the lineup and touched the ball 31 times. Some of that was due to the absence of George Kittle and Jauan Jennings, but if McCaffrey is active, he will touch the ball more than anyone.
Juszczyk caught a deep pass from Purdy, which was masterfully crafted by Kyle Shanahan and should be employed a bit more when the 49ers need a play. Robinson got it going with more work during the game; the 49ers would be wise to use him more as a runner.
Wide Receivers:
Ricky Pearsall 64 (77.2)
Jauan Jennings 50 (56.7)
Russell Gage 28 (51.2)
Marquez Valdez-Scantling 27 (53.3)
Skyy Moore 3 (58.6)
As we wait for word on Jennings and his injury, Ricky Pearsall looked every bit the part on Sunday with four catches for over 100 yards. Kendrick Bourne’s signing could indicate Jennings will miss time or be valuable depth, given that only five receivers ran routes and two caught passes.
For now, Pearsall’s play is inspiring, and hopefully, the return of Demarcus Robinson, Brandon Aiyuk, and Bourne will solidify the room during the season.
Tight Ends:
Luke Farrell 44 (54.8)
Jake Tonges...
