It wasn’t perfect, but the 49ers went into Carolina and for the most part dominated in a 37-15 victory to move to 3-2 on the season.
Here are some observations and notes from each quarter of a crucial victory for San Francisco:
First quarter
– Niners in their home reds! That’s fun.
– Two throws for Jimmy Garoppolo, two catches for George Kittle. Great throw for a conversion on third-and-6 to extend the first drive.
– Tevin Coleman?!?! Sure! Nice first series for the 49ers’ offense and a terrific job blocking by the OL on a screen for a touchdown. It’s 7-0, 49ers.
– Jimmie Ward is starting with Tashuan Gipson and Talanoa Hufanga. Interesting to see Ward in as the nickel.
– Garoppolo is targeting Kittle a lot, and found him again on a third-and-7 in a tight window. Nice throw by the QB and a good catch on the back end.
– Ouch. Kittle fumbles on a first-and-10 throw and the Panthers recovered. Turnovers are how the 49ers lose games. Half of Garoppolo’s eight throws have gone to Kittle.
– Near interception by Mooney Ward after the Panthers converted a fourth down. Ward has been so good this year.
– It appears the Panthers entire offense is just individual efforts by RB Christian McCaffrey.
– Nice tackle for loss by Fred Warner to get Carolina behind the sticks. DL Akeem Spence made that play happen. He worked the Panthers center and allowed Warner to cruise in untouched.
– Kittle’s fumble winds up not hurting the 49ers after Panthers K Eddie Pineiro missed wide left. Nice job by San Francisco’s defense to stiffen up outside the red zone again. That was a theme against the Rams as well.
– Sick play on a third-and-4 by Garoppolo and Coleman. Garoppolo delivered a shot down the left sideline while he was getting hit. Coleman on the other end made a sweet leaping catch for a 30-yard gain and a first down.
End of first quarter: 49ers 7, Panthers 0
Second quarter
– First sack of the game is Panthers DE Brian Burns blowing by Jaylon Moore, who’s starting at LT. That’s a bad rep for the 49ers LT and the 49ers have to settle for a field goal. It’s 10-0, San Francisco.
– First sack of the game comes via SS Talanoa Hufanga. Coverage down field was great and Hufanga flew in for the stop when QB Baker Mayfield started scrambling.
– A couple penalties by the 49ers and a nice deep throw by Mayfield to Robbie Anderson got Carolina back into field goal range. That felt like a drive San Francisco will make some adjustments off of. It’s 10-3 after a 43-yard field goal by Pineiro.
– First target for WR Brandon Aiyuk comes on a second-and-9, and Aiyuk turns it into a 24-yard gain after breaking a tackle. Nice throw and catch.
– Deebo Samuel’s first touch comes late in the second quarter. He runs for nine yards, but he came up favoring his right arm.
– Blocked field goal. This game is a mess for the 49ers. They’re up 10-3 late in the first half and they’ve dominated every facet.
– And there’s the 49ers defense. A pick-six by Emmanuel Moseley puts the 49ers up two touchdowns late in the first half. Once again San Francisco’s defense bails out their offense. It’s 17-3, Niners.
Halftime: 49ers 17, Panthers 3
Third quarter
– Big kickoff return puts the Panthers at their own 49 to start the series.
– Sheesh. 51 yards on seven plays for the Panthers to open the second half. A 19-yard run by Christian McCaffrey on fourth-and-1 gets Carolina into the end zone. That’s the first touchdown the 49ers defense has allowed since Week 3. It’s 17-9 after the Panthers missed the two-point conversion. No Nick Bosa for most of that series.
– 49ers got bailed out on a fourth-and-3 at midfield. Garoppolo threw late to Samuel, but pass interference gave them a first down after the incompletion. Looked like Jauan Jennings and Kittle were both open earlier in the play.
– Jennings! Wow what a run on a 32-yard catch-and-run. He’s so good after the catch. The 49ers need to utilize him more in space.
– Garoppolo’s second TD pass of the day goes to Samuel on a third-and-goal. Nice job by Samuel to get open over the middle and Garoppolo fired a strike into a tight window. A TD there should about put this one away. It’s 24-9, 49ers.
– Another monster kick return for the Panthers puts them at midfield again. Disastrous special teams day for the 49ers. Robbie Gould got wrecked on the return and limped off the field clearly favoring his left knee.
– Deommodore Lenoir got whooped in coverage by someone named Shi Smith. Not a good look for the new nickel CB.
– The 49ers defense stiffens again near the red zone and holds the Panthers to a field goal. Carolina cuts a 15-point game to a 12-point game. It’s 24-12, 49ers.
– Kyle Juszczyk stiff arm is nasty.
– Samuel with a bad drop in the middle of the field takes away what would’ve been a big gain on a first-and-10.
End of third quarter: 49ers 24, Panthers 12
Fourth quarter
– Not a good start to the fourth quarter. Two passes fall incomplete with one batted down at the line, and the other a screen pass that was snuffed out by Carolina’s defensive line. It’s third-and-10, and Robbie Gould is ruled out.
– Jennings again! He caught it short of the line but made a sweet move in the open field to make a defender miss and pick up the first down.
– There’s an exclamation point from Wilson on a first-and-goal from the 1. He nearly had a TD on the previous play, and this time he powers his way in. It’s 30-12 after Mitch Wishnowsky badly missed the extra point.
– 49ers defensive line gets to pin its ears back now and Samson Ebukam gets home to trip up Mayfield. Charles Omenihu cleaned it up for San Francisco’s third sack of the game.
– It’s so clear the 49ers’ defense is multiple levels worse when Bosa isn’t on the field.
– Another field goal for the Panthers makes it 30-15. Another excellent job tightening up near the end zone for San Francisco.
– Another 49ers injury as Emmanuel Moseley comes down holding his knee after defending a deep shot late in the fourth quarter. Absolutely brutal season for injuries in the Bay Area.
– Drake Jackson came up with a sack on fourth-and-10. It’s the 49ers’ fourth sack of the day. San Francisco will take over inside the Panthers’ 5.
– Exclamation point from Tevin Coleman. His five-yard touchdown makes it 37-15.
– Sack No. 5 for the 49ers comes via Tashaun Gipson.
Final score: 49ers 37, Panthers 15
