Neither team’s offense led to anything during most of “SNF.”
It wasn’t attractive; in fact, it was extremely off-putting. However, the Broncos won for the second week in a row. Denver beat the 49ers on Sunday Night Football,” forcing three fumbles and a safety to win 11-10, just the second game in NFL history to end with that score. That was despite another rough stretch for Russell Wilson and the offense. The low-scoring contest pushes the Broncos and Chiefs atop the AFC West, while San Francisco falls below .500 in the NFC West.
Here are some quick lessons to learn from Sunday night’s interconference:
Why did the Broncos win?
Nathaniel Hackett’s offense, which is still completely out of rhythm, has a defense that can contain it. In all seriousness, the Denver “D” stood firm when it mattered most. It was tough from start to finish. The team had four different players, including Jimmy Garoppolo Bradley Chubb and Josie Jewell, while allowing just one third-down conversion the entire game. The immediate pressure on Garoppolo earlier in the night took the quarterback out of his end zone for a safety that would prove decisive in the final score. A late game pick and fumble recovery essentially clinched their win.
The less said about Hackett’s group, the better, as they continue to be plagued by wayward pitching, poor defense and conservative play-calling. But at least Wilson connected often with Courtland Sutton (8-97) in the closing minutes to score the game-winning goal, showing flashes of his former dual threat. Their output may not have been enough against a top contender, but against a 49ers team plagued by mistakes and injuries, it was enough.
Why The 49ers Lost
Losing left tackle Trent Williams in the third quarter didn’t help, but San Francisco’s problems were more serious. On a night when Denver essentially stumbled while in possession, everything was set up for a win. Yet Jimmy Gee, Kyle Shanahan’s offensive coordinator, could only send the ball to Deebo Samuel or Brandon Ayuk in space when it wasn’t third down, never stringing together big plays. Jeff Wilson was underutilized on the ground, despite averaging 6 yards per sack.
In addition, despite a strong start and some fantastic precision throws, Garoppolo faltered in several crucial situations, such as when he threw a pick into an effective triple coverage with a line play or accidentally dropped back outside the end zone for a safety. A fatal error was made by Wilson, who fumbled in their last shot. Their seven penalties marred what would otherwise have been a strong performance by a defense that sacked Wilson four times and tired him numerous times.
Turning point
Garoppolo’s unwanted safety early in the game may have greatly affected the final score. Still, it was Wilson’s free throws in the fourth quarter that had the most significant impact in terms of the flow of the game. With 8:16 remaining and the Broncos trailing 10-5 and unable to move the ball early, Russ took the plunge and connected with Kendall Hinton on a magnificent 27-yard pass to set up the team’s only touchdown in the game. The pressure was on for San Francisco to immediately start its offense once Denver officially took the lead.
Game of the game
The kind of play Wilson made with his dart to Hinton while in motion was exactly what the Broncos were paying him to produce.
.@Kendall_Hinton2 appreciative tweet ?
?: NBCpic.twitter.com/qokkQ8gRoy
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 26, 2022
What next
On Monday Night Football, the 49ers (1-2) will host another prime-time game against the rival Rams (2-1). While the Raiders (0-3) lost a close game to the Titans on Sunday, the rival Broncos (2-1) will try to stay above .500 by traveling to Vegas to play them.
#BroncosCountry LIVE: @DangeRussWilson responds to the media after #SFvsDEN
(Presented by @RootInsurance) https://t.co/NwA1IIXohj
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 26, 2022
Final Thoughts:
Broncos win for second straight week. Although Russell Wilson and the offense struggled, Denver beat the 49ers 11-10 on Sunday Night Football, forcing three turnovers and a safety. It was only the second time in NFL history that a game ended with that score.
It’s all in this post. Stay tuned for more latest updates on Leedaily.com.