The San Francisco 49ers fanbase might be looking for the No. 1 overall pick, but the team is having none of that. The 49ers stunned the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, beating them 26-23 in overtime. The win snapped a ten-game losing streak to the Seahawks.
The 49ers improve to 4-10 with the loss and now hold the fourth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. They are tied with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars, and sit between them in strength of schedule tiebreaker.
Nick Mullens had another strong performance, throwing for 275 yards and a touchdown. He showed strength in the pocket, taking some big hits but still making some key plays. He found his receivers with some great passes, and showed all sorts of confidence coming down the stretch.
DeForest Buckner was the standout player on defense, sacking Russell Wilson twice to get to 11 sacks on the season. He is the first 49ers player since Aldon Smith to get double digit sacks. The 49ers defense gave up some big plays, but they took care of business at critical times. Chris Carson had a big game, but the 49ers run defense stepped up enough that it didn’t end up costing them the game. There is plenty of room for improvement, but there’s so much to enjoy from that game.
Up next: vs. Chicago Bears
Things don’t get easier for the 49ers in Week 16. The 49ers final home game and penultimate game of the 2018 season. The Bears clinched the NFC North this week with a win over the Green Bay Packers. The Bears are a game-and-a-half back of the Los Angeles Rams, pending the outcome of tonight’s SNF game. In winning today, the Bears keep their slim chances of a first round by alive. The Bears have the best defense in the NFL, and I have no doubt Vic Fangio will have a strong game-plan dialed up for Nick Mullens and the 49ers ground game.