We hand out three game balls to the San Francisco 49ers from the Niners’ 27-23 last-minute loss to the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.
On Tuesday’s Locked On 49ers Podcast, host Brian Peacock provided a rundown of the Niners’ game — including game notes and key takeaways — and handed out three game balls from the San Francisco 49ers’ heartbreaking loss to the one-win New York Giants in Week 10 the 2018 NFL regular season.
In his second start, 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens came back down to earth after his historic NFL debut in Week 9. As expected, Mullens regressed against the Giants, but his final stat line was impacted by a pair of tipped passes that fell into the hands of New York linebacker B.J. Goodson. Mullens finished the day with a quarterback rating of 73.7 after throwing for 250 yards and a touchdown score on 39 passing attempts. After the game, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Mullens will remain the starter over fellow quarterback C.J. Beathard going forward.
Mullens and the 49ers were able to mount a two-score lead to start the second half, but San Francisco’s defensive unit — who failed to take advantage of New York’s poor offensive line throughout the contest — folded in the game’s closing minutes, as they allowed quarterback Eli Manning to lead the Giants to a 27-23 comeback victory.
It comes as no surprise that our three Week 10 game balls go exclusively to players who play on the offensive side of the ball:
49ers RB Matt Breida
If we had only one game ball to hand out this week, it would go to running back Matt Breida, who continues to produce for the team despite fighting through ongoing injuries. Breida shined under the lights on Monday Night Football, as the former undrafted free agent amassed 101 yards and a score on the ground, and caught three passes for 31 yards and a touchdown through the air. San Francisco’s upcoming bye week comes at a perfect time for Breida, who should bypass 1,000 rushing yards in 2018 if he stays healthy for the remainder of the season:
49ers TE George Kittle
49ers tight end George Kittle continued his bid for All-Pro honors on Monday night, as he hauled in nine of his 10 targets for 83 receiving yards, and dominated as a blocker in San Francisco’s run game. Kittle — who quickly established himself as Mullens’ go-to receiver — has become one of the best all-around tight ends in the NFL in just his second season in the league:
49ers Offensive Line
The 49ers’ set of offensive linemen share the final game ball of the week, as they didn’t allow a sack for a second consecutive week. Although none of the Niners’ linemen particularly stood out during the contest, they worked well as a unit as they helped produce a 100-yard rusher and gave their young quarterback the time he needed in the pocket.
Listen to Locked On 49ers host Brian Peacock’s review of the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 10 loss to the New York Giants — including game notes and key takeaways from the Niners’ final game before the bye week — on Tuesday’s’ Rapid React podcast:
About the Author: Chris Wilson
