The San Francisco 49ers edged out the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, winning by a final score of 25-20. At one point though, the 49ers looked like they were set to blow this thing open. In the second quarter, Colin Kaepernick connected with Torrey Smith on a 76-yard touchdown to give the 49ers a 13-3 lead. In the fourth quarter, Kap connected with Quinton Patton on a 21-yard touchdown to give the 49ers a 25-13 lead.
The game ended up much closer, but the 49ers held on thanks to the play of one man: Shareece Wright. The 49ers released the cornerback this past week after he expressed displeasure with his status. He joined the Ravens earlier this week, and acknowledged that getting a chance to face the 49ers factored into his decision. And he paid for that decision to a certain degree. He was the man in coverage on both plays, and neither turned out well.
After the game, Jim Tomsula was asked whether the 49ers were specifically targeting Wright. Tomsula said he would not get into things like that, and that he respects Wright, and thinks he's a fine person. Fortunately, wide receiver Anquan Boldin was willing to talk about it. Boldin was asked if practicing against Wright factored into the team scoring the two touchdowns on him. Boldin was pretty blunt:
"Definitely. I mean, when you have a guy on your team for that long, you get to see him every day in practice, you understand his weaknesses as well as his strengths. So, that was one of the things that we wanted to attack today."
Wright has not been a particularly good cornerback in recent seasons, so this could have been a slightly more PC way of approaching the question. But even still, it is a good point. You spend an offseason practicing against a guy, you are going to get some ideas about what he can do. And the 49ers used those to their advantage in a big way.
Here is Boldin's full transcript.
Did you feel like you guys were able to continue the momentum you started to build last week against the Giants?
"Yeah. I felt like we did. I felt like we had another good week of practice. Had a good game plan. Had some things we saw on film that we wanted to attack. We were able to do that. Still don't think we played our best game, but made enough plays to win."
A lot of plays with 20-or-more yards in this game. The average completion was more than 20 yards. Is that kind of the personality you see this offense having when you get going? QB Colin Kaepernick's skills and the way you guys play.
"That was one of the things that we saw on film. Their secondary was banged up, so we definitely wanted to take advantage of that. I felt like we were able to do that today."
You guy's start off with a short pass to you, you go reverse field. There's a throw downfield to FB Bruce Miller. Obviously, the touchdown to WR Torrey Smith. Could you guys just feel Kaepernick was in a rhythm? Were you getting him in a rhythm early?
"Yeah. We wanted to get him in a rhythm early. Like I said, we saw some things on film that we felt like we could take advantage of. Early on, we wanted to get the ball out of Kap's hands, just let guys have one-on-one situations where we can make plays. Kap did a great job of seeing the field, giving guys opportunities. Guys made plays when we had to."
Head coach Jim Tomsula's mentioned, obviously, the quarterback's the most important position, but he doesn't want him to feel like the weight of the world is on his shoulder. Have you ever noticed that and is it different now with Kaepernick?
"As far as?"
In feeling too much burden maybe?
"I don't think so. He's still having fun. I mean, everything is still light at practice. I don't see him bearing any weight and that's a good thing."
Do you feel that with this win, the team has turned a corner?
"I hope so. You know, but, it's one game. We feel like, as a team, if we come out and play the way we're capable of playing, we'll be ok. Today, we were able to finish. Last week, we weren't. So, obviously, we're happy about that today. We'll see where this takes us."
Tomsula and Torrey Smith both mentioned that play you made towards the end of the game, down the field when the offense was stalling a little bit. They were coming back. They look to you to make those kind of plays. You've been in this league for a while, do you look at yourself that way too? Like, it's time for me to step up and make plays.
"Anytime I have an opportunity, I feel like it's my job to make a play. I'm not just here for nothing. Definitely, in critical times, I feel like the team looks to me as one of the guys that needs to make a play. Step up and make a play at that time. So, I've always felt that way."
Were you the main option on that throw or second or third?
"No, it was actually a scramble. Kap did a great job of getting outside the pocket and making something happen. That's the thing about having a quarterback like him, even when things don't go the way that you want it to, as far as play design, he's able to get outside the pocket and make things happen. That could be with his legs or his arm."
Did you break it left knowing he was moving left?
"Well, my route was going that way and seeing him scramble outside the pocket, we have scramble rules."
How are you physically?
"I'm good."
What happened on the play?
"I fell on top of the ball. Knocked the wind out of myself so, I'm ok."
As you said, it's one game, but it seems like there is kind of a consensus when talking to the guys in the locker room that this team can get better as the season wears on. Is this maybe an indication of that?
"I think everybody feels that way. I mean, if you come out to our practice and see the way guys are flying around and the way that guys are motivated and playing, I mean, I definitely feel like everybody in the locker room feels that way. So, we're just going to continue to prepare in the way that we normally do and we'll see where that takes us."
You guys scored a couple touchdowns against Baltimore Ravens CB Shareece Wright. Was practicing against him any factor--?
"Definitely. I mean, when you have a guy on your team for that long, you get to see him every day in practice, you understand his weaknesses as well as his strengths. So, that was one of the things that we wanted to attack today."