The San Francisco 49ers held on against the Detroit Lions to get off the mark in Week 2, we look at three standouts from the win.
The San Francisco 49ers are off the mark for the 2018 season having held on to claim a dramatic win over the Detroit Lions in Week 2. San Francisco needed a fortuitous penalty to chalk off a Jimmy Garoppolo interception and a decisive defensive stand to earn a 30-27 triumph as Matthew Stafford almost led the Lions on a remarkable comeback.
The Niners had previously been in complete control, with the running game and what, up until the fourth quarter, was a commanding defensive performance giving them a big lead.
Here we look at three standouts from the win.
Matt Breida
Concerns that the 49ers ground game might struggle without Jerick McKinnon were somewhat allayed on Sunday as Matt Breida enjoyed a career day, albeit against a Lions defense that is notoriously susceptible to the run. Breida racked up 138 yards on just 11 carries, a total boosted by a 66-yard touchdown run, for which Pierre Garcon deserves plenty of credit for his downfield blocking.
And head coach Kyle Shanahan was quick to praise Breida’s decisiveness, per 49ers.com.
"“I saw him running very hard. I saw our O-Line blocking very hard. When they gave him space, he hit it with no hesitation. He did a good job when he did get into the secondary not sitting and breaking down and thinking about making too many moves. He just hit it hard as can be and probably got about 60-yards and Pierre did an awesome job on the backside. I always tell him he turns into a fullback at the end of the play, because he ends up being the lead blocker to get us in, which was real nice.”"
Breida’s ability to decisively hit the holes with burst makes him an excellent fit for the 49ers zone running game and, providing the blocking at the second level is as impressive as it was in Week 2, he should be in line for a big statistical year.
DeForest Buckner
After recording 2.5 sacks in the opener with the Minnesota Vikings, DeForest Buckner was again a hugely disruptive force up front as he dominated Detroit’s offensive line, and particularly rookie Frank Ragnow, getting consistent pressure on Stafford and sacking him in the fourth quarter while also logging five tackles.
MUST READ: NFL picks, score predictions for Week 3
Buckner now has more sacks than he had in all 2017 and is rapidly closing in on the six he put up in his rookie year.
The 2016 seventh overall pick was one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL last year but did not have the production to match his performances. Two games in it is clear that will not be the case in 2018, and Buckner should finally receive the recognition he deserves.
Richard Sherman
Though those around him in the secondary crumbled in the fourth quarter, Richard Sherman had a comparatively quiet day’s work, at least in terms of passes being thrown his way. Sherman was not targeted once by Stafford, who flat out refused to look in the All-Pro cornerback’s direction for the entire game, providing clear evidence he is back to his best following Achilles surgery.
He had this to say, again per 49ers.com:
"“I covered my man. I was there the majority of the time. (Matt) Stafford looked over there a few times and he pulled the ball back. I would have had two or three picks if he would have just let it go.”"
Having Sherman on the field at the level he was pre-injury enables the Niners to lock down an entire side of the field. Sherman has a track record of punishing those who dare to challenge him and, after Ahkello Witherspoon’s significant struggles against Detroit, expect opposing quarterbacks to continue avoid throwing into his coverage.
Despite a preseason in which his comeback was delayed by minor setbacks, Sherman has instantly returned to form. Yet the success of an inexperienced secondary will more likely hinge on his ability to motivate and teach those who failed to deliver in Week 2.