49ers vs. Saints: Key moments and analysis from New Orleans’ blowout win
The San Francisco 49ers got off to a hot start Sunday but couldn’t sustain it, even after New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees left the game at halftime with an apparent rib injury.
San Francisco on Sunday fell to 4-6 with a 27-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The game included four turnovers for the road team, including two on special teams, that led to New Orleans getting short fields on three of their scoring drives.
Nick Mullens was intercepted twice and had to throw more than the 49ers, who averaged just 2.0 yards per carry, would have hoped. He completed 24 of 38 passes for 247 yards, with an early touchdown. San Francisco out gained the Saints, 281-237, in the offensive struggle. But the defense’s showing couldn’t overcome the gaggle of mistakes in the other two phases.
Here’s a run down of the key moments in the 49ers loss ahead with their bye coming next week.
First quarter
The 49ers drove the length of field on the game’s opening possession, going 75 yards over 13 plays, while converting all three of their third downs. The drive was capped by rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s fifth touchdown of the season. He was wide open in the right flat from 4-yards out after going in motion before the snap.
Mullens on the drive completed 6 of 7 passes for 47 yards, which included targeting Aiyuk four times.
San Francisco threw a wrinkle at the Saints by starting Tarvarius Moore at safety alongside Jimmie Ward to replace strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, who is out for the season with a turf toe injury sustained last week.
The Saints went three-and-out on their first possession as Brees missed Michael Thomas over the middle on third down. Then San Francisco went three-and-out, but caught a huge break when the return man Deonte Harris muffed the punt allowing Marcell Harris to make the recovery at midfield.
The 49ers converted a third-and-short with a run to fullback Kyle Juszczyk and then Mullens completed a 21-yard throw to a diving Ross Dwelley while also taking a late hit to the chin for a personal foul, setting up the ball at New Orleans’ 6-yard line. But Mullens on third down was sacked by linebacker Demario Davis, beating Jerick McKinnon’s block, forcing San Francisco to settle for a short field goal to make it 10-0 on the first play of the second quarter.
Because of the Saints’ three-and-out and the muffed punt, the 49ers ran 23 plays to just three for the home team in the first quarter.
Second quarter
Harris made up for his muffed punt with a big kickoff return, setting Brees up at the 49ers’ 25-yard line, but the home team had to settle for a 49-yard field goal after failing to get a first down for a second straight possession.
49ers tight end Jordan Reed made a spectacular, one-handed catch on a third-and-long but it was short of the first down and the 49ers had to punt. The catch was worth an extra look.
After San Francisco’s defense forced another punt, the 49ers made their first big mistake of the game. Punt returner Trent Taylor decided not to catch a punt and it bounced off Ken Webster, allowing the Saints to pick up the ball and recover the fumble.
Compounding things, defensive lineman Kentavius Street had his first career sack wiped out by a very questionable roughing the passer penalty. It led to Alvin Kamara tying the game with a 2-yard touchdown run on a pitch to the left.
The Street sack would have set up a third-and-long from the 29, but instead New Orleans was given a first-down at the 11, three plays before the touchdown.
The 49ers beyond midfield tried going for it on fourth-and-1 just inside the 2-minute warning, but McKinnon was stuffed in the backfield for a 2-yard loss, giving the ball back to the Saints at their 43-yard line with 1:50 remaining.
New Orleans got down to San Francisco’s 15 on a 34-yard catch and run from Kamara, and Kamara gave the Saints a 17-10 lead with a 3-yard touchdown catch in the right flat. It took the Saints 35 seconds to score after the failed fourth down.
Third quarter
The Saints put backup Jameis Winston at quarterback in place of Brees, who was clearly banged up from the hit from Street that drew the flag in the second quarter. Winston, of course, led the NFL in passing yards with Tampa Bay last season, but also tossed a league-leading 30 interceptions, which had never been done before. The Saints went three-and-out on their first possession.
San Francisco made another big mistake in Saints territory midway through the third quarter when Mullens was intercepted by safety Malcolm Jenkins on a pass right to him.
The 49ers forced a punt on the following possession after rookie defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw recorded his first career sack.
There were no points in the third quarter, though the Saints out-gained the 49ers, 81-28, while San Francisco failed to convert any of its three third-down attempts.
Fourth quarter
The 49ers defense started to get into gear, sacking Winston on back to back snaps, but then linebacker Fred Warner was flagged for a facemasking penalty that negated a stop on third-and-goal from the 15, giving New Orleans a first down at the 6.
However, the damage was mitigated by the defense holding and forcing a 23-yard field goal attempt that made it 20-10, Saints.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan decided to get creative on a third-and-21 play by bringing in third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard, who has a better arm than Mullens, to throw a deep ball to Richie James, who got behind the Saints secondary.
The problem: Beathard badly underthrew James and the pass was nearly intercepted by safety Marcus Williams.
The 49ers were about to get the ball back with a chance to make it a one-score game, only Richie James Jr., in because of Taylor’s miscue on the early punt return, muffed another punt giving it right back to the Saints, and leading to Kamara’s third touchdown of the game. It gave the Saints a 27-10 lead.
The 49ers made it a 27-13 game with a 40-yard field goal at the six-minute mark. It came after Aiyuk drew a long pass interference penalty on a deep pass down the right sideline. Shanahan elected to kick it deep afterwards while he had three timeouts available.
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 2:58 PM.
