The San Francisco 49ers had a nice 26-21 win over the New Orleans Saints over the weekend, staying ahead of their opponent by one or two scores for much of the game en route to a road victory.
It was the type of game that San Francisco wasn’t able to carve out last season. Working with a backup quarterback and with some key players injured, it was a good moment for the youth-laden team, providing an early litmus test.
Heading into the year, it was no surprise that the 49ers were going to rely more on their younger players, especially after having a quiet offseason and drafting 11 rookies. In fact, head coach Kyle Shanahan held a veterans-only meeting with certain key players on the team, acknowledging the need for development and patience with the younger guys this offseason.
That plan is starting to pay off, as several members of the 49ers rookie class had strong games in Week 2, including first-round pick Mykel Williams.
Williams had a quiet day on the stat sheet in Week 1, but had one of the highest double-team rates and was effectively chewing down blocks in the run game. In Week 2, his impact carried over, directly helping Nick Bosa to a sack, among other plays.
“I think he looks more comfortable the more he goes,” Shanahan said about Williams. “I thought just from an assignment standpoint, I thought he did a lot better this week. Also, from a production standpoint, got in the backfield a number of times, had some TFLs. I thought he really affected the quarterback on [DL Nick] Bosa’s sack there on the second-to-last drive of the series, just pushing the pocket and making him try to escape through the B-gap, and Bosa coming back underneath to get that sack. So, I thought he was a lot of good things.”
Second-round pick Alfred Collins, who was the subject of criticism for a slow start this offseason, also did some nice things in Week 2, constantly being a disruptor when on the field. Cornerback Upton Stout has been one of the early trial-by-fire candidates on the 49ers’ defense, starting Week 1 and getting picked on by the Seahawks.
While he did give up a few catches to Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the 49ers adjusted this week with more man-to-man looks for Stout and zone looks with Ji’Ayir Brown as a big nickel, giving the rookie more comfort. He was flagged for a very controversial pass interference on 3rd & 12, where it seemed Stout had made a great play in coverage to help the defense get off the field. He’ll need more growth, but there is some promise there early in man coverage.
Even seventh-round pick Connor Colby was thrown into the fire, taking over at left guard after Ben Bartch suffered an injury. Colby had a clean slate over 36 pass-blocking snaps and did some nice things moving defenders in the run game as well, impressing Kyle Shanahan.
“I’ve loved how he’s been here so far, and I thought he came in that game early, I think it was late first quarter, I’m not sure, but I thought he did a hell of a job, made some plays,” Shanahan said. “He’ll get better the more he plays. But, he was ready for the moment and definitely helped us with that win.”
With Bartch likely out this week, Colby has an opportunity to take over that left guard spot and keep it with improved play.
Overall, the 49ers had a plan to develop and play some of their younger pieces early this season. So far, that plan is working pretty, pretty well.
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