Well that didn’t go exactly as planned.
After an offseason that brought optimism back to Santa Clara for the first time since Jim Harbaugh was throwing tantrums on the sideline, the 49ers’ were shellacked in the 2017 season opener on Sunday, sputtering at just about every turn in a 23-3 loss to the Panthers.
There were very few positive takeaways from Kyle Shanahan’s first game as 49ers’ head coach. The offense gained just 214 total yards, converted on 2-of-11 third downs and the team committed 10 penalties for 74 yards. When asked by Gary & Larry on Monday if there is anything 49ers fans can hang their collective hats on heading into a tough Week 2 matchup at Seattle, 49ers beat writer Eric Branch provided a single silver lining.
“Well I would say the run defense was a total joke last year,” Branch began. “They set a franchise record for most rushing yards allowed. For example, when they played Carolina Week 2 last year, Fozzy Whittaker — who is not Walter Payton — had 100 yards. (The Panthers) averaged only 3.1 rushing yards yesterday and I think 54 of their 116 came in the fourth quarter when it was a little bit of garbage time obviously. So that had to be shored up — you would hope it would be, given there are three first-round picks on the defensive front and Reuben Foster there — I mean it had to be addressed, and it looks like based on a very small sample size it has. So there is your positive.”
While the pass rush was nowhere to be found, the front four did a solid job clogging up the rushing lanes, holding both rookie Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart to less than four yards per carry. Last season the 49ers allowed an NFL worst 4.8 yards per attempt. DeForest Buckner and Tank Carradine were especially effective, posting the 3rd and 4th highest grades on the team according to Pro Football Focus.
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Branch’s comments on Sunday’s only positive takeaway, skip to 2:30.