49ers-Saints Week 14 film breakdown

Posted By on December 10, 2019

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) hurdles over San Francisco 49ers free safety Jimmie Ward (20) in the first half an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)

Check out my YouTube Live film breakdown of the 49ers’ 48-46 win over the New Orleans Saints. To watch the breakdown in full-screen mode, click the square at the bottom-right corner of the video.

This article has 136 Comments

  1. Kofi Amichia is an athletic guard the 49ers just signed to their practice squad. Drafted by the Packers, who just worked out Garnett!

    1. The ShanaLynch factor:

      Both HOF HC Bill Belichick & 3rd year GM/HC ShanaLynch knew their respective offensive squads desperately needed to bolster their WR corps before the October trade deadline. The Patriots acquired 30 year old Wideout – Mohamed Sanu from the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 22 in exchange for a 2020 second round pick. Just hours later, the 49ers sent a 2020 third round pick, as well as a 2020 fourth-rounder to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the 32 year old Super Bowl champion & 2-time Pro Bowl Wideout – Emmanual Sanders, and a 2020 fifth round pick.

      Pundits were split on which was the better acquisition for their respective squads. The Patriots gave up a little more in draft capital for the younger Sanu, but the 49ers were acquiring the more highly decorated WR, albeit a year and a half older, and in the final year of his contract, while the Patriots have Sanu locked up through next season.

      Well, here we are 7 weeks later, and Emmanuel Sanders produced more receiving yards during 1 scintillating game-of-the-year victory performance (157 YDS) than Mohamed Sanu has produced in TOTAL (135 YDS) since the trade’s went down. Not only that, away from the football, the veteran Sanders impact on the 49ers young receiving corps has been far more significant than Sanu’s impact on the Pats. Both rookie WR Deebo Samuel and 3rd year WR Kendrick Bourne have greatly elevated their level of play with Sanders in the fold. The Patriots passing offense has continued to sputter, while the 49ers passing offense has reached new heights, and Emmanual Sanders is a big reason why the 49ers can now score points with the best of them, and even outscore a red hot – Drew Brees, and the high flying Saints on the Saints home field, in a high stakes shootout with potential home filed playoff ramifications on the line.

      In a season where ShanaLynch have made master strokes in assembling one of the most complete teams in the NFL, the Emmanuel Sanders trade is looking like the most important league-wide trade deadline acquisition of the 2019 season! Good for them!

      1. Mike Freeman:

        “Several NFL coaches have told Bleacher Report that Shanahan’s management of the San Francisco locker room has quietly been one of the best stories of the season. He keeps a team full of extremely strong personalities happy. It’s one of the 49ers’ greatest strengths. When coaches around the league are asked to assess how real the 49ers’ chances are of reaching the Super Bowl, they first say to stop asking that stupid question. Of course they can get there. They then say that what sticks out is how unflappable the 49ers are, and they credit Shanahan. There are numerous X’s and O’s data points to discuss with the 49ers, but what makes them a legitimate threat is how hard they fight. When the game is over, they celebrate, and then it’s on to Cincinnati.”

        “One of the greatest compliments you can pay a franchise is that it’s Patriots-like, and the way the 49ers have approached this season is extremely Patriots-like.”

  2. 12/10/19– The 49ers have placed WR Marquise Goodwin on the I.R. list. The team also signed LB Joey Alfieri 6’3- 240 lb to the team’s practice squad after releasing WR Deontay Burnett and LB Christian Sam from the unit. The 49ers also placed LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles on the practice squad I.R. list. 49ers also signed Exum last week and K. Street is now in his practice window from the I.R. list

  3. Glad Grant pointed out how ineffective Celek was. They should not let him be active on game day.
    .
    It was surprising to see the DBs struggle so much. Way too many missed tackles.

    1. It was surprising to see the DBs struggle so much. Way too many missed tackles.
      This could really really hurt down the stretch

  4. I’m just hoping being on the road, the physical game vs Bal and the non stop attack of the Saints offense was the reason the defense couldn’t tackle.
    That was a problem for this team last season. But they’ve tackled well every game Except last week.
    Hopefully it was a fluke game. And they get back to violent tackling and play.

    The O will have to carry this team for the rest of the regular season.
    The defense did it for the majority of the season. They owe them now until some defensive players can get healthy for the playoff run.
    The pass rush has fallen since Dee Ford has went down. So they can’t rely on the big sack right now. My question is where’s Buckner?
    I thought for sure he would have more sacks with others doing well around him.
    It’s time he had a huge game getting the QB.
    I see it coming.

    Salah will have to get creative with some blitz packages for the remaining three games.

    The stretch of death will not be his biggest test as to whether he’s HC worthy.
    These next three games will.

    This team can’t afford another injury.
    Fingers crossed they don’t lose another player for the rest of the season.
    I mean cmon they’re do right? Smh

    One more thing I’m hoping, I hope the rams just match up well vs Seattle and they’re not turning the corner. Impressive win vs Seattle, but the game prior didn’t impress me at all.
    They might be the team who dampers the home field dream. I’m still not worried about Seattle, I don’t see 9 dropped passes and a missed FG next time.

    1. I expected a monster season out of Buckner , and for some reason it isn’t there , I was isolating him Sunday , seeing if he was getting in Brees face up the middle cause that’s what effects him , and he barely did

      1. Buckner is doing the dirty work that enables Bosa and Armstead to have great seasons. Easily the most important piece on defence.

    2. Hard to say what Buckner will do double teamed but he needs to turn it up a notch for the DE’s, run game and qb pressure. Too bad D. Ford isn’t totally healthy, that would really help, hopefully he plays vs Sea or in the playoffs. Not sure if the missed tackles was a fluke or going against a great team, both? At least they the can see what they need to work on in getting pieces next year when playing teams like the Rams, Sea, N.O., Balt, G.B. Probably a top CB for Sherman, OG, ect..I think the C will do well with first string practice for Richburg. The defense will need to really show up again for the next three games especially in the playoffs. No more injuries!..Rams are now playing tough so look out. Can’t have a layoff loss playing Atl. w/Matt Ryan and I would be worried playing Sea at home for the div!!..JG needs to keep playing smart, no t.o. drops, .5 int’s per game or none; ), 70-75% comp rate will be fine. One game at a time all the way to the SB!!

  6. Well it seems that the injury bug has struck again….. this time the Defense…..these next few games will be telling with this confused banged up secondary..yikes

    Hey thanks again Grant…..

  7. Disgraced Donald Trump complied with a court order on Tuesday and paid $2 million to settle charges that the Trump Foundation misused charitable funds.

    The list of nonprofits that the judge approved to receive Trump’s $2 million include the Army Emergency Relief, Children’s Aid Society, City Meals-on-Wheels, Give an Hour, Martha’s Table, United Negro College Fund, United Way of Capital Area and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

    Making America Great Again, one lawsuit settlement at a time.

      2. cmon old coach…..you really think Bill is a cheat?…..I think this video thing is much to do about nothing

        1. And to bring this full circle, maybe Putin will give Trump the SB ring he stole from Robert Kraft. “For job well done, my polezniye duraki”

            1. The guy (Putin) is nothing but a low life gangster. Strange that he’s held in such high esteem among a certain swath of the American electorate.

              2. Yup, he is a vicious gangster who is propped up corrupt billionaires and politicians. Not a coincidence that he and trump are buddies. There was an incredible 60 minutes segment about Bill Browder and his Russian attorney sergei magnitsky which detailed Putin’s thuggery and murderous ways. Unfortunately the story is pay-per-view at this point. It was a genesis of the Magnitsky Act which Obama signed into law.

              3. So now Trump wins again in Nov. No mud sticking to the wall, all background noise. Sorry Dem’s.

              4. Putin is no good for sure. Not really a close buddy with Pres. Trump but there’s no collusion going on.

              5. I read Browders book “Red Notice”. It reads like a le Carre spy novel, but is a chillingly true story.

              6. For “no collusion” Trump and his party of enablers are doing their damnedest best to push Putin’s propaganda scenario (Ukraine, not Russia, behind the 2016 election hacking).

              7. strange?…..same electorate had Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin in high esteem….

                One, strange in that they label American progressive politicians as “socialists” or “communists” but a real communist comes along and he’s a “strong leader”.

                BTW, I’m using the term “strange” charitably here.

              9. The Dems for the past 2.5 yrs have been doing their damnedest best to push propaganda and fake scenario’s but no evidence, nothing sticks for them.

          2. Hey nice ring…that was strange indeed…Kraft showed no balls to get it back though….weird

            1. No balls? He knows about Putin’s polonium milkshakes. Sure, keep the ring big fella. I got others.

      3. Actually Bill and Hillary are the disgraced ones, especially Hillary who has a lot to do with this hoax ordeal going on now.

        1. I didn’t know the constitution was a hoax.
          I guess you’re going to have to turn in your guns!

        2. Hillary the disgraced one just goes behind the constitution in the shadows hiding her best with her deceptive moves. The Dems/socialist left wingers want their own constitution having law abiding citizens turn in guns, the bad guys of course won’t which is the backwards thinking of the Dems.

    2. You so right. Trump is a sleazy lying scumbag. He’s still a better option than Hillary or any of the lunatics running on the Dem ticket.

      1. maybe to you…..

        I have a masters degree, have a job and don’t depend on the Gov’t hand out – so its really not that hard for me to see the difference….

      2. Houston, so we should prop up a Putin puppet, who happens to be a “sleazy lying scumbag” rather than a democrat who upholds the constitution? Doesn’t that make you the Lunatic?

        1. A Putin Puppet? JFC they should require people to pass an IQ test to gain access to the internet. Get off your knees and stop regurgitating everything that pathological liar Adam Schiff spews into your mouth.

          1. Houston, I know that the IQ level drops as soon as you cross the Texas border, but do you really want to ban that whole state from the internet?
            Can you name any other president besides your “sleazy lying scumbag” that defends a Russian dictator like Putin, over our own intelligence agencies?

            1. Yeah, everyone in in Texas is dumb. You should prolly stay out. Maybe you could take all the liberals leaving CA for TX with you.

              What I know is that when Putin invaded Crimea, Obama sent blankets to Ukraine. When Trump was elected he provided Missiles and funding for defensive aid to Ukraine in direct opposition to Putin’s demands. Obama also supported Nord Stream 2 while Trump strongly opposes it and has put a great deal of pressure on Europe to end its dependence on Russian energy sources which will ultimately cripple Russia’s economy and destroy Putin’s leadership in that country.

              Better for you to stay quiet on certain topics lest your ignorance be revealed.

              1. lol……listen to rush limbdick…..

                even a 5 yr old knows to follow the money…..we are supposed to forget Trump investments in Russia…..lol

              2. Oh Boy, you are even more deluded by Limpballs than I thought possible!
                OK I’ll make it easier for you since you failed my 1st Q.

                Which foreign dictator was removed from office because of US sanctions?
                You have many choices, Kim, Putin, Amin, Sadam, even Castro you can name!
                Anyone goes since we’ve been messing with foreign countries for a long time now.

              3. just in ….

                Today federal prosecutors asked a judge to revoke the bail of Giuliani associate Lev Parnas. A main reason was that he had not disclosed to prosecutors that in September he received a million dollars from a bank account in Russia. This is certainly enough to make your ears prick up. But it’s a mystery at this point just what this money represents.

                Who is in bed with who?…..open your brain Mr Houston

      3. Americans have been brain washed by propaganda for so long they can’t even see how badly they are being screwed. Trump and the Republican party are a laughing stock on the world stage. He is viewed as a Baboon leading a country that brags about their lifestyle but has one of the lowest quality of life rates for the majority of it’s citizens in the developed world. They’d rather spend twice as much as any other Country in the world on the Military, allow Drug companies to charge it’s citizens more than double what any other country pays for the same drugs and is the only developed Country in the world without a Universal Health Care plan because the profits of Health Insurance companies are viewed as more valuable than the lives of it’s people. The only thing Donald Trump has done in 3 years is pass a massive tax cut for the wealthy and embarrass himself and the US daily with his non stop stupidity. He’s loved by his base because he doesn’t want to let anymore people of color into the country and is bending over for religious nuts who want to load the Supreme Court with like minded individuals so they can overturn Roe. vs. Wade.

        I realize this is a sports site, but to read some of the comments about politics is truly sad. Your Country is a mess and it’s only going to get worse because you have corrupt morons running it. Good luck.

  8. We need to win the next 3 games, having home field through out the playoffs and a first round bye are both very important. Now having said that none of it makes a damn bit of difference if we go into the playoffs so banged up that we get beat in the first round. I would rather go into the playoffs as a wild card and reasonably healthy than injured and the top seed. I would love to see the team take the following steps.
    #1 Rest and rehab Dee Ford until the 1st playoff game.
    #2 Rest and rehab R. Sherman until the playoffs ( this will also give the team time to see if the other 2 corners are our CB’s of the future)
    #3 Play Kittle less, say about 50% of the O snaps.
    #4 Do whatever they need to do to make sure Sanders is ready to go once the post season starts.
    #5 Keep Brieda healthy maybe use Wilson as Mostert primary back up.
    #6 Activate K. Street and get him ready for the post season.
    I believe they can accomplish all of the above and still win the west. imho

    1. #3 Dwelley played well in Kittle’s absence. He had some crucial receptions including 2 TD in the 2nd Cards game. I would love to see him get more snaps.

    2. I think the focus is to win out…..its a tough division…..if they rest key players they may lose .. makes no sense

  9. I watched the game again last night….You really have to give props to JimmyG.

    Two major observations:
    1. JimmyG was cool, calm and collected – His command in the huddle was impressive.
    2. JimmyG out ran NO MLB on a 3rd down play – that run (coming back from injury) and will to make that first down was freaking amazing….

    1. Jimmy has been coming on…good for him seems to have played better since Sanders signed on

      1. Well of course. You need people who can get open to throw to. That’s why Tom Brady is having tough year.

  10. curious to hear what some on here think about the Odell Beckham Jr. rumors to the 49ers……..

    1. His raw talent is undeniable. His motivation level fluctuates from season to season /game to game. Ultimately too costly .

    2. Even accounting for the age difference, I say resign Sanders. Cheaper, drama-free and probably just as productive as Beckham would be.

      Plus, you can’t put a price on this:

      “I watched Emmanuel Sanders growing up,” Bourne said, via ESPN.com. “That’s what’s crazy about it. . . . He came in and made an impact immediately so us seeing that, it just motivates every wideout in the room more because there’s always competition every single day, even after camp. Having him go that hard, seeing it at the age he’s at, is amazing. So just taking all those traits is the best thing we can do as young wideouts.”

      1. I’ll take Sanders over OBJ any day of the week … who needs all that diva nonsense , can win with s*~#t like that

    3. What do the 49ers have that they can give to Cleveland for a trade?

      His current contract is only about $5 mil more than what they would be paying Sanders.

  11. Gotta give Garland credit for being seamless in a tough spot with all that noise , don’t know what he’ll do against Grady Jackson or Donald , we’ll see … Coleman has absolutely no vision , roll with Mostert rest of year , maybe give Coleman some screens

    2. Would you call it “seamless”? IIRC, the 3 sacks of Jimmy G were all on interior pressure and all happened after Richburg left. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

      1. Well, here’s Shannie:

        Ben came in and we were able to not miss a beat. He stepped it up, knew the game plan well, blocked those guys even when they were the head up nose.

        Coachspeak?

  13. Not worried at all about the defence (yes Prime Cuck, that means NOT worried). Bad days happen, the team won in New Orleans in spite of it, which is amazing. AMAZING. When you can go to what was the top seed, abd beat them, without playing your ideal game you’ve done not just a good job, but a fantastic one. It would be like the Chiefs winning a defensive battle 10-7, or the Patriots winning a shootout 45-40. They don’t really do that (current season) because they can’t. Nimers can beat you in any number of ways, which is why they’re number 1. If they take care of business, this will be the best Niner team record-wise in quite some time.

  14. Not surprisingly, I erred in questioning Kyle’s Bourne identity. After TC, I was fed up with Bourne’s inconsistency and hoped that Kyle would keep Matthews (instead of Bourne) as a reliable slot guy in lieu of Taylor.

    But Bourne seems to be blossoming into an important #3 receiver. His numbers this season are impressive. Waggoner of ESPN reported that of the 27 catches this season, 24 went for either first downs or TDs, and many of the catches had a high degree of difficulty. Jimmy G seems to have added Bourne to his Circle of Trust.

      1. Can only mean Pettis out…they have already said Goodwin out…..hhhmmmmm did Pettis and Goodwin NOT play themselves out of a job??? curios saw neither get injured

          1. Yes on injury reports, but having watched every game including DA FILM never saw either get injured…hhhmmmmmm

      2. That was quick, and the Wikipedia entry on Matthews has already been changed to reflect the re-signing!

    2. Agree, Mood. Wrong about Bourne but not Goodwin and so far Pettis. But as always, I’m happy to be proved wrong when a player starts to produce.

  15. Sad part about all this is that we should have had the division locked up already . Not counting the game we handed the sea hacks with missed FG and game management. I see at least 3 or 4 games Pete the cheat should have lost but got incredibly lucky on . 49ers need to stay/ get healthy and go into their house and wipe smirk off Pete and Russ’s faces

    1. NY, there are other good teams in the NFL. Say what you want about Seattle, they are savvy and know how to win. The last 3 weeks the 49ers are learning how to do that.
      I’m not sure they win the division but I think it would be poetic justice to beat Seattle twice in Seattle to go to the SB.
      Rid the monkey and put fear in that franchise for all the misery they have caused us!

  16. defensive tackle D.J. Jones could miss the rest of the season with a “significant” ankle injury………

    we can’t stop the run without DJ……

        1. OC,
          Agreed. The Org should keep an Exorcist on a retainer throughout the season to chase the injury bug away ?

    2. Ugh, frustrating how the Niner D now stands for Decimated. At this rate, we’ll need the Offense to score 40 pts a game to win.

  19. Man I don’t see how we’re gonna be able to reach to a championship like this ,we’re gonna be beat to hell by the time the playoffs start.Like I said before we’re averaging 2 starters lost a game .I have never seen a team lose players every game like this.As proud as I am of this team and how great this season has been I’m thinking it’s not gonna be a SB year.I almost think it’s a lock Ravens are gonna win it..There talented they’re healthy and there gonna be able to start sitting starters last two games of the year

    2. Yes,Chiefs must have known something but considering we’re winning it ain’t our money he’s getting paid so who cares..Put it this way would our record be any different if he never signed?I don’t think so

    3. Yes . He one of those guys who gets hurt all time , and stays hurt . The price they paid for him and the production they get for him , a mistake

    4. Dee Ford for a 2nd round pick was a great deal. The contract is not a problem if they want to get out of it at some point and he has 6 and a half sacks and quite a few pressures even in limited time. Injuries suck but they are a part of the game. So many teams have the same issues. Did anyone see the Eagles playing TE’s at WR because they didn’t have enough to put on the field? The good thing about the 49ers injury situation is that most of them have been short term instead of season ending. Last year was far worse.

    5. The team needed pass rushers on the edge and when healthy Ford is one of the best in the NFL. It seemed like a smart move. Injuries happen, and can’t judge a trade/ signing in hindsight on that alone. But it also sounds like the knee issues were something the 49ers should have known about prior to finalising the trade.

      So the questions really come down to whether:
      – The 49ers should have expected Ford would struggle to live up to the expectations of his trade/ signing given his known injury issues?
      – We should judge the move today? There is still a post season to play that hopefully he should be available for, and more years on his contract that he may end up being just fine for.

    6. TBD.
      Ford could pay his weight in gold if he can come back huge in the playoffs.
      That’s if he is ready to play of course.

        1. Yes, Ford has been good when he’s been able to play, no doubt.
          I just hope he’s ready come the playoffs. He could be a game changer.

      2. That’s what I was thinking. Come back in the playoffs and play like a demon. That will make that 2nd round pick look like nothing.
        Otherwise we are addressing OLB in the draft next year.

      1. Really? Why so? If we can get Taylor back soon then not so much. But I agree with Scooter, our depth has been stretched above and beyond, it’s a big hit regardless, imo.

          1. This is a case of stats not being reliable.. it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that DJ makes the most impact against the run…

            I can think of 2 games he easily made an impact..the rams and saints game

            2. Jones has made flash plays at times in just about every game he’s played. He’s good. Plays about 40% of the snaps.

              The run defense though has gone from 6th in ypc last year to 26 this year though.

              1. the run defense ranking has nothing to do with DJ…….. Saleh play calling = yes

                and weren’t you one of those calling Saleh a head coach last week….

    3. The main concern losing Jones is around the amount of depth along the DL the team has lost over the past month and a bit. It’s putting more workload on the remaining guys at a position where being fresh is very beneficial.

      1. The defense has also seen a 35% increase in number of snaps faced over the last 5 weeks.

        From game 3-8 they averaged 53 snaps per game. That’s jumped to 72 over the last 5.

        Over the last 3 games they’ve allowed 22.7 first downs and been on the field an average of 33 minutes.

        1. Yes, it is something of a double whammy. The guys can’t rotate as much as there aren’t as many capable bodies, which means they aren’t as fresh, which means they are more susceptible to wearing down as the game (and season) goes on. They have also been playing some better teams that have simply been better at sustaining drives regardless of opponent, which has also meant the DL is on the field longer.

          Not only has the overall defensive snap count increased, the % of defensive snaps played for the starting DL has also gone up.

          1. « the % of defensive snaps played for the starting DL has also gone up. »

            Slightly. Let’s take Bosa for instance. Over games 3-8 he played 78% of the snaps. That’s gone up to 82% in games 9-13. The difference between that 78% and 82% is a whopping 3 plays per game.

            1. Buckner – 82% games 3-8, 80% games 9-13

              Armstead – 70% games 3-8, 80% games 9-13

              Of the 49ers core 3, the biggest increase is Armstead. His 10% increase equates to 8 more snaps per game.

              1. Interesting. I was under the impression Buckner, Armstead and Bosa were playing a smaller share of snaps than that earlier in the year. I stand corrected.

      2. To put those last 3 game numbers in perspective, the Chip Kelly team of 2016 was on the field for 33:12 per game and allowed an average of 22.4 first downs per game.

  23. I found it curious that everyone appears to be looking past the Rams- I think if they go spread and get the ball out early, and blitz the run as they did Seattle, they can potentially put some pressure on the 49ers at home. I am also surprised that with the injuries, the Niners are laying 10.5 against a resurgent Falcons team.

  24. Grant posed the idea that Deebo is the best combination of speed and power as a runner on the team. Deebo is great as a rookie. What do you guys think about that statement?

    Breida, Mostert and Coleman all run 4.34-4.39 40’s and take tacklers head on most of the time.

    Deeebo runs a 4.48 and often has tacklers from the side or behind. Sometimes from the front. He’s often already at speed when he gets the ball too.

    To me it’s not an apples to apples comparison.

  25. With DJ Jones joining Kwon, Moore, and Blair on season ending IR and Dee Ford out for I’m assuming the remainder of the regular season, they really need guys like Solomon and Taylor to step up. This front 7 was dominant early on, but the depth has been challenged. Givens or Street should be Joining the roster soon. With any luck they’ll be fresh and ready to roll.
    With Tartt, Sherman and Williams out, this secondary is going to need an extra push from the guys up front.
    Man, the injuries are insane

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