Tag: 49ers colts

Observations from 49ers abysmal loss to Colts

The #49ers get blown out at home vs. the Colts. Our observations from an abysmal night at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers fell to the Colts at home 30-18 in a wet and nasty game Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium.

If anyone cares to relive that — here are our observations throughout whatever that was:

Watch: Jimmy Garoppolo carves up Colts, hits Deebo Samuel for TD

Three consecutive completions for Jimmy G, including a TD pass to Deebo Samuel, help the #49ers cut the Colts lead to 20-18/

 

The 49ers offense wasn’t going anywhere, so head coach Kyle Shanahan had quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo take to the air. Three consecutive throws off play-action bootlegs went for 29 yards, 27 yards, then 14 yards. The final toss was a touchdown to Deebo Samuel that cut the Colts lead to 20-18. Samuel is up to 100 yards on seven catches.

Watch: Carson Wentz does the most Carson Wentz thing ever, Azeez Al-Shaair takes advantage

Watch: Carson Wentz does a very Carson Wentz thing and the #49ers have their second takeaway.

Nick Bosa provided the pressure, and Carson Wentz reverted back into Carson Wentz. With a second-and-goal and looking to take the lead, Wentz got pressured from his blind side by Bosa. Wentz extended the play a little and tried to shovel the ball out as he was going down. The wet ball slipped and it floated right to 49ers LB Azeez Al-Shaair for San Francisco’s second takeaway of the game.

Watch: Elijah Mitchell gives 49ers early lead over Colts

The 49ers got an early lead over the Colts thanks to an Elijah Mitchell touchdown run.

It was all Elijah Mitchell on the 49ers’ opening series Sunday night. They went 78 yards in eight plays to put a touchdown on the board, but Mitchell accounted for 57 of those yards on five carries including three consecutive carries of 14 yards, 20 yards and then a 14-yard touchdown.

6 most important 49ers in Week 7 matchup vs. Colts

These 6 #49ers need to have good games against the Colts.

The 49ers need a win against the Colts. Falling to 2-4 and losing after the bye against a 2-4 Indianapolis club would send San Francisco down a 2021 path that only ends in disaster.

A strong team-wide is vital for the 49ers, who have myriad issues to iron out to get back to the playoff-caliber club they expected to be going into the year, big games from these six players are especially important:

DeForest Buckner did not expect trade from 49ers

The 49ers trade of DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts wasn’t anticipated by the defensive lineman.

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The 49ers at the start of free agency uprooted what looked to be the foundation of a dominant defensive line when they traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Given his contributions and the leadership role he’d taken on since joining the club as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 draft, it seemed unconscionable that the 49ers would trade Buckner.

Word of the trade wasn’t just a shock for 49ers fans. It took Buckner by surprise as well. The Colts defensive lineman told the Athletic’s Zak Keefer in an excellent feature that while he had an idea the team was looking to move him after negotiations of a long-term deal stalled out, he still wasn’t anticipating the move.

From Keefer:

So Buckner and his agent, Joel Segal, told the 49ers they had a trade partner lined up a full week before free agency began. The Colts were ready. Inside, Buckner clung to the possibility of a return, unlikely as it seemed. He figured the Colts’ offer would serve as leverage.

He was wrong.

“I was hoping the 49ers would at least meet me in the middle,” he admits now. “I definitely didn’t expect them to trade me. I poured my heart and soul into that organization … to go from 2-14 my first year to build a culture and get to a Super Bowl?

“You just don’t expect to be traded.”

That kind of line from Buckner only adds insult to injury for the 49ers while they struggle to find stability on the defensive side among a rash of injuries.

San Francisco wound up securing defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the draft after multiple trades facilitated by the No. 13 pick they acquired for Buckner.

They also extended defensive lineman Arik Armstead, re-signed safety Jimmie Ward, traded for Trent Williams, and extended George Kittle with the additional salary cap flexibility the Buckner trade gave them. On paper and in a calculator, it makes sense.

Perhaps long-term the move works out and the 49ers extend their championship window. For now though it’s hard to say San Francisco “won” the trade, especially when an All-Pro caliber player like Buckner wanted to stay.