Tag: Kendrick Bourne

All Kendrick Bourne does is move the chains and score TDs

Third-year undrafted receiver Kendrick Bourne is carving out an important niche in the 49ers’ receiving corps.

Kendrick Bourne isn’t at the top of the list of the 49ers’ most important players. He’s not even at the top of the list of their most important wide receivers. However, the role he’s carved out in the 49ers’ receiving corps has turned him into a vital component of San Francisco’s No. 2-ranked scoring offense.

A quick look at the numbers don’t reveal anything mind-blowing from the third-year receiver. He had 30 catches for 358 yards and five touchdowns. In fact, Bourne was probably known more for his rough game against Seattle where he had multiple key drops than anything else this season.

However, a deeper dive into the numbers shows how vital his role is as the team’s third receiver behind Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders.

Bourne caught 30 passes this season. 23 of those went for first downs. Five of them went for touchdowns.

His first reception of the year came in Week 1 against the Buccaneers – a 9-yard catch on a second-and-22.

His second catch came the following week against the Bengals – a 4-yard catch on first-and-10.

After Week 2, every one of Bourne’s catches went for either a first down or a touchdown.

There was perhaps no better encapsulation of Bourne’s value than in Week 14 against the Saints. In that game, Bourne caught three passes for 18 yards. His first was a 6-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 7-7.

His second catch was a 6-yard grab on third-and-6 in the fourth quarter with the 49ers trailing by two. Bourne caught the pass short of the sticks, then made a nice move to turn upfield and get across the first-down marker.

His final catch was another 6-yard touchdown on the same drive as his third-down conversion.

Three catches, two touchdowns, and a huge third-down conversion. That’s become the norm for Bourne in an offense that’s desperately needed additional playmakers.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan earlier in the year talked about Bourne and why he’s so effective in big moments:

“He has a lot of fun out there,” Shanahan said. “Sometimes he will make mistakes, but I also think it’s a gift and a curse, it’s also why he’s never freaking out out there, either. He is loose, and the game’s not too big for him, no matter what the situation is.”

Bourne, an undrafted rookie in 2017, is in the final year of his rookie contract and carved out a niche in the 49ers’ offense that makes him extremely valuable for the team moving forward.

Going into the postseason, players like George Kittle, Emmanuel Sanders, Deebo Samuel and Raheem Mostert will get a lot of the attention. Bourne and his knack for converting third downs and finding the end zone is just as vital to the 49ers’ success though.

Studs and duds from 49ers tough loss to Atlanta

Who was good and who wasn’t in the 49ers’ loss to the Falcons?

The good news coming out of Sunday is the 49ers clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2013. The bad news is that with their loss against the Falcons, the 49ers dropped to the No. 5 seed in the NFC, going from home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a first-round bye, to a road game in the wild card round.

The 49ers were missing several key pieces on defense and it showed, especially late in the game. Here are the studs and duds from their upset 29-22 loss to Atlanta:

Stud: TE George Kittle

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Kittle followed his game-winning play last week with a monster performance. He posted a career-high 13 receptions for 134 yards. The 134 receiving yards accounted for 67 percent of Jimmy Garoppolo’s 200 passing yards. Garoppolo also targeted the tight end on 17 of his 34 throws. Kittle was the largest part of the 49ers’ offense on Sunday, and without him the game would have been nowhere near as close as it was. The 49ers are used to Kittle being an important piece, but he can’t continue as their lone receiving threat if they’re going to make a run in the postseason.

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WATCH: 49ers take 42-33 lead on Jimmy Garoppolo’s 4th TD pass

Jimmy Garoppolo is torching the Saints in New Orleans.

It’s another four-touchdown day for Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers needed a long drive with points to start the fourth quarter in New Orleans. They went 14 plays, 55 yards and ate up 6:57 of game clock. Garoppolo found Kendrick Bourne with 8:59 left in the fourth quarter to give the 49ers a 42-33 lead.

What a play by Garoppolo to extend the play and throw to a tight window, and by Bourne to pull down a contested catch in the red zone. Bourne has two touchdown catches and a crucial third-down conversion. He’s been huge.

WATCH: Jimmy Garoppolo caps terrific 1st drive with TD to Kendrick Bourne

The 49ers got on the board on their first series thanks to a stellar drive by Jimmy Garoppolo.

Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers answered the Saints’ opening touchdown with one of their own. Garoppolo was sensational on the series. He completed four-of-five passes for 81 yards and a six-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Bourne.

49ers’ trio of WRs emerging as reliable threats just in time for postseason push

The 49ers’ receiving corps is starting to play like a Super Bowl-caliber unit behind Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders and Kendrick Bourne.

The 49ers seem to have found an answer to their wide receiver problem, and it came at just the right time.

After drops plagued the receiving corps in a Week 10 loss to the Seahawks, and nearly doomed them early in Week 11 vs. the Cardinals, the 49ers receiving corps has started to solidify thanks to the trio of Emmanuel Sanders, Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne.

Those three receivers ate up nearly all of the snaps for receivers Sunday in Baltimore. Sanders played 56 of 57 snaps. Samuel played 55, and Bourne played 25. The only other receiver to get playing time on offense was Richie James, who played two. Marquise Goodwin saw just one play on special teams, while Dante Pettis missed the contest with a knee injury.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday told reporters that the Sanders-Samuel-Bourne trio are the three players who’ve separated themselves in a once underwhelming receivers room.

“We feel those three guys have earned the right to be out there more than the rest,” Shanahan said. “We feel they have been the most consistent and started playing the best here over the last month or so. So, we have planned to do that more. I don’t like how much they went. I think we do have to rotate a little bit more and keep those guys fresh.”

Sanders, Samuel and Bourne wound up catching nine passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. Jimmy Garoppolo completed just 15 throws for 165 yards and one touchdown. The receivers were responsible for effectively all of the team’s production through the air on a rainy Baltimore afternoon.

Their production is welcome after the passing game hit a low point against the Seahawks. Sanders got hurt in that game, and key drops by Samuel, Pettis, Goodwin and Bourne all played a role in the 49ers’ 27-24 overtime loss. Samuel had a good game with eight catches for 112 yards, but the overall production from the receiving corps looked like it might plague the 49ers all season.

Sanders on Sunday looked healthier than he’s looked since sustaining a rib injury against Seattle. Samuel continues to develop into a weapon, going up to haul in a 33-yard touchdown catch between two defenders. And Bourne caught all three balls thrown his way, including a nice catch on a ball thrown low and behind him that he turned upfield for a 30-yard completion.

They’ve combined for 87 catches, 1,114 yards and eight touchdowns through 13 weeks, and Sanders has only played with the club since Week 8. The 49ers’ top three wide receivers through all of last season (Bourne, Pettis and Trent Taylor) combined for 95 receptions, 1,169 yards and 10 touchdowns. Bourne’s team-best 487 yards from last season have already been eclipsed by Samuel, with Bourne and Sanders set to pass or get near that mark by the end of the year.

Getting high-end production from that group is less important than getting consistent production. They’ve proven they can be dangerous, and teams are going to have to start ensuring they’re not selling out to stop the 49ers’ run game. Better receivers will mean a more diverse, effective offensive attack. Tack on George Kittle’s regular dominance, Kyle Juszczyk and the team’s quartet of running backs, and suddenly there’s a group of pass catchers with the chance to be dominant.

Despite a minimal role for Richie James, and declining a declining role for Goodwin, Shanahan is still optimistic the team will continue working to get them more involved and producing with some consistency.

“We also have confidence in the other two guys that are there so we need to use them,” the head coach said. “Richie came in and I know made a huge block on Raheem’s (Mostert) long touchdown run, and I know ‘Quise is ready to go. So, we’ve got to make sure that we do get them in a little bit more. That has changed here and it’s gotten a little more each week here over the last month.”

The good news for the 49ers is they’re no longer in a position where they have to play unproductive receivers in hopes of getting a breakout game. They have a group they know they can rely on, which allows them to work the guys lower on the roster in a little more judiciously.

Roles may expand some for players like James, Goodwin and Pettis, but the emergence of Sanders, Samuel and Bourne as a reliable trio has the 49ers offense in position to be as potent as its ever been just in time for a playoff run.

Kendrick Bourne holds on, gives 49ers lead with 3-yard TD

Drops weren’t a problem for the 49ers when they took a 23-19 lead over the Cardinals.

There weren’t any drop issues for the 49ers on their 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended the third quarter and opened the fourth.

Deebo Samuel made a remarkable grab on the sideline, then Kendrick Bourne snatched a 3-yard touchdown grab to give San Francisco the lead.

Those are two huge plays from a receiving corps missing its two best pass catchers. Emmanuel Sanders is dealing with a rib injury and hasn’t been in the game since an awkward tackle early in the third quarter.

Can’t win them all: Studs and duds from 49ers 1st loss of 2019

Monday night was an incredible football game between two rival teams with plenty ramifications for later in the season. 

Monday night was an incredible football game between two rival teams with plenty ramifications for later in the season. Unfortunately, the 49ers came up on the short end and suffered their first loss of the year at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers came in with several key injuries and had several more during the game that hindered the team, but they still had plenty of chances to keep their undefeated season alive.

There was a lot to unpack following the 27-24 overtime loss that dropped the 49ers to 8-1. Here are the studs and duds from a back-and-forth Monday night contest:

Dud: QB Jimmy Garoppolo

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With all the circumstances around the game tonight, Garoppolo had a chance to put himself in the top tier of quarterbacks. Without tight end George Kittle entering the game, and losing wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders during the . contest, made things hard on the quarterback, but he could have taken the opportunity to step up and make plays. He unfortunately couldn’t do it.

There were too many mistakes from him Monday night, including several bad throws and two costly fumbles that led to two Seattle touchdowns. His 66.2 passer rating Monday night was the third-lowest number for Garoppolo as a 49er. Tonight shouldn’t call into question about Garoppolo’s viability as a starting quarterback, but it could lead to questions about his ceiling.

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49ers vs. Seahawks: 3 things that stood out in the 3rd quarter

The 49ers will have some work to do in the fourth quarter after Jimmy Garoppolo turned the ball over twice in the third quarter.

The 49ers will have some work to do in the fourth quarter after Jimmy Garoppolo turned the ball over twice in the third quarter. Seattle was able to capitalize on both turnovers, and turned both into touchdowns and a 21-10 lead.

Here’s what stood out in the third quarter.

Another forced fumble for the defense

After ending Seattle’s final drive of the first half with a fumble, the 49ers did it once again on Seattle’s opening drive of the second half. The Seahawks were moving the ball well against the San Francisco defense for the first time, but K’waun Williams punched the ball out of Rashaad Penny’s hands and DeForest Buckner picked it up. Seattle has started to move the ball against the 49ers defense, but the turnovers have now slowed Seattle twice.

49ers can’t take advantage of the takeaway

The offense had a huge chance to take control of the game following the fumble recovery, but couldn’t take advantage. They got into a decent spot with a fourth-and-2 in plus territory, but Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew Deebo Samuel for a turnover on downs. The offense hasn’t done much all night, and put a lot of pressure on the defense.

Off of Bourne’s hands, into Diggs’ and Seattle leads

Turnovers have played a huge role in the game, and Jimmy Garoppolo’s second interception of the contest led to Seattle taking the lead. On first-and-10, Garoppolo threw a pass that was high, intended for Kendrick Bourne, that Bourne could have caught, but it tipped off his fingers into the hands of Quandre Diggs who returned the ball to the 49ers 16-yard-line. The play proved costly as Seattle took the turnover and turned it into points with a touchdown to take their first lead.

49ers vs. Seahawks: 3 things that stood out in the 2nd quarter

One mistake from Jimmy Garoppolo turned the tide of the game and the 49ers hold onto a three point lead at the half. 

The final three minutes of the first half featured several swings, and when the dust settled the 49ers lead 10-7 at intermission. Seattle took momentum with a scoop-and-score from Jadeveon Clowney on a Jimmy Garoppolo fumble that provided the only scoring for the Seahawks. Seattle looked to take the lead, but a huge strip from Jaquiski Tartt ended that hope.

It’s a one-possession game with 30 minutes left. Here’s what stood out in the second quarter:

Warner’s first sack is a big one

Seattle’s offense was threatening to score for the first time with a third-and-4 inside 49ers territory when Fred Warner collected the first sack of his career. Mike Iupati left a hole wide open for Warner to not just bring up a fourth down, but knock Seattle out of field goal range.

Garoppolo’s athletic throw and Bourne’s moves lead to a first down

The 49ers faced a third-and-8 at their own 29-yard-line when Jadeveon Clowney wasted little time getting past Joe Staley to Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo quickly got rid of the ball to Kendrick Bourne four yards short of the marker, but Bourne made a few moves and got the first down to continue the drive. The series would only last three more plays until the 49ers had to punt.

Tartt’s takeaway changes tide

The Seahawks had all the momentum following a defensive touchdown and were driving the ball late in the quarter. Wilson hit DK Metcalfm who turned up field and powered through several would-be tacklers until Jaquiski Tartt stripped the ball prior forcing the turnover at the two-yard-line. The drive ended Seattle’s late push to take the lead before the half, and may have given the 49ers the momentum back.

WATCH: Jimmy Garoppolo hits Kendrick Bourne for 10-yard TD pass

Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing again and the 49ers lead the Seahawks early.

Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing again. He led a seven-play, 83-yard scoring drive on the 49ers’ second possession on Monday night. He capped the series with a 10-yard strike to Kendrick Bourne, who strolled in for an easy score and a 10-0 49ers lead.

Garoppolo is 7-of-11 for 89 yards and a touchdown.  Bourne has two catches for 26 yards and a score.