Niners keep rolling
It hasn’t been the offensive explosions of the past, but the San Francisco 49ers are slowly making their way back after an 0-2 start of the season. They defeated the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, 20-14, in the Georgia Dome to win their fifth consecutive game.
The Niners defense has been dominant. They held the Falcons to just 292 total yards and just 48 on the ground. Most of the passing yards came late in the game. The Niners sacked Falcons’ QB Chris Chandler twice.
On the season, the 49ers’ D is only giving up 11.9 points and 182 total yards which is #1 in the NFL. Teams are only rushing for 64 yards per game against them at a 2.6 per carry average.
On the offensive side, the Niners got another efficient day from QB Steve Young. He hit on 68% of his passes for 213 yards and a TD. He is leading the league in passer rating at 105.5.
The Niners ground game is starting to get into high gear. They rushed for 160 as a team and Garrison Hearst had 111 yards on 20 carries and a TD.
As for the Falcons, Chris Chandler was harassed all game long, but he did throw for 257 yards and 2 TDs. Terrence Mathis caught six passes for 76 yards and 2 TDs.
The Niners will try to keep things rolling as they have an NFC West showdown against the 6-2 New Orleans Saints in the Superdome. The Niners beat the Saints 31-17 in week 3.
The Falcons have dropped four in a row and are now 2-5. They will travel to Charlotte on Sunday and face the Panthers on Sunday Night Football.