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“The offense has arrived. And the defense hasn’t left, either. They’ve survived the loss of Emmanuel Moseley, with Deommodore Lenoir quietly playing some fantastic ball on the outside.”
49ers put on clinical performance in Mexico, rumble over Cardinals to take NFC West lead
“Jimmy Garoppolo was just about flawless, going 20-for-29 with 228 yards and 3 TDs. His ability to avoid turnover-worthy plays, stay calm in the pocket, and show ingenuity on off-schedule plays is very encouraging for this team’s prospects going forward.”
Niners emerge as legit NFC threat after showing out against Cardinals in Mexico City
“According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Deebo Samuel reached a max speed of 19.94 mph on his 39-yard rush touchdown, the highest speed he has reached as a ball carrier this season.”
Kawakami: Put Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers on the short list of Super Bowl contenders (paywall)
“You could say that Monday was a bit of a microcosm of the 49ers’ season and maybe the entire Shanahan-Lynch era, which began in February 2017. The 49ers started slow against the Cardinals, a team that has played them well in recent years, as they fiddled around trying to figure out what to do on offense. They fell behind, they stuck to what they believe in, they frustrated their fans, then their offense stormed to life and their defense overwhelmed the Cardinals.”
49ers’ George Kittle comes flying off top rope in front of adoring fans in Mexico (paywall)
“Perhaps in part because of his devotion to Penta, he has the No. 2-selling NFL jersey in Mexico behind Bills quarterback Josh Allen.”
“I feel good about all of it. I didn’t even know that, the four TDs and everything,” said Garoppolo, who was 20 of 29 for 228 yards, the quartet of touchdowns, no interceptions and a sterling 131.9 rating. “I thought guys were making plays all night though, just everyone was stepping up when their number was called. Guys stepped up and made plays, the O-line gave me a ton of time, which always makes things easier. It was a good night.”
“One 49ers official wondered during pregame warmups if it might be the biggest turnout of 49ers fans for any game in franchise history.”
Kyle Shanahan impressed with Jimmy Garoppolo’s, 49ers’ play in recent weeks
“I feel like we’re playing better football each week, and that is the goal,” Shanahan added. “You want to get better as the season goes. I feel like we’re doing that right now.”
Where 49ers sit in NFC playoff picture if season ended today
“Entering the night as the NFC’s No. 7 seed, the 49ers (6-4) moved all the way up to No. 3 by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Seattle Seahawks. So, if the NFC playoffs started next week, the 49ers would host the No. 6 seed New York Giants at Levi’s Stadium in a wild-card matchup.”
The peak 49ers team finally showed up in a win over the Cardinals, and it was impressive
“The defense alone would make the 49ers a dangerous team. Pairing that defense with an offense that includes perhaps the best set of skill-position players in the NFL (and also left tackle Trent Williams, arguably the league’s best lineman) is why many were so excited for what the 49ers might do in the second half of the season.”
How Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers’ rare pass-happy stretch, fueled blowout win in Mexico (paywall)
“Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was employing fronts with six down defensive linemen. He was essentially daring Garoppolo to beat his Arizona defense...The 49ers passed more than just a little bit. Coach Kyle Shanahan completely upended his typically run-first formula. The 49ers, who’ve consistently fielded one of the lowest pass rates in football under Shanahan, threw the ball on 14 of 15 plays to close the first half. They scored 17 points, including touchdown passes from Garoppolo to receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle, over that flurry before the intermission.
Arizona exited the break in much softer defense, so the 49ers snapped to the other extreme: They ran on seven of eight plays out of the break, finishing with a 39-yard touchdown scamper from Samuel on a reverse.”
“Grade: A”
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