49ers notebook: Victory over Saints comes at cost, team wins with heavy hearts
Sunday’s epic victory in New Orleans might have come at a significant cost for the 49ers.
The team during the game lost a handful of key starters due to injury. Starting center Weston Richburg may have a long-term right leg injury after being carted off the field in the third quarter.
Cornerback Richard Sherman left the game with a hamstring injury and couldn’t play during the final series when the Saints marched to take the lead inside the final minute. Pass rusher Dee Ford, who missed the past two games with a hamstring strain, aggravated the injury in the first half and didn’t return. Additionally, standout cornerback K’Waun Williams left in the second half with with a concussion.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t sound optimistic on the status of Richburg, his center, who signed for five years, $47.5 million in free agency in 2018. He had been having a strong season anchoring the inside of the offensive line.
“I just saw him on crutches. I don’t think it’s going to be too good but we won’t know until (Monday),” Shanahan said.
Richburg was replaced by Ben Garland, a six-year veteran who had stints with the Atlanta Falcons while Shanahan was there and Denver Broncos. Garland struggled when he had to replace Richburg during a stint in the Nov. 11 loss to the Seahawks, including surrendering a sack that led to a turnover.
“Losing Weston’s big. He’s the center position of the offensive line. He’s one of the captains of our group,” left tackle Joe Staley said.
But Garland didn’t have any noticeable hiccups while replacing Richburg in the tough environment Sunday provided by the raucous Superdome.
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the 49ers have been forced to replace starters along the offensive line earlier this season, including tackles Staley and Mike McGlinchey.
“I think we have a deep group,” Staley said. “Guys just step in and that just it speaks to the urgency that everyone has the way that they understand the next man up and just how special this team is.”
In other injury news, defensive end Nick Bosa dealt with a knee injury but returned to the game. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon had a stinger and also came back.
Witherspoon was shaken up on a tackle of backup quarterback Taysom Hill in the red zone early in the second quarter. But he returned to the game had a good coverage on a third-down incompletion forcing the Saints to settle for a 55-yard field goal, with no first downs, after Jimmy Garoppolo’s interception.
There will be more clarity on San Francisco’s injury status Monday when Shanahan addresses the media. The 49ers host the 4-9 Falcons on Sunday.
49ers honor CEO’s brother with decals
The 49ers had a TY decal on their helmet to commemorate Tony York, the brother of team CEO, Jed, who died a year ago Saturday. He was 35.
“Today meant a lot to my family. Thanks to the team for fighting so hard and the #faithful for representing,” York tweeted afterwards.
Added general manager John Lynch, also on Twitter: “This W was for the York family.....RIP Tony.”
Shanahan gave game balls to members of the York family afterwards, according to a report from NBC Sports Bay Area.
▪ San Francisco’s five passing touchdowns – four from Garoppolo and one from receiver Emmanuel Sanders –were the most in a regular season game since Oct. 1990, when they had six in Atlanta.
Sanders became the receiver in team history to record passing and throwing touchdowns in the same game. He became the fifth player since 1970 to do it in two more or games. He threw a touchdown with the Broncos last season against the Cardinals in addition to making six catches for 102 yards and a score.
▪ The 49ers had just four receivers active as Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis had been dealing with nagging injuries of late. Pettis missed last week’s game in Baltimore after spraining his knee during a practice. Goodwin popped up on the injury report on Friday with knee and foot issues.
That meant Sanders, Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne and Richie James Jr. were the only available wideouts.
The 49ers didn’t miss Goodwin or Pettis as they had their second most yards of the season, 516, after recording 571 Week 2 in Cincinnati.
▪ Matt Breida, the team’s leading rusher, was back in the lineup after missing the past three games with an ankle sprain. He had six carries for 54 yards. Tevin Coleman was used sparingly for a second straight week and had just 6 yards on three carries as Raheem Mostert led the way again with 69 yards on 10 runs.
▪ Staley appeared in just his fourth game of the year due to finger surgery following the Nov. 11 loss to the Seahawks.
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 5:15 PM.
