This really shouldn’t have been too surprising, though the Chargers did make a game of it. The San Francisco 49ers moved closer to retaking the lead of the NFC West with their 22-16 win against the injury-riddled Los Angeles Chargers.
The NFC West is the 49ers division to lose now. With both the Seahawks and the defending Super Bowl Champions (for now), the Rams, both losing on Sunday, the 49ers are really the only team left that can put together a huge winning streak with their remaining eight games to climb the NFC standings.
The Rams are going to miss the playoffs, the Cardinals are a joke, and the Seahawks are way too inexperienced to cement their place in the playoffs, which leaves the battle-tested 49ers to carry the NFC West title. Well, at least in my opinion, but I think this win just showed it.
Coming off a bye and having played two less games than nearly everyone else in the NFL, the 49ers were destined to come out rusty and lethargic against a hyped-up Chargers team. And they did.
Without his top three or four (IDK at this point, the Chargers have so many injuries), Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense got off to a flying start in Santa Clara. On the first drive of the game, Justin Herbet unleashed a 40-yard bomb downfield to find DeAndre Carter for the game’s opening touchdown, stunning the 49ers fans into silence.
It really was a fantastic throw that signifies everything about Justin Herbert’s game: huge, stamina-less arm strength.
And the 6th overall pick in 2020 miraculously followed that up with three more drives (all ending in field goals) in the 2nd Quarter to extend the Chargers lead to 16-10 going into halftime. Even though the Chargers ended up losing this game, it was hard not to be impressed with how Herbert fought for every yard.
He still managed to go 21/35 for 195 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT, even though he’s missing Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, WR Jalen Guyton, his TE Donald Partman Jr., his LT Rashawn Slater, and his C Isaac Weaver. Oh, and I shouldn’t forget to add that the Chargers are also without All-Pro DE Joey Bosa, All-Pro CB J.C. Jackson, LB Damon Lloyd, DE Otito Ogbonnia, DT Austin Johnson, ad DT Forrest Merrill on defense due to injury.
Even Dustin Hopkins, their starting kicker, is out. This team is more brittle than stained glass windows.
It’s extremely impressive and inspiring to watch Justin Herbert go out game after game and compete at the highest level, even though half of his team has been sidelined with injuries. The 2020 QB class (Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, etc.) is proving to be one championed by hardworkers, fighters, and extremely talented men.
Nevertheless, the Chargers momentum came to an immediate stop as Kyle Shanahan, Christian McCaffrey, and Elijah Mitchell got the 49ers running game going in the second half. Mitchell was the real workhorse in this game as he got 18 CAR and rushed for 89 yards, while Christian McCaffrey was the ‘backup’ (as if he could be) RB with only 14 CAR for 38 yards and 1 touchdown.
I don’t know where the 49ers find these running backs, but it always seems like Kyle Shanahan is able to get the very best out of unheard-of guys year after year. Even when the Chargers were able to shut down McCaffrey, they were thumped by Elijah Mitchell for nearly 90 yards.
Without a doubt, the 49ers have the best running schemes in the NFL.
And, with such excellence in the running game, the 49ers were able to use Jimmy Garoppolo as their game manager. Completing 19/28 passes for 240 yards, Garoppolo diced the depleted Chargers defense whenever they blitzed the running gaps and then handed the ball off to Mitchell and McCaffrey when they dropped back into the secondary.
Sure, he wasn’t spectacular, but he got the job done and led the game-deciding TD drive with under 8 minutes left in the 4th Quarter to win 22-16.
Though, if I was a 49ers fan, I’d be a little concerned as to why a team with Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Elijah Mitchell, Ray-Ray Mcloud, and Kyle Shanahan calling plays on offense can’t score more than two touchdowns and 22 points on a Chargers team that has half of its defense missing. That’s concerning.
Regardless, the 49ers (5-4) will take this win every day of the week as it puts them just one game behind the Seahawks for 1st place in the NFC West with them having played a game less.
This defense, led by Fred Warner (7 tackles, 4 PD), Dre Greenlaw (7 tackles), Nick Bosa (4 tackles, 1 sack, 3 TFL, 4 QB hits), and Talanoa Hufanga (2 tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT), is legit and can stuff any offense that comes in their path while the offense has the potential of being elite.
They’re Super Bowl contenders and should take the NFC West crown.
As for the Chargers (5-4), I think they’ll be extremely lucky to squeeze into the playoffs as the 7th Wild Card team. The division title is already out of their reach, and all of their injuries are proving to be too much to overcome as they could have won this game if they had just two of their normal starters playing.
By the end of the season, I just don’t see how they will be able to compete with the Bengals, the Jets, the Patriots, the Bills, and the Dolphins (well, one of the AFC East teams will win the division), the Ravens, and the Colts for the final three spots.
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