49ers vs. Chargers live blog: Second quarter

SANTA CLARA — This is the live blog for the second quarter of the 49ers’ Week 16 game against the Chargers. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

6:08 On second-and-16, Colin Kaepernick draws the Chargers offside for the second time. Next play, Frank Gore gains 8 yards on a stronside lead run. Third-and-3 from the 14.

6:09 Next play, Kaepernick fakes a handoff to Ellington on a fly sweep, then runs around the right side for six yards. First and goal at the 8.

6:10 Kaepernick play fakes, rolls left and hits a wide open Ellington. Touchdown. 14-0 Niners. Great play call by Greg Roman. It’s always a good idea to call play-action roll-out passes for Kaepernick. Making him to roll to his left in that situation was clever. The Niners usually roll him to his right. That play was the first time they rolled him to his left in this game.

6:19 Rivers throws another perfect pass to a 49er, this time Antoine Bethea. Hehe jogs into the end zone.  21-0 Niners.

6:21 The defense did just fine the first series without Reid.

6:27 Antonio Gates beats Dontae Johnson for a 28-yard catch on third-and-4.

6:30 Eddie Royal finds an  open window in the Niners’ zone defense and Rivers hits him for an easy touchdown. 21-7 Niners. Craig Dahl was slow to get over to Royal.

6:33 Ellington returns the kickoff to the Niners’ 36.

6:33 If Reid has a concussion, it would be the third of his two-year career.

6:52 Ellington scores from 1-yard out on a fly sweep. 28-7 Niners.

6:53 Reid has a concussion and is out. That’s the third concussion of his career.

6:59 Ellington is explosive. Michael Crabtree is not. The Niners should have benched Crabtree months ago.

This article has 136 Comments

  1. I think that is one of the very few times all year the 49ers have scored a TD on a drive that had a penalty setting them back.

  2. Ellington should have had a bigger role in this offense especially since he’s the only speedster on the team

    1. 3 games decided this season the Bears game. The Rams game. And the Seattle game.
      All home games too.

  3. Is it possible that Harbaugh is the leak in the building and that he orchestrated this entire failure of a season just to get out from under York?

    1. Agreed been telling everybody who would listen. This was a fight between Baalke and Harbaugh and Jed took Baalkes side which us crazy. Id rather have Harbaugh next year.

  4. “The defense did just fine the first series without Reid.”

    Keep flogging that horse, Grant. Defense is also doing fine without Willis, Bowman, Brock, Dorsey, Williams…

  5. Yeah, I was just thinking that Aldon seems conspicuously absent these last few games. I’m sure he’s doing something to bring pressure, but I’m wondering if he’s worth almost $10 million next year.

  6. Sure didn’t do so well that second series without Reid, Grant. Dahl missed a tackle on Oliver on a big run, then was slow getting across on Royal.

    1. No unit on the team has played better than the secondary this season. Hands down the best unit on this team.

        1. They’ve played one poor game, against Denver, with many of the starters out. Have they played 14 games against average competition?

          1. Niners have no answer for a healthy T.Y Hilton, a healthy Antonio Brown, a healthy Julio Jones, etc., etc.

            1. Who does? They are great WRs for a reason – they can play well against anyone.

              Beckham is the hottest WR in the second half of the season. Guess which team held him to the fewest catches, second fewest yards and by far his worst completion percentage during his stretch of 7 games with at least 90 yards.

              1. Teams with top cornerbacks have a chance at least.

                Manning was awful. Beckham still had 93 yards.

              2. Nice excuse. It was all Eli’s fault that day, not the D.

                Great WRs are very rarely held completely in check.

              3. 93 yards isn’t close to being held in check, and Eli threw the ball to the defense over and over again.

              4. I didn’t say he was held in check. Like I said, great WRs rarely are. But it was his worst day over his 7 game hot streak, in terms of catches and completion %, and second worst in terms of yards.

                You’re so hell bent on being right about Reid, and about taking a CB, that you refuse to accept the DBs have been very good bar one game. And they have played some good receivers, some good offenses, and done well. And all this despite numerous injuries.

              5. They played well in all bar one game, and they faced some good competition aside from that one game.

              1. Might have faced a top WR in the Super Bowl, but you don’t have to worry about that happening.

  7. We’re getting to see some backups play today. Dahl is who we thought he was. If you were wondering about Moody, I think you have your answer. Ellington and Patton arrow up.

  8. Don’t wish injuries on anyone but it’s a relief to see someone else’s players down instead of ours all the time.

  9. Guys, I just started watching the game. Just left the from watching Dave Chappell live. Our offense looks good as hell.

  10. Wouldn’t be a 49er game without our qb delaying the game. Or using a timeout because of it. Drug test him for weed.

  11. I believe Greg Roman has been scouting our comments on the blog. A FLY SWEEP that he actually gives it to a speedy WR and not a fake with run up the middle. I believe we may see a screen pass this game in the second half. If we do then either someone else is calling the game or Roman has given up making his own calls and has been reading our comments and taking notes.

  12. Here’s the calls that have plagued is all year. Roll him right twice? Smh.
    Penalty bailed out roman there

  13. It’s more apparent they don’t trust this o-line for short yardage. Second down and then he runs like Sd doesn’t know it’s coming. I can’t WAIT for roman to be gone. Throw the ball to VD

    1. They don’t trust the power run with the o-line. They’re horrible at gaining short yardage.
      Ellington should have been a part of this offense weeks ago

  14. Look what happens when you actually play the fastest guy on our team (unofficial combine time of 4.31 seconds for the forty, which was second only to Brandin Cooks and John Brown).

      1. That was the official time. For the unofficial time he was only 1 one-hundredth of a second behind Cooks and Brown.

      2. That was the official time. Cubus is referencing the unofficial stop watch time that was reported.

  15. Yeah, not getting Ellington more involved in the offense during the season is looking like a mistake.

  16. Harbaugh, you are a pathetic moron. Good job getting Baalke to sign JMart instead of a man, and keeping young talent on the sideline all gddmn year. Good riddance!

  17. So pissed right now. And that sucks when your team is up 21 at half.
    I’ll be looking for
    A blowout and keeping the foot on the pedal.
    Gore to reach 200 yards
    And some 2nd half TD’s
    In the second half.

  18. Where has this team been for the last two months. Was there an Invasion of the Body Snatchers in Santa Clara? Gore hasn’t looked this good all season. Creative use of speed (Ellington), never saw that all season. Or is San Diego just this awful?

    1. SD ranks 9th on defense. They’re not an easy A.
      Besides that Oakland, wash, NY are horrible defenses. And couldn’t score.
      It’s the use of Ellington, running the damn ball. Smh

  19. Its good to finally see the Niners attacking the outside, with Ellington and Kaep on rollouts.

  20. looks like coach Jim Roman finally got this right and they are not stubborn as I thoughtthey finally used Kaepernick the way they should have and they stop trying to make him pocket passer I will take the occasional inaccurate throw when he makes big plays with his legs and an occasional lights out accurate throw still have faith in Kaepernick he just needs the right coach an offensive coordinator but it’s too little too late for this year

  21. I’m worried about Reid. I think we should IR him for the rest of the year regardless of whether he passes the concussion protocol this week.

    1. He won’t play next week. Besides I wouldn’t mind seeing them lose next week to hurt the seahaks. Unless they win tomorrow

  22. The blonde chick on draftkings.com commercial and Ellington both deserve the game ball up to this point.

  23. if these coaches can call the game like they have tonight then they should state if not get them out and I really think we should draft when it is running quarterbacks from college like the UL Lafayette quarterback we saw today and make him a running back and throw in some fleeflikers and can you imagine next year with Bruce Ellington And another speed wide receiver.now if we can only get Vernon Davis sighting

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