Niners Clinch NFC’s No. 1 Seed in Style

Niners Clinch NFC’s No. 1 Seed in Style

The San Francisco 49ers took care of the Washington Commander on Sunday with a 27-10 victory that secured first place in the NFC. The Niners now have the opportunity to rest their best players for two weeks and not have to play on the road in the playoffs unless they make it to the Super Bowl.

Here are the game rankings: Defenders: A The 49ers relied primarily on a rushing attack early, and Brock Purdy missed some key points. However, Purdy had opportunities to cook in the second half. As in most games this season, he sat this one out. Purdy’s two most impressive games came on Aiyuki’s pitches. After last week’s erratic play, Purdy avoided making that pattern on Sunday. Runners:

A Although Christian McCaffrey missed part of the game with an injury, Elijah Mitchell did not leave the backfield undefeated. The top two running backs combined for 144 rushing yards on 31 carries. McCaffrey also added four receptions for 27 yards. All three goals were also scored by quarterback Kyle Juszczyk.

Wide receivers: A- Brandon Aiyuk hit seven of eight targets with 114 receptions and a touchdown. Deebo Samuel was a solid secondary option, gaining 72 yards from scrimmage on eight touches. Despite their excellence, the 49ers felt the absence of their signature third receiver Jauan Jennings in the first half. Ronnie Bell couldn’t really build on his preseason momentum.

Tight ends: B- George Kittle hasn’t been involved much as a pitcher, but his blocking still gives him a solid contribution.

Next row: B The 49ers offensive line bounced back nicely after an ugly performance on Monday night. Purdy, Mitchell and McCaffrey are an easy group to block, and the Chiefs already depleted their defensive line at the trade deadline.

 

Defensive line: D The Commanders didn’t run the ball much, but still managed 4.4 yards per carry. The Niners’ defensive line put some pressure on Sam Howell, but the Chiefs were without several starting offensive linemen. However, the Niners’ defensive line had just one sack and three tackles for the loss.

Lines: C Fred Warner’s unusual left tackle problems continued on Sunday. Dre Greenlaw was the 49ers’ best defensive player and had a league-leading 10 tackles.

Angles: A+ The 49ers defensive backs seem to be blossoming under Steve Wilkes. Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir added another interception to their tally, and Lenoir nearly made another incredible interception down the sideline late.

Safety devices: B It was a pair of veterans starting on the 49ers’ last line of defense, with Logan Ryan and Tashaun Gipson holding down the fort. Howell isn’t a great quarterback, but they still haven’t let him beat the defense deep.

Special Teams: B+ The 49ers’ special teams didn’t make any costly mistakes, but Jake Moody’s punt fades and Ronnie Bell’s punt return dance continue to look like playing with fire. It’s hard to imagine Bell returning to the playoffs, but Moody needs to make some sacks under pressure.