Field Level Media
Sep 20, 2020
The San Francisco 49ers overcame injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Bosa with a stellar defensive effort Sunday afternoon, limiting the host New York Jets to just two field goals before a meaningless late touchdown in a 31-13 shellacking.
A gimpy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes to tight end Jordan Reed before calling it a day at halftime, and Raheem Mostert dashed 80 yards for a TD on the first offensive play of the game, helping the 49ers (1-1) overcome an opening loss to Arizona with a decisive win.
Sam Darnold went 21-of-32 for 179 yards with a 30-yard TD to Braxton Berrios for the Jets (0-2), who opened last week with a loss at Buffalo.
With his team already ahead 7-0 thanks to Mostert's untouched run around the right side, Garoppolo injured his right ankle when sacked by Quinnen Williams in the first quarter.
The 49ers punted on the next play, giving their medical staff time to apply tape and send Garoppolo back out there, after which he limped through the rest of the first half but still managed the 18- and 4-yard touchdown passes to Reed.
Garoppolo did not play in the second half, having gone 14-of-16 for 131 yards and the two scores in the first two periods, after which the 49ers led 21-3.
Mostert, who injured his knee late in the second quarter, also did not return for the second half. He nonetheless finished as the game's leading rusher with 92 yards on just eight carries.
Backup Jerick McKinnon added a fourth-quarter touchdown on a 16-yard run, part of a 79-yard rushing day.
The San Francisco defense did the rest, despite having begun the game without standout cornerback Richard Sherman and then losing Bosa and fellow defensive lineman Solomon Thomas to knee injuries early in the game. Both were carted off the field in the first quarter.
The full extent of the Garoppolo, Bosa, Thomas and Mostert injuries was not immediately known.
New York was handcuffed offensively by the absence of running back Le'Veon Bell and wideout Jamison Crowder, both out with hamstring injuries. The Jets were held to 277 total yards, 80 of which came on the drive that produced Berrios' TD catch with just 1:23 to play.
Former 49ers running back Frank Gore rushed for 63 yards on 21 carries for the Jets, while Chris Hogan was the game's leading receiver with six catches for 75 yards.
Sam Ficken had 41- and 25-yard field goals to complete New York's scoring.
The 49ers managed 359 total yards despite Garoppolo's injury and the absence of star tight end George Kittle, who sat out with an injury. Nick Mullens quarterbacked the second half.
Kendrick Bourne was San Francisco's leading receiver with four catches for 67 yards.
--Field Level Media