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The San Francisco 49ers kept their playoff hopes going after a comeback victory over the Los Angeles Rams. The Niners needed Nick Mullens to play for them in critical situations, and he did. Make no mistake, Mullens made his fair share of mistakes, but the same games as the Save QB were the same ones we usually attribute to Jimmy Garoppolo. However, Mullens does not have the same means.
Let’s take a look at some of the winners and losers of the week 12 game.
Winners
Jimmie ward
The 49ers don’t beat the Rams without Ward’s play. His stats were excellent, as Ward forced a few fumbles while the Rams drove, interrupted a pass, and didn’t let the tight end free from the influence of Richard Sherman’s interception:
The Rams catch the 49ers in C3 Buzz. Moore should follow the second vertical route. Instead, great game
McVay goes back to the same concept of flooding on the next ride, just dressed differently. Sherm kidnaps her man. INT. Ward plays this perfectly by not allowing the WR to gain leverage pic.twitter.com/iuGcFi74v1
– KP (@KP_Show) December 1, 2020
Ward played near the line of scrimmage more than fans recognized, and that got him playing. Against Los Angeles, Ward was single-handedly responsible for a few of the Rams’ records ending outside of the plays he was involved in.
In a third quarter game, Jared Goff watches Cooper Kupp go through a breaking course, but Ward is all over the place. Goff has to go to his second reading; it’s not there, so he takes a bag. In another play, this time on the right side of the field, Ward does the same, but against an extraordinary run led by Robert Woods. A forced incompletion brings the Rams off the field. Jimmie has the Rams number.
Offensive line
On six occasions the offensive line had a combined block on the Rams’ defensive lineman where they generated so much movement that the lineman who was supposed to take off his block and go to the linebacker didn’t have to. do so because the defensive tackle was in linebackers going around. Six!
I have counted six times since the match where OL had so much movement on a combo block that they did not have to block the LB because the DL was in the knees of the LBs. pic.twitter.com/tCbCYFSHtu
– KP (@KP_Show) December 1, 2020
The lineman is beaten in every game, and since we only remember those times when they smell the blocks, it’s easy to ignore the other 50 games where the quarterback isn’t hit. This was the case with the Niners range. Aaron Donald cannot block 1 on 1, and he was always going to get the most out of Colton McKivitz. These few games shouldn’t overlook one of the line’s best blocking performances this season.
Mullens had plenty of time to sweep the field and get rid of the ball. On the sacks Mullens took, it took the defense an average of 3.25 seconds to reach it. It’s on the quarterback. Mullens was not put under pressure until the second quarter. There were a handful of reps where Laken Tomlinson got the best of Donald, or you would see tight ends and running backs doing their part by tearing him apart.
Speaking of which, Kyle Juszczyk, Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner, and some of the full-backs themselves, were the reasons for the racing game’s failure more than the line. There were too many missed blocks from this trio which led to some missed races. That, or the rears / receivers didn’t follow their blockages. If we get that version of the Niners’ offensive line for the rest of the season, knowing the No.99 isn’t on the other side of the ball, San Francisco shouldn’t have a problem moving the ball.
Kevin givens
Givens has been one of the most underrated players this season. Robert Saleh and Kris Kocurek deserve all the credit in the world for getting the job done this season with Day 3 picks and UDFAs on the line of scrimmage. Yeah, I know where Dion Jordan was drafted, but we know he hasn’t played at that level. There was a play in the second quarter where Arik Armstead was on the court with Jordan, Willie Henry and Darrion Daniels for a streak. The Rams went three.
In short, I want to talk about Givens. This team is missing a wrecking ball. All afternoon you would see Givens make their way through the backfield and create chaos. Both games on the first disc stand out, but on Javon Kinlaw’s interception, Givens hits Goff, and that’s the reason for the errant throw. On Kerry Hyder’s QB shot, Fred Warner and Givens both perform the stunt by getting enough offensive lineman, which frees Hyder to get it neat and punch Goff.
There have been a handful of times Givens has been in the backfield to blow the game up. He didn’t get credit in the scoring from the box, but Givens played a big part in the 49ers’ defensive success on Sunday. .
Losers
Turnover
If the 49ers want to beat the Bills or any team that doesn’t have Goff under center, they can’t return the ball like they did against the Rams. Three turnovers against any team are a death knell. The 49ers got away with turnovers because the Rams had one more. Your kicker missing a 50-yard field goal before half-time isn’t helping either. The team pays Robbie Gould a lot of money to do those kicks.
Mullens’ pass is hit in the air resulting in an interception, and the Rams toss a basket. Goff throws an interception and the 49ers escape the next game. Raheem Mostert’s fumble kept the Rams in the game as their offense was nothing for them until this point. You’ll get every possible victory, but a sloppy game in December will cost the Niners.
49ers third attack
San Francisco went 3-for-14 on the third bet. When you find yourself behind the chains because of negative play or a penalty, the player becomes a lost cause. When he was third and long, Mullens looked like a substitute quarterback who didn’t know where to go with football. In 3rd and 6th or less, the 49ers went 1 for 5, including getting pissed in a few short distance situations.
On the season, the Niners are a sad 23rd in conversion percentage with a third drop to 40%. It’s worse than the Cowboys, Jaguars and Giants. There have been an unreasonable number of injuries which makes it difficult to execute, but when you come in third and are manageable you have to do better than 20%. To be fair, this is where the Rams excel. Los Angeles ranks third in the NFL in third trials and is even more stingy at home.
Winner
Endgame Nick Mullens
I want to end on a good note and pick up where we started this article. Remember the touchline throw at Jordan Reed that should have been intercepted? If you come back and watch the play, Kyle Shanahan has his arms outstretched as Mullens tries to throw the ball, then jumps up and down in frustration, wondering why the hell would you let that ball go. Mullens got away with one on this game, but he was third and 10, anyway.
I’m talking about some good Mullens who showed up and played because he did that. I mentioned Gould’s failed attempt before half-time. There was a 3rd and 10 on this disc where Donald entered the backfield, Mullens avoids him, pushes to the right and finds Kendrick Bourne 18 meters away for a first try. This game was all Mullens, but there was no point to show for it.
After that abandoned interception, Mullens went 13-for-16 for 152 yards. Six of them were first downs, and the Niners got an extra first after defensive pass interference from the Rams where Mullens gave Richie James a chance as he took a big hit from a lineman. Rams. I don’t know if Mullens passed out and forgot he was a substitute, but he was playing fast, paced and fearless.
He attempted passes in the middle and in traffic that we haven’t seen from Mullens this season. There was a level of confidence that Mullens played that the Niners will need. If Mullens plays as freely as from the third quarter, the 49ers are in good shape for the remainder of the season. If we give Garoppolo credit for his comebacks last season, Mullens should receive the same advantage for beating the Rams.
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