The two-time Pro Bowler was ejected towards the end of Monday’s game against the 49ers after making contact with an official. After being ejected, Donald then flipped out and slammed his helmet to the ground. “Those are huge momentum plays for the football team”. Hyde’s performance marked the ball-carrier’s second consecutive two-touchdown performance on “Monday Night Football” to open the season.
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Los Angeles’ Johnny Hekker and San Francisco’s Bradley Pinion combined for 17 punts, including seven in an offensively inept third quarter that featured 48 yards, three first downs and one turnover. We just couldn’t connect. And it’s worth noting Kelly wasn’t shy about firing off on fourth downs early with the 49ers, letting Blaine Gabbert throw from his own side of the field, not quite in the shadow of his own end zone but far enough back to be kind of “woah, he’s letting Gabbert throw on their side of the field”.
“That’s not the way we play, and that wasn’t our best football”, Donald said. But the Rams could get nothing from their new starting quarterback, as he finished with 130 yards on 17 completions and two interceptions. “Our game plan was to stop number 30 (Gurley) and number 11 (Austin) because you know they want to get the ball to their playmakers”. The former Jacksonville cast-off played a virtually flawless game against the Rams, throwing for 170 yards and a touchdown and adding on an extra 43 yards rushing on nine attempts.
And it has to be noted with full emphasis at this point: The 49ers also won in dominating fashion a year ago in Week 1, also in the late game Monday night, in the opening of the Jim Tomsula Era, and that one was against a Minnesota team that ended up in the playoffs.
San Francisco won 28-0 because someone had to. “I had a long talk with Anthony on Saturday, and everything’s been ironed out”, coach Chip Kelly said.
“We came into the game saying, ‘Take what the defense gives you, ‘” Gabbert said. “This is definitely a game we can build off of”. Two members of the Rams also joined in as Robert Quinn and Kenny Britt also held up fists.
Kaepernick came into the game with 2:33 remaining, with the outcome secured, thanks in large part to the 49ers’ defensive dominance.
DOWN DRAFT PICKS: Both the Rams and Niners traded up for first-round picks in April with Los Angeles mortgaging the future to take quarterback Jared Goff first overall and San Francisco trading back into the first round to select guard Joshua Garnett 28th.
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NOTES: San Francisco backup QB Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem, continuing what he has said is a protest against racial injustice and police brutality against people of color.
