Santa Clara – So that’s what a Kyle Shanahan offense is supposed to look like. Fueled by terrific game by rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard, the 49ers powered their way to their first win of the season, beating the reeling Giants 31-21 at Levi’s Stadium.
Given time to throw and fully operate in the Shanahan offense, rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard had his best day by far. He also made the mothballs the 49ers are encasing new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in appear awfully comfy.
Shanahan’s creativity was also on full display. He ran some hurry up and his most creative play might have been running Beathard on a read-options out of the pistol formation.
And later in the game, Shanahan was beginning to look like the beautiful offensive mind his rep says he is. He engineered two long scoring plays that actually handed his team one of their rare half-time leads this season.
With the Giants blitzing, Olympic long jumper and the 49ers’ resident speedster Marquise Goodwin blazed past the Giants’ best cornerback Janoris Jenkins on a streak to the middle of the field in the second quarter.
The 49ers anticipated the blitz, with running back Carlos Hyde and tight end Garrett Celek cutting down pass rushers. Beathard took one step to his right and unleashed a bomb to Goodwin, who caught the perfectly-thrown ball in stride. Goodwin then stiff-armed cornerback Jenkins and strolled into the end zone to complete the eighth longest touchdown pass in team history.
The 49ers were back at it again just before the half. Beathard fired a pass over the middle to tight end Garrett Celek, who caught the ball in stride, got a smashingly-good block from Goodwin, and then he evaded Jenkins for a 47-yard score.
Garrett Celek gets a big block from @flashg88dwin then takes it from there. 47-yards to the end zone! #NYGvsSF pic.twitter.com/MHNwTkCmts
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 12, 2017
For Beathard, it completed a pristine first half. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 198 yards and the two long touchdowns, which were thrown with precision.
With the home fans actually cheering them, the heady 49ers ducked into the locker room with a 17-13 lead.
The defense picked it up in the third quarter, holding the Giants scoreless, and New York couldn’t stop Shanahan or Beathard.
The 49ers went on a 11-play, 61-yard touchdown march right at the end of the third quarter. Beathard capped it with an 11-yard touchdown scamper to put his team up 24-13. By then, the demoralized Giants had nothing left and the 49ers cruised to their first win.
On their next drive, the 49ers scored again, this time with the running game, that seemingly forgotten aspect of the Shanahan offense. Spelling Hyde, replacement Matt Breida burst through the Giants’ front and scored on a 33-yard run to complete a 6-play, 62-yard scoring drive.
The 49ers were bathing in a 31-13 lead and the offense was suddenly looking like the 2016 Falcons when what’s-his-name was the offensive coordinator.
With such a stunning performance, the 49ers can luxuriate in their well-earned bye week. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be confronted with questions such as – Where has Sunday’s offense been all season? Why hasn’t Shanahan striven for more balance like he did against the Giants? And also, the favorite question – With Beathard playing outrageously well, will the 49ers bench him for Jimmy Garoppolo if he continues to play anything like he did Sunday?
Stay tuned.