SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Nick Bosa got a hero’s welcome as he arrived at the 49ers’ sideline in the final minutes of Sunday’s eventual win over the New Orleans Saints. Their first shutout in three years was intact, courtesy of his fourth-and-goal sack.
Minutes earlier, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga were the 49ers’ defensive heroes, with Greenlaw recovering a fumble at the 1-yard line after a Hufanga hit popped the football into the goal-line atmosphere.
Sunday’s 13-0 triumph over the Saints marked the 49ers’ fourth straight victory, and the fourth straight game in which they did not allow a point after halftime.
While it was the 49ers’ (7-4) first shutout since Oct. 20, 2019 at Washington (9-0), they had not done so at Levi’s Stadium since the 2016 opener against the Los Angeles Rams, in Chip Kelly’s debut as a one-season-and-done coach.
The Saints (4-8) sure had their chances to score, especially in the fourth quarter.
A holding penalty on Deommodore Lenoir set up the Saints with first-and-goal from the 4, and what ensued were three incompletions from Andy Dalton before Bosa recorded sack No. 11 1/2 for him this season. It was the 49ers’ only sack of the game.
An even more remarkable stop came on the Saints’ preceding drive on the cusp of the goal line. Greenlaw grabbed hold of Alvin Kamara as he made a reception to the 2-yard line, where Hufanga threw his shoulder into the fray, dislodging the ball that bounced off a few hands before it settled in Greenlaw’s at the 1-yard line.
Ruining the Saints’ earlier opportunities to score were: a 48-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide in the third quarter; a Kyle Shanahan challenge that nullified a Saints catch at the 49ers’ 8-yard line; and an illegal contact penalty that negated a Saints interception and an ensuing return deep into 49ers territory.
After posting second-half shutouts in their past three wins, the 49ers instead blanked the Saints in the first half — and the second half. New Orleans’ offense produced 260 yards, went 4-of-11 on third downs, and, of course, 0-for-2 on red-zone drives.
This opened a three-game homestand for the 49ers, with their next guests being the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Sunday matinees.
An injury to Elijah Mitchell (knee) was the biggest injury concern, as he was ruled out in the third quarter. Left guard Spencer Burford (right ankle) also left in the third quarter. Deebo Samuel apparently shook off a left leg issue that had him get medical attention just before halftime, and Jimmy Garoppolo dodged a catastrophic injury when Saints lineman Malcolm Roach illegally hit Garoppolo’s surgically repaired left knee after a throw.
The 49ers took a 10-0 lead into halftime, courtesy mostly of their defense but also an impressive touchdown drive that Jauan Jennings not only fueled but capped. Jennings made clutch receptions of 13 yards (on third-and-10), 12 yards (on the next snap), 12 yards (plus six yards more on Chris Harris Jr.’s late hit penalty), and, finally, a 5-yard scoring grab while falling to the ground in the back left corner of the end zone, after safety Tyrann Mathieu tipped the ball.
Garoppolo was 6-of-8 on that drive, and he was 20-of-28 in the first half, the most passes thrown before halftime in his career and the third-most by a 49er since 1991, one pass shy of what Steve Young (1995, vs. Falcons) and Alex Smith (2009, vs. Jaguars). Garoppolo finished 26-of-37 for 222 yards with no turnovers for the fourth straight game.
Garoppolo has not thrown an interception in his past 137 passes. What would have been Throw No. 131, however, ended up in the hands of the Saints’ Alontae Taylor, who returned that would-be interception to the 8-yard line. Alas, an illegal contact penalty on another Saints defensive back nullified that interception, keeping Garoppolo’s streak alive.
Deebo Samuel, who entered the game questionable because of a hamstring injury, appeared to tweak his left knee or leg in the end zone four minutes before halftime. He didn’t leave the game, however, and made a 16-yard catch-and-run on the second snap of the second half.
The 49ers’ defense opened this game by recovering only its second fumble of the season. Fred Warner forced it out of Alvin Kamara’s hands on the game’s opening drive, and Samson Ebukam recovered, gifting the 49es possession at the Saints’ 43.
Robbie Gould’s 24-yard field goal gave the 49ers a 3-0 lead, and it was a consolation prize for that drive which began off the Saints’ opening-series fumble and wasted a fourth-down conversion run by Christian McCaffrey that set up first-and-goal from the 9.
Another first-half highlight: winning a challenge, which ruled Chris Olave did not make a 30-yard catch at the 8-yard line.
The first-half lowlight: failing to score on fourth-and-goal from the 1, with Garoppolo stopped at the 2 on a quarterback scramble.
Dalton finished 18-of-29 for 204 yards, and he was the Saints’ leading rusher with 21 yards (four carries). Kamara had just 13 yards on seven carries and 37 yards on six receptions.
