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If you didn't think the undefeated San Francisco 49ers were for real coming into this week, you definitely do now. They blew out the Carolina Panthers, 51-13, in Week 8, and stars on both sides of the ball shined bright in this one.
Tevin Coleman rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. He also caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown as well, which made him just the second 49ers player to score four touchdowns in a game in the regular season since the merger. Jerry Rice accomplished this twice during his career, according to ESPN.
No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa recorded four tackles, three sacks and an interception. It certainly appears that the 49ers nabbed a future NFL star in the 2019 draft. Quarterback Kyle Allen came into this game with zero interceptions, but ended up throwing three on Sunday. This may have been his last game as a starter, as Cam Newton is expected to come back next week.
Jimmy Garoppolo again didn't put up superstar numbers, but did complete 18 of his 22 passing attempts for 175 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. After failing to throw for a touchdown in the past two games, he finally got back into a rhythm.
Why the 49ers won
Week after week, I find myself impressed with the 49ers' defensive line. While San Francisco did drop 51 points on the Panthers this Sunday, defense still wins championships. D.J. Jones, Arik Armstead and Bosa combined for 12 total tackles and six out of the seven 49ers sacks. This unit was disruptive in the passing game, and forced Christian McCaffrey to avoid the middle of the field and run outside the tackles. This unit is just getting better and better every week, and could be the reason they win a few games in the postseason this year.
Why the Panthers lost
It's almost impossible to blame just one player or position group for this loss, so why not blame the coaching staff? Remember back in September when head coach Ron Rivera was on the hot seat? Carolina was 0-2, Newton was headed to the bench with his injury and Allen was now the Panthers' starter. Somehow, Allen came in and racked up four straight wins, and threw for 901 yards, seven touchdowns and zero interceptions -- which took all the heat off of Rivera. It's interesting, the Panthers were supposed to be well-rested and prepared after they got an entire week to prepare for the undefeated 49ers. Instead, they just looked rusty. Every single position group, minus the running backs, struggled in this one, and there really is no excuse for it. Allen played his worst game as a starter, the offensive line allowed a season-high seven sacks and the defense gave up 51 points, which are the second-most allowed points in a single game in the Rivera era, according to Bill Voth.
Turning point
The Panthers scored 10 unanswered points to begin the second half, after Bruce Irvin sacked Garoppolo in the end zone for a safety and McCaffrey ran it in from 40 yards out the next possession. All of a sudden it was a 14-point game, and it looked like the Panthers weren't done just yet. Garoppolo and Co. then embarked on an eight-play, 75-yard drive which was capped off by a 20-yard run by rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
It was a turning point because the 49ers again extended the lead to 21 points, but it also reminded us just how versatile and exotic Kyle Shanahan can get with this offense. It had to be a little demoralizing for the Panthers when a rookie wideout scored a touchdown by running right up the middle on a great play call. It was at this point where it really appeared to be over for Carolina.
Play of the Game
Bosa had the best game of his young career, and his interception pretty much summed everything up. He spent most of the afternoon in the backfield, and looked pretty impressive in the open field with the ball.
Allen is lucky D.J. Moore was there to help him take down Bosa, because that was about to be a pick six.
Quotable
What's next
The Panthers return to Charlotte next Sunday, where they will host the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are 2-0 since benching Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill. Could this be the game where Newton returns, or will Rivera opt to keep rolling with Allen?
The 49ers take on the divisional rival Arizona Cardinals on the road next week on "Monday Night Football." Kyler Murray and Co. just lost their first game in four weeks this Sunday, falling to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, 31-9.
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