Winning ain’t always pretty. The San Francisco 49ers received a nice reminder of that on Sunday. They beat the Eagles by a score of 17-11, and the game saw San Francisco outclassed by their opponent for a significant portion of the afternoon.
Tight end George Kittle called the win “dirty,” and linebacker Fred Warner described the victory with the word “grimy.” That’s what happens when your opponent outgains you 204 yards to 64 in the game’s first 27 minutes (per the San Francisco Chronicle). But the 49ers stuck with it, producing a goal line stand that turned into the first of two 90-plus yard drives by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and crew.
“It was just staying with it,” Warner said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “It wasn’t our best ball, by any means. But just staying with it and coming up big in those moments.”
It certainly wasn’t San Francisco’s best, but it was plenty good enough on Sunday in Philadelphia. Here’s the 49ers first score of the day, from Garoppolo to wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
And here’s the defensive stand that set that touchdown drive up.
Looks like the Eagles tried a “Philly Special” Part II. That certainly didn’t work.
Now the 49ers are 2-0 and have yet to play a complete football game. Coach Kyle Shanahan has a group with lots of room to grow. Time will tell if San Francisco can evolve into a Super Bowl contender as many have predicted in 2021.
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